I'm not well versed in the mortgage issues. I visited this diary to find out what the title meant, in fact. I actually thought the 'note' and defense mentioned might refer to the Doctor's excuses being written at the demonstration in Madison; I had no idea what "MERS" is. I still don't; I didn't get that far, and now that I know it is about mortgages I don't plan to read it. Thanks to shanikka for writing it, it seemed comprehensive and I'm sure others appreciate the information, it just isn't what I was looking for.
HOWEVER, I read the first para, and the diarist said this:
Should I write about the shame and disgrace of cuts to the LIHEAP program being proposed by the Administration for FY2012 (which have been characterized, incredibly, as "misunderstood", indicating a complete lack of knowledge about the history of LIHEAP or the Administration's prior proposals on it).
which set off alarm bells in my head. I've wondered about this LIHEAP thing myself. I've noticed that although complaints about it are common, nowhere in any mention of it have I seen any actual explanation for why the Administration's current proposal is what it is. It is almost as if nobody has even thought to ask. I suspected (though you don't have to believe me because it is now after the fact) that there was some simple, obvious, ethically and fiscally responsible reason that justified cutting aid for heating oil to poor families. But not only have I never heard what it might be, I've never heard it suggested that such a thing might exist.
Here's what I did...
I typed "Whitehouse.gov" into my address bar and clicked "go". Then on the first page I was shown, I typed "LIHEAP" in the Search box and hit "go". Then, in the middle of the page, the following text appeared (it wasn't like it was the first result, but it was right there for anyone to see):
The LIHEAP program doubled in FY 2009 following an energy spike but energy prices are now significantly lower, and the prior level is no longer sustainable. The 50 percent funding reduction brings funding back to the level before the energy price spike.
(That last sentence, I'll admit, I had to click through to read in full; the first page's synopsis cut it off after "back to".)
So who is it that shows a complete lack of knowledge of the history and prior proposals of LIHEAP? And since when is subsidizing oil companies the way we're supposed to handle the problems of poverty, anyway? Shouldn't we be zeroing out LIHEAP completely and subsidizing something that doesn't use fossil fuels?
I'm going to post this comment as a diary. I am so fucking disappointed in this community and its lack of support for a Democratic President. Hell, the whole fucking country.
NOWHERE NOT ONCE after weeks of hearing about how he's cutting this funding, and not a single mention (that I saw, anyway) that, well, duh, remember when oil prices shot through the roof and Congress adjusted funding to account for that? Well, now we're ADJUSTING IT BACK! It shouldn't have even been worthy of mention, but for the false spin about balancing the budget on the backs of the poor. A media narrative that the Daily Kos community seems not simply eager but bloodthirsty about adopting and propagating.