"Fall Back" this Sunday at 2am. Here is a nice reminder. :-)

Homebuyer Tax Credit Closer To Getting A New Life And A Tax Credit For Current Owners

We are getting closer.

clipped from www.realtor.org Key lawmakers in the Senate have tentatively agreed to extend the existing $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers and also offer a new $6,500 credit for existing homeowners who have lived in their current residence for a consecutive five-year period in the past eight years. Home buyers must be under contract by April 30, 2010, and close before July 1. House Democrats have expressed concern about the cost of the tax credit for the government, and allegations of abuse have resulted in an IRS probe of the program. Source: Wall Street Journal, Corey Boles and John D. McKinnon (10/29/09

BREAKING NEWS: Body Found Near Goodale Park

clipped from www.abc6onyourside.com BREAKING NEWS: Body Found Near Goodale Park Columbus, Ohio -- Columbus Homicide detectives are trying to figure out what caused the death of a person found near Goodale Park. The body was found on the porch of a home on West First Avenue Police are saying there isn't obvious trauma to the body. There is no word on whether or not this is even a suspicious death.

President hails new hate crimes law a step toward "a more perfect union."

clipped from www.advocate.com Shepard Bill Reception Proves Emotional President Barack Obama hosted a White House reception to commemorate the signing of hate crimes legislation in which he hailed the new law as a step toward "a more perfect union." "As a nation we've come far on the journey towards a more perfect union. And today, we've taken another step forward," Obama said. "This is the culmination of a struggle that has lasted more than a decade. Time and again, we faced opposition. Time and again, the measure was defeated or delayed. Time and again we've been reminded of the difficulty of building a nation in which we're all free to live and love as we see fit." Judy Shepard said the law — named in honor of her son Matthew, who was killed in 1998 by two men in Wyoming — was just the beginning. “This is the first step,” she said, tears rimming her eyes after more than 10 roller-coaster years filled with advocacy and anticipation. “We have a lot to do, we need to be grateful for this and move on.”

Today's White House Schedule: Sign Hate Crimes Prevention Act (Starts at 2:30pm)

Below is the official daily guidance for press that is sent out by the White House. It contains detailed information about the President’s events today. There will be a lot of press coverage, which we will compile and send out to you later in the afternoon. In the meantime, a CNN story is below.



As you will see from this guidance, there are two events relevant to HRC.



· At 2:30 p.m. Rose Garden ceremony, the President will sign the 2010 Defense Authorization Act, which is the legislation containing the hate crimes amendment. This event is open to the press. Defense Secretary Gates will be at this signing, which indicates to me that this event may largely be about the defense portions of the legislation – although, hate crimes will likely be mentioned. We have yet to confirm with any cable networks regarding live coverage. As soon as we get confirmation, we will make sure to pass that info along.



· At 6:05 pm in the East Room of the White House, the President will offer remarks at a reception commemorating the enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This event is also open press. As with the Rose Garden ceremony, once we get confirmation of any cable networks covering we will pass it along.



Congrats to all of us on this historic day in our movement’s history!!



THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

_______________________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 27, 2009



DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2009



In the morning, the President and the Vice President will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing and the Economic Daily Briefing in the Oval Office. These meetings are closed press. The President will then deliver remarks at the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony in honor of former Senator Edward William Brooke at the U.S. Capitol. This event is open press.



In the afternoon, the President and the Vice President will have lunch in the Private Dining Room. This lunch is closed press. The President will then host a meeting with the co-chairmen of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board (PIAB) and the senior leadership of the intelligence community in the Cabinet Room. There will be a pool spray at the top of the meeting where he will introduce the co-chairmen of the PIAB. The Vice President will also attend this meeting.



Later, the President will sign the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 in the Rose Garden. He will deliver brief remarks and will be joined by the Vice President, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Members of Congress, and others. This event is open press. The President and the Vice President will then meet with Secretary Gates in the Oval Office. The President will also meet with senior advisors in the Oval Office. These meetings are closed press.



In the evening, the President will attend a commemorative tree planting on the North Portico. There will be a pool spray of the planting. The President will later host a reception commemorating the enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act in the East Room. He will deliver brief remarks and will be joined by Attorney General Eric Holder, civil rights community leaders and others. This event is open press.



Also tomorrow, Energy Secretary Steven Chu will host a Clean Energy Economy Forum with stakeholders from around the country at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change Carol Browner and other top Administration officials will also be featured speakers at the forum, which will include a focus on science, innovation, and job creation in the emerging clean energy economy. The forum will be webcast live at www.whitehouse.gov/live and will be opened up even further to the public through Facebook, where an innovative White House application will allow the public to watch and discuss the event live. The White House will be monitoring the chat, taking questions, and incorporating feedback from chat participants during the event. The event is open press; pre-set is 8:45AM and final gather is at 9:15AM at the stakeout location outside the West Wing.





In-Town Travel Pool

Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg

Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP

TV Corr & Crew: ABC

Print: St. Petersburg Times

Radio: NPR

Travel Photo: TIME





EDT



9:00AM Pool Call Time



9:30AM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT receive the Presidential Daily Briefing

Oval Office

Closed Press



10:00AM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT receive the Economic Daily Briefing

Oval Office

Closed Press



11:00AM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks at the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony in honor of former Senator Edward William Brooke

U.S. Capitol

Open Press (Travel Pool Gather Time 10:30AM – North Doors of the Palm Room)



12:00PM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT have lunch

Private Dining Room
Closed Press



1:20PM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT host meeting with the co-chairmen of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board and the senior leadership of the intelligence community

Cabinet Room
Pool spray at the top (Gather Time 1:10PM – Briefing Room)


2:30PM THE PRESIDENT signs the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010

Rose Garden

Open Press (Pre-set 1:30PM – Final Gather 2:00PM – North Doors of the Palm Room)


3:10PM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT meet with Secretary of Defense Gates

Oval Office
Closed Press



4:00PM THE PRESIDENT meets with senior advisors

Oval Office
Closed Press

5:30PM THE PRESIDENT attends commemorative tree planting

North Portico
Pool spray (Gather Time 5:15PM – North Doors of the Palm Room)


6:05PM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks at reception commemorating the enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act

East Room

Open Press (Pre-set 4:45PM – Final Gather 5:30PM – North Doors of the Palm Room)

Briefing Schedule

12:00PM Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

##

Two years after son's death, mother finds solace in hate crimes bill
STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Elke Kennedy says her son was called a "fa**ot" and then punched -- he died after assault
For the past 27 months, she's been tirelessly lobbying for hate crime legislation
She will attend President Obama's signing ceremony on Wednesday
Several groups concerned law could be used to criminalize conservative speech
(CNN) -- For Elke Kennedy, the significance of Wednesday's hate crimes legislation can be traced to a single punch outside a bar on a drunken night two years ago.

"My son was murdered as he was leaving a bar in Greenville, South Carolina," the 48-year-old woman told CNN about her son, Sean, who was 20 when he came face-to-face with what she calls a hate crime. "He walked outside the bar and there was three people sitting in a car outside and they called him over to ask him for a cigarette."

It was 3:45 a.m. on May 16, 2007, and her underage son was legally drunk, but not so much that he couldn't give them the cigarette. He did so, then turned to walk away. He did not get far, she said.

"As he was walking away, the guy in the back seat got out and walked over to Sean and called him a faggot and punched him in the face."

The men got back into their car and drove off, leaving Sean on the ground, his brain separated from his brain stem, she said.

Fifteen minutes later, the 18-year-old assailant called one of the women whom Sean had been with in the bar and left a message on her cell phone.

"You tell your fa**ot friend when he wakes up he owes me 500 dollars for my broken hand," the message said.

Sean was taken to Greenville Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced brain dead 17 hours later. More than 700 people showed up at his memorial service at Crossroads Community Church in nearby Simpsonville.

Two days later, Stephen Andrew Moller, then 18, was charged with murder.

He bargained it down to involuntary manslaughter and served 199 days in the county lockup followed by 12 months in prison, Kennedy said. Moller was released on probation last July, she said.

An attempt to reach the Moller family Tuesday was not successful.

Had hate crimes been a federal offense in 2007, the FBI would have been able to investigate the attack, and Sean Kennedy's killer might still be in prison, his mother said.

For the past 27 months, Kennedy has logged 76,000 miles speaking at colleges and clubs across the country trying to raise awareness and gather support for the legislation.

Last week, the Senate did what she was seeking when it passed legislation by 68-29 that would make it a federal crime to assault an individual because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity.

Obama is to sign the measure, which was added to a $680 billion defense authorization bill, on Wednesday. Kennedy and her husband were driving Tuesday night from their home in Greenville to the nation's capital, where they were planning to witness the ceremony.

"We are going there representing so many people," she said. "People who have been murdered and are dealing with the harassment and bullying and violence on a daily basis."

But Kennedy said her work does not end with the president's signature.

"This is a huge milestone, but it is not the end of the fight," she said. "We have to change the hearts and minds."

Toward that end, she has spoken at 34 colleges and universities "to educate these kids about what hate and violence and bullying can do and give them options and teach them non-violent conflict resolution."

But she expressed frustration that elementary schools have not allowed her to address their students, to send them the message that ends each of her talks: "No mother should ever have to bury her child, no mother should ever have to lose her child to hate or violence and no mother should ever have to fight for justice for her child."

The measure is named for Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming teenager who died after being kidnapped and severely beaten in October 1998, and James Byrd Jr., an African-American man dragged to his death in Texas the same year.

Several religious groups have expressed concern that a hate-crimes law could be used to criminalize conservative speech relating to subjects such as abortion or homosexuality.

But Attorney General Eric Holder has said that any federal hate-crimes law would be used only to prosecute violent acts based on bias, as opposed to the prosecution of speech based on controversial racial or religious beliefs.

Former President George W. Bush had threatened to veto a similar measure. Opponents of the expanded hate crimes bill challenged the need to specify one particular community in federal legislation. They contended that existing federal hate-crimes laws were sufficient to protect the rights of people based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

More than 77,000 hate crime incidents were reported by the FBI between 1998 and 2007, or "nearly one hate crime for every hour of every day over the span of a decade," Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee in June.

Buckeye Hall of Fame to be Replaced with Hotel

clipped from www.columbusunderground.com The writing has been on the wall for the Buckeye Hall of Fame Cafe ever since they went into receivership back in March, but the future of the site may have been determined last night. City Council approved a 10-year tax break for a developer who is proposing to tear down the restaurant and build a six-story 134-room hotel in its place. The owners of the Hall of Fame have stated that they are looking for a new smaller space to relocate the restaurant to. Anyone have any ideas on where might be a good fit?

Breaking News: Update on an extension for the $8,000 First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit.

The United States Senate is expected to vote, later today, on a bill to extend Unemployment Insurance benefits. This bill will contain the Dodd-Lieberman-Isakson Amendment to extend and expand the $8,000 First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit.

The Extended and Expanded Tax Credit will contain the following provisions:

Amount: $8,000

Eligibility: ALL HOME BUYERS (Step-up buyers will have to have lived in their current home for SEVEN* years to be eligible)

Income Limits: $125,000 for single filers/$225,000 for joint filers

Time Frame: December 1, 2009 to April 30, 2010 plus 60 Day extension if binding contract is in place by April 30, 2010

*The 7 year ownership requirement is designed to lower the "score" or cost of the tax credit. This is still open to change. The Congressional Budget Office is going to "score" the cost of 3 year and 5 year requirements. We are continuing to push for step-up buyers to be required to be in their current home for three year period.

NAR (National Association of Realtors) will be monitoring the progress and any potential changes to the bill. NAR will send out a notice when the legislation is voted on tonight--regardless of how late into the night or early into the morning the debate continues.


This is a good first step. We need to see the version from the House of Representatives.

Real Living Named "Best Residential Real Estate Agency"

This is one of the reasons why I am proud to be a Real Living HER Agent!

Columbus, Ohio (October 2009) – Real Living is currently featured as central Ohio’s “Best Residential Real Estate Agency” in the November issue of Columbus C.E.O. magazine’s “Best of Business 2009” section. Other “Best of Business” categories include everything from “Best Credit Union” to “Best HVAC Company”. Winners were determined by nominations from Columbus C.E.O. readers.

“We are so excited to receive such incredible recognition from a publication like Columbus C.E.O.,” said Chris Derrow, executive vice president of Real Living. “We work hard to maintain our leadership position in Central Ohio and we’re happy our customers recognize our efforts.”

Currently, Real Living’s market share is about 20% - one of every five real estate transactions in Central Ohio is completed by a Real Living HER agent.

About Real Living
With 2,200 associates and 100 offices coast to coast, Real Living offers a full suite of home and lifestyle services. Real Living was named one of the best new franchises by Entrepreneur magazine, winner of the Inman Innovator Award and the Most Promising New National Real Estate Brand by the Swanepoel TRENDS Report. For more information, visit RealLiving.com or my site, www.terrypenrod.com

Columbus home sales increase seen for the first time in over two years! Highest number of home sales seen in September in three years.

clipped from columbusrealtors.com September 2009 Home Sales Statistics Home sales increased over ten percent in September compared with last year. The 2,012 homes sold was 10.3 percent higher than September of last year and marks the first year over year increase in sales central Ohio has seen in over two years according to the Columbus Board of REALTORS®. “Not only did home sales last month increase for the first time since July of 2007, that’s the highest number of sales we’ve seen in September since 2006.” said Gary Parsons, president of the Columbus Board of REALTORS®.   “This is likely due to the urgency felt by first time home buyers to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit that expires November 30 of this year.”   The number of homes for sale in central Ohio continues to decrease. With 14,204 listings, inventory levels are down 2.4 percent from the month before and down 14.4 percent from September of 2008. This is the lowest level of inventory the area has seen this time of year since 2004.

Congress Takes FINAL Vote on Hate Crimes Bill; On to President’s Desk

WE DID IT!

clipped from www.hrcbackstory.org After nearly 12 years, a strong hate crimes bill is finally on its way to the President’s desk and he’s promised to make it law.  Upon his signature, the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act will be the first major federal civil rights law protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Today’s 64 to 35 cloture vote and this evening’s final passage in the Senate marks a truly pivotal moment in our fight for LGBT equality. This last vote EVER on the bill happened because of the dedication of all of the people who contacted their legislators, educated their communities and gave of their time and money.  But no one has worked harder than the families of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., for whom the bill is named. Visit our Love Conquers Hate site to celebrate this victory and send a note of thanks to the Shepard and Byrd families for their years of hard work.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 22, 2009
Brad Luna |
Trevor Thomas |

U.S. Senate Passes Defense Authorization Conference Report, Including Hate Crimes Provision

Human Rights Campaign launches new website www.LoveConquersHate.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, praised the U.S. Senate today for passing the conference report for the FY 2010 Defense Authorization bill by a vote of 68 to 29, sending critical hate crimes legislation to the President’s desk. The U.S. House on October 8 successfully passed the conference report including the hate crimes provision. In July, the Senate voted to attach the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act to the Defense Authorization measure. President Barack Obama has repeatedly pledged to sign the bill when it reaches his desk. For a retrospective of hate crimes advocacy visit: www.LoveConquersHate.org.

“We’re in the home stretch. This critical piece of legislation is on its way to the President’s desk for his signature,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “We look forward to President Obama signing it into law; our nation’s first major piece of civil rights legislation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Too many in our community have been devastated by hate violence. We now can begin the important steps to erasing hate in our country.”

The Defense Authorization conference report removed a provision adopted in the Senate which would make the death penalty available for hate crimes. In addition, the hate crimes provision has been renamed “The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act,” honoring the memory of another victim of hate violence – in the same year as Matthew Shepard – an African-American man who was dragged to death in Jasper, Texas.

“We applaud the leadership of our Senate allies, particularly Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and Senators Patrick Leahy, Carl Levin, and Susan Collins for ensuring that the hate crimes provision remained part of this authorization bill. We also recognize the tireless efforts of Senator Ted Kennedy on this issue; a hero for our entire community,” said Solmonese.

The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act gives the Justice Department the power to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence where the perpetrator has selected the victim because of the person's actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.

It provides the Justice Department with the ability to aid state and local jurisdictions either by lending assistance or, where local authorities are unwilling or unable, by taking the lead in investigations and prosecutions of violent crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury that were motivated by bias. It also makes grants available to state and local communities to combat violent crimes committed by juveniles, train law enforcement officers, or to assist in state and local investigations and prosecutions of bias motivated crimes.

This legislation was first introduced in the 105th Congress. Today’s vote was the 14th and final time there has been a floor vote on this historic legislation.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

-30-

Senate Achieves Cloture on DoD Conference Report Including Hate Crimes Provision

clipped from www.hrcbackstory.org October 22, 2009 12:25PM Michael Cole The U.S. Senate today achieved cloture (the procedural step to limit debate and proceed toward a vote) on the Department of Defense Authorization Conference Report of which the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act is a part by a vote of 64 to 35.  The Senate will now proceed with debate on the Conference Report followed by a vote on final passage.  Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese released the following statement: “While there is strong support for the hate crimes provision, today’s cloture vote in the Senate demonstrates that those in the civil rights community need to remain ever vigilant.  While the Senate achieved cloture, it is clear that the opposition remains strong.  We look forward to final passage when the critical hate crimes legislation will be on its way to the President’s desk.”

Dine Originals Columbus Discount Certificates On Sale TONIGHT Between 7-8pm

This is a note from DineOriginalsColumbus.com

Last month we launched the new and improved DineOriginalsColumbus.com. On the evening of Thursday, October 22nd, we will launch the next generation of our discount Gift Certificate software at the following address:

www.eatlikealocal.com/columbus

We'll have certificates for your favorite local restaurants available at discounts of 30% off.

Normally, our gift certificates go online early in the morning. We’re going to try something new this sale. The gift certificates will go online later in the day, sometime between 7pm and 8pm.

Local restaurants are a vital part of the community. Thanks for supporting Dine Originals Columbus and our city's best local restaurants. If you have any questions, feel free to contact support@eatlikealocal.com.

Thanks!

Follow @dineoriginals on Twitter

Philip, an 86-year-old WWII vet on marriage equality: "what do you think I fought for in Omaha Beach?"

I serve for everyone's freedom... not just people like me.

A great American. Thanks Brandon for posting.

Must Read Op-Ed: “Marriage Equality’s False Divides”

clipped from www.hrcbackstory.org Take a few minutes to read the outstanding op-ed from WashingtonPost.com this weekend: “Marriage Equality’s False Divides” from the Revs. Dennis Wiles and Robert Hardies.  This piece reflects the hard work of creating a diverse coalition for marriage equality in DC.  Many of those opposed to equal marriage have tried to paint the issue as having a white, elite focus.  We know this is not true, and the work and the message reflects the entire community.  HRC’s religion and faith as well as diversity programs will continue to work together with DC Clergy United for Marriage Equality For instance, few would expect the two of us — a straight, black Baptist minister from east of the Anacostia River, and a gay, white Unitarian minister from Columbia Heights — to share the same position on same-sex marriage. Our solidarity exposes two of the myths perpetuated by opponents of marriage equality and by the media. Let’s call these myths “God vs. gay” and “black vs. white.”

Rosendale’s Closes All Three Short North Restaurants

Sad news

clipped from www.columbusunderground.com By Walker | October 18, 2009 9:45pm | Filed under Dining | Comments Effective immediately, Rosendale’s has closed up all three of their Short North restaurants at 793 North High Street: Rosendales Modern Bistro, Upstairs at Rosendales and Details. A press release issued tonight cited “a significant decline in weekly sales since Chef Rosendale’s departure” as their main reason for closing the businesses. “We want to thank all of Columbus and the many patrons from across central Ohio for the last several years, and to the outstanding staff for all their hard work and dedication,” said Chef Richard Rosendale.

Senator Brown Announces Support For New Bill Extending Tax Credit For First-Time Homebuyers

clipped from ohio.realestaterama.com clipped from ohio.realestaterama.com October 14, 2009 by Senator Brown Category: News || Laws & Taxes | No Comments clipped from ohio.realestaterama.com WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 14, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) — A tax credit that has helped more than 48,000 Ohio families purchase their first homes will expire on Dec. 1 unless Congress passes an extension. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced his support today for S. 1678, a new bill that would extend the first-time homebuyer tax credit through May 31, 2010. “The first-time homebuyer tax credit is critical to getting our economy back on track,” Brown said. “Not only does the tax credit make home ownership accessible to more Ohioans, it pumps money into our state’s economy. This creates jobs, helps stabilize home prices, and shores up property tax bases in our communities.” It provides a refundable tax credit - equal to up to ten percent of the purchase price of the home not exceeding $8,000 - for qualified buyers who have never owned a home or have not owned one in the past three years.

All the videos of the 13th Annual HRC National Dinner

clipped from www.hrcbackstory.org Here is the full 13th Annual Human Rights Campaign National Dinner from Saturday, October 10, 2009 in Washington DC.

White House Advisor says: Those bloggers need to take off the pajamas, get dressed, and realize that...

On Sunday's NBC Evening News

From CNBC's John Harwood:

"One advisor told me today 'Those bloggers need to take off the pajamas, get dressed, and realize that governing a closely divided country is complicated and difficult.'"

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

This is their story about the March and the HRC Dinner.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Judy Shepard Speaks At Gay Rights Rally In Washington, DC

Great remarks. She says what need to be said! Go back and TALK about your stories, get INVOLVED in the political process and VOTE.

Don't think by attending a March or watching a March that the work is done.

NPR: Would Extending Home Buyer Credit Be Worth It?

Two stories from NPR. Click in the links to read or listen to the stories.

clipped from www.npr.org by Chris Arnold Many first-time home buyers are scrambling to pick a house and close the deal by Nov. 30, the deadline for an $8,000 tax credit for first-time homeowners. A lot of real estate agents think the tax-credit program has been a huge success and are urging Congress to extend it. But not every economist is convinced it's a great idea. RENEE MONTAGNE, host: It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne. STEVE INSKEEP, host: And I'm Steve Inskeep. Now that the Federal government's fiscal year has ended, we can have a look at the bill. The deficit hit $1.4 trillion in the year ending in September. That number shatters all records.

Debate Over Homebuyer Tax Credit Heats Up

clipped from www.npr.org But not if lawmakers like Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) can help it. Isakson — a former real estate executive himself — wants to extend the tax credit, increase its size and make it more widely available. The National Association of Realtors is backing that idea. "We'd like to see it extended through 2010. In fact, we'd like to see it expanded to all buyers — not investors, not people buying second homes. But to people buying a home to live in," says NAR spokesman Walter Molony. "Certainly there's a cost to the Treasury in offering this. But the economic benefit — it gives you a pretty good bang for the buck." "Four out of 5 of the buyers were given $8,000 for doing something they were going to do anyway," says Andrew Jakabovics, associate director of housing and economics at the Center for American Progress, a Washington think tank closely aligned with the Obama administration. "While there are stimulative effects, it's a very costly credit."