Who the heck ever thought about the Registers of Deeds or the Clerks of Courts? These elected officials are almost never even heard from or talked about in elections and certainly never considered as part of profound debates about public policy and vital Constitutional Rights, but two of these officers are showing how these offices might just be the most important elected offices in the entire country right now. Get to know the names Jeff Thigpen and John O’Brien. These two are emerging warriors in a profound battle.
I’ve written quite a bit previously about our nation’s (formerly) sacred public and property records systems. These records are the heart and soul of our country’s economic, social and political systems. These record systems are far more important than voting records, or driver’s licenses or any other form of government records BECAUSE THESE RECORDS TOUCH EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN. American’s don’t vote and you may not drive, but you are born (birth certificate), you marry (marriage certificate), you purchase property (deed), you mortgage property (mortgage), then you die (death certificate).
All of these records form quite literally the fabric and foundation of our entire nation’s economic, social and political order and from the beginning of our nation’s history we entrust them to local officials that we could hold quite personally and easily accountable….these officials after all are our neighbors.
Thinking of all of this reminded me of a post I did not so long ago, about an issue that I still find quite extraordinary….
A Most Extraordinary Suggestion From A Clerk of Court
And next, read something that has just been written…
Thanks for this, Matt. Maybe we can agitate our own local register of deeds. God knows they need the money. I can’t understand why they aren’t screaming about this.
On another note, please pass this along in a post. Elizabeth Warren needs our support, if we have any chance of countering Wall Street.
thanks.
Senate Republicans are threatening to block any appointee to head the new Consumer Financial Protect Bureau unless it is watered down to serve Wall Street interests.
Representative Barney Frank called the Republican move “the worst abuse of the confirmation process I’ve ever seen” and added, “What it clearly says is that the president will have to make a recess appointment.”
I agree.
The Progressive Change Campaign Committee has written a letter to President Obama supporting Warren’s recess appointment, and it’s been signed by top academics and other progressive organizations.
It’s a great letter — with a message I wholeheartedly support. Can you join them and sign the letter yourself?
Click here to add your name to the letter asking President Obama to appoint Elizabeth Warren — then send this email to friends.
Monday, a banking leader who once called Warren the “Antichrist” said his initial impressions were wrong and urged a recess appointment. We have momentum, President Obama is paying attention, and an outpouring of national support will make a big difference.
Since the president appointed Elizabeth Warren to set up the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau she has proven she can stand up to Wall Street. Now, it’s time for a permanent leader to be appointed and, because Republican senators have vowed to block anyone, it’s up to President Obama to use his power constitutional power to bypass Republicans and make a recess appointment.
Academics who know Elizabeth well — like Lawrence Lessig and Dean Baker — as well as prominent progressive organizations of all stripes like Democracy for America, Democracia, CREDO Action, the Sierra Club, VoteVets, MoveOn, and others have signed on to the PCCC’s letter. Even Wall Street folks who support reform have signed on.
Can you add your voice to theirs? Click here to sign the letter.
I totally, 100% support Warren and want to do all we can to support her.