Maryland Unprepared for Swine Flu?

I just received this email from the Maryland Senate Republican Caucus about the Swine Flu Epidemic. I'm not going to get into a discussion of Republican vs. Democrat here, but there do seem to be some valid points made here. You can decide for yourself.
______________

While the major media in Maryland was lauding Governor O’Malley for establishing a "swine flu command center," they failed to uncover Maryland’s true status of being unprepared for a major medical emergency.

True to form for Maryland’s media, they accepted without question the puffed-up press releases and press conference hyperbole issued from the gubernatorial media relations machine.

If they looked behind the "made-for-media" imagery, they would find that Maryland ranks near the bottom of states in emergency preparedness for a flu pandemic.

As reported in the Washington Times today (Maryland lags in its antiviral stockpile), a study for the non-partisan Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that:

* Maryland was tied for lowest in the country by completing only 5 of 10 benchmarks for medical disaster preparedness.

* Maryland officials had purchased less than half of the federally subsidized antiviral medications available to prepare for a pandemic flu outbreak.

* Maryland’s supply of 476,000 doses of antiviral medication (one for every 11.8 residents) pales in comparison to neighboring Virginia (one for every 7.4 residents).

Did Governor O’Malley’s poor budget policies over the last three years lead to misplaced priorities that under-funded medical disaster preparedness?

The Administration responded by sending out David Paulson, former Maryland Democrat Party flack now positioned at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, who slammed the study as being "faulty and incomplete."

For a link to the report, visit our website: www.mdsenategop.com.

Why Does Congress Approve Obama's Budget?

In today's Washington Post, there's an article about Congressional Democrats overwhelmingly accepting Obama's "ambitious and expensive agenda for the nation yesterday, endorsing a $3.5 trillion spending plan that sets the stage for the president to pursue his most far-reaching priorities. " See the whole article here http://tinyurl.com/dl9wk2 . A couple of Maryland Congressional members are quoted in the article (Sen. Benjamin Cardin (Dem), Rep. Chris Van Hollen, (Dem).) It also says voting was nearly straight down party lines with only a total of 22 Dems voting with the Republicans. The vote was 233-196 in the house with only 20 Democrats siding with the Republicans and 55-43 in the Senate with all but 2 Dems voting Yes.

Now, some of you may have caught on that I'm a Republican and regularly work for the GOP. The Republican response wasn't so happy. "Republicans blasted the Democratic budget as a reckless manifesto that would greatly expand the size of government and double the national debt within five years. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Rep-KY) said he feared the consequences of a budget that 'calls for a dramatic and potentially irreversible shift of our nation to the left in the areas of health care, education and private enterprise.' "

My question is, When are our legislators going to vote FOR the State and not for Republican or against Democrat, for Obama or against Bush? Do they lose votes from their constituents when they vote their hearts? I've voted Democrat when I think that the democratic contender was the better person for the job. I've also voted Republican for the same reason. I vote for who or what I think is the best choice for our State and our Country. Am I completely naive to think that our government should do the same?


And in less likely news, the Onion - source of all the best and funniest news (though highly unlikely to be true), http://tinyurl.com/cuomht "Congress Forced To Watch Training Video About Bipartisan Cooperation."

New FHA Appraisal Guidelines

This just in!

New FHA Appraisal requirements started April 1st. This information is important for sellers!

Here are the 10 things your appraiser must do or provide for all FHA appraisals done after April 1st, 2009:
1. The Market Conditions Addendum (Fannie Form 1004MC/Freddie Form 71)
2. At least 2 comparable sales within 90 days of appraisal date
3. A minimum of 2 active listings or pending sales in addition to the 3 closed comparables
4. Bracketed listings using both dwelling size and sales price when possible
5. Adjust active listings to reflect the List To Sales Price Ratio
6. Adjust pending sales to reflect contract sales price when possible
7. Include original list price and any revised list prices
8. Reconciliation of adjusted values of active or pending sales with adjusted values of closed comparable sales
9. Absorption Rate Analysis
10. Known or reported sales concessions on active and pending sales

This update includes an often stated warning that..."Direct Endorsement Lenders are reminded that if the appraiser they selected provides a poor or fraudulent appraisal that leads FHA to insure a mortgage at an inflated amount, the lender is held responsible equally with the appraiser for the integrity, accuracy and thoroughness of an appraisal submitted to FHA."