GOP won't exempt Katrina victims from tough new bankruptcy laws

Silly me. Here I thought that Republican lawmakers might actually show some vestigial remnant of compassion in the face of the disaster. Nope.

New US bankruptcy laws could add to the woes of Hurricane Katrina victims as they struggle to rebuild their lives, a politician has warned.

Bankruptcy Code changes which make it harder for Americans to wipe out their debts take effect in a month's time.

Democratic Senator Russ Feingold says people driven to bankruptcy by hurricane damage should not be "test cases" for the new code. (. . .)

Senator Feingold says many residents of the stricken area have suffered "catastrophic losses" and will have to file for bankruptcy "through no fault of their own".

"Bankruptcy lets them get a fresh start. And a fresh start is what so many of the relief efforts going on are all about," he told the Senate last week.

Gee, it's so.... sensible. So many of the victims were dirt-poor to begin with, it won't mean a whole lot compared to the roughly $500 billion spent on Iraq and Gulf Coast reconstruction. Michelin Man made flesh James Sensenbrenner has other ideas:

However, the idea is opposed by the Republican chairman of the House of Representatives' judiciary committee, James Sensenbrenner, who is responsible for deciding whether the bill will be considered in the House.

Mr Sensenbrenner said the new law made no difference to people who were "down and out" and had no possibility of repaying 40% or more of their debts.

That last sentence really puzzles me, since everything I've heard indicates that natural disasters will no longer be a vaild "excuse" for declaring bankruptcy. And if it makes no difference, why have I just heard that he's officially killed the legislation?

Now I know why that Rolling Stone article referred to Sensenbrenner as "your basic fat, evil prick." He's also a rich prick, worth more than $9 million as the "Kotex heir." And the word is that he hates being called "Tex," so if you ever meet him you know what to do. Here's a suggestion: "How ya doin', Tex, you fat, evil prick?" But feel free to use your imagination.