Help With Credit Score - Legal Credit Repair Knowledge Base

Legal Credit Repair Knowledge Base

Is Credit Repair legal? what is good and bad about it?

Credit Repair - Atlantic Pre-legal Services? I am looking to improve my credit score by 200 points over the next 4 – 6 months. Have you used the Atlantic Pre-legal Services http://www.atlanticprelegal.com/? How long ago? What do you think of their service? How many points did your score move? How long did it take to have your score move a substantial amount? Would you recommend this service to a friend?

Are Credit Repair Services like RMCN legal and legitimate? I have recently contacted RMCN to help me get some false information off my credit report. Does anyone have any experience with RMCN or similar credit repair services they would share (positive or negative)?

Under the fair credit act is it legal to ask debtor to report an account as never late as a condition of? settling for a payment to pay off the account? On a past due account, that you are asking a debtor to agree, as a conditon of cashing a check as payment, that they agree to remove the item as ever being late period, and to settle for a lesser amount? Is this practice legal, a credit repair place said it was a tactic being used?

How do these credit raising/ repair services work? is it legal?

Credit repair? United Credit Association? Has anyone heard of United Credit Association? They are a credit repair agency. I want to know if those agencies are legal and if they really can repair your credit. My realtor recommended it to me because they had a meeting with some realtors in Houston, TX and they guaranteed to fix your credit in 6 months.

Credit repair? United Credit Association? Has anyone heard of United Credit Association? they're a credit repair agency. I want to know if those agencies are legal and if they really can repair your credit. My realtor recommended it to me because they had a meeting with some realtors in Houston, TX and they guaranteed to fix your credit in 6 months.

Should I officially start a credit repair organization? I have been assisting several individuals with improving their credit. I know most companies are rip offs. However, unlike someone who takes your money and runs off doing nothing. I sit down and map out how to approach removing the credit issues. What I explain is anyone of course can provide these services. I am familiar with the FCRA, FDCPA, Statue Of Limitation Laws, etc. Last year in helping people I help 20 people acheive their goals. I feel I have something legitmite to offer people. I guess my question is I've checked with my state (MD) and I found there were no applicable licence for my business type. I only would have to be licenced and bonded if I act as one of these debt consolidation which I choose not to be. However, in networking I spoke to someone who advised my state is leary of that term....Does anyone know for sure if this is legal?

How can i increase my credit score while still in chapter 7 bankruptcy? What can i do to increase my credit score and be able to buy a home ASAP while i am still in chapter 13 bankruptcy? what is the best way to repair my credit, legal/illegal

Is it legal to post signs on telephone poles? I have seen small signs for local busineses (like credit repair call this number etc.) posted on telephone poles etc.from time to time. I'd like to advertise my business this way as long as I'm not likely to get fined. How about sticking small signs into the ground on public property at intersections etc. like the politician do? Is this allowable to do? Thanks for your advice.

Credit after foreclosure question...? Long story short, my house was stolen by a dirty mortgage broker. This is a guy wanted by several gov't agencies, and currently in court with the DA's office. He literally stole my house (and several other people's) and my lawyers said my best option was to stop paying and hope the bank forecloses on him. Yes, I am still pursuing legal action for this situtation. OK, so I only stopped paying on the house, and it apparently (one year later) just sold in a foreclosure auction. I now have a foreclosure on my credit report, which I know will be there for 7 years. All of my revolving credit cards are paid on time and usually in full. I have money in the bank. So basically, everything else is in tact but *the house*. Who do I call to repair my credit? Debt consolidation company, bankruptcy attorney (even though I am NOT filing for bankruptcy)? Is time my only option? How do I repair it if my only debt is the house? Let me know if you know the answer to this because I am confused.

Question about collection agencies and credit reports from old, OLD delinquent accounts.? We're NOT deadbeats, but 10 years ago we had a business go belly-up due to serious illness and lost EVERYTHING.....business, home, cars, everything. Medical bills wiped us out. We never filed bankruptcy, but it was REALLY bad, including foreclosure on our home. We've worked hard to repair our credit (which is pretty good now) and we're FINALLY squeaking by on our disability. We thought after seven years all past delenquent bills and judgements were removed from your credit report. NOW we're getting bills for them! Seems an agency "bought" all delenquent accounts from some of our creditors, and are threatening to put them on our credit report. There's no way we can pay these......we're talking almost 100k!! Is it legal for them to do this after all this time? Does anybody have any suggestions? We really, TRULY aren't dodging our creditors, but we're older, disabled, and on a fixed income. Paying ANYTHING on these old bills will be difficult. HELP!!!!

Is it legal to charge a guest for damages or theft from a hotel room? I have heard many different opinions on this but little strong evidence. If a guest punches a hole in the wall can the hotel charge their credit card for repair? If they steal a coffee maker or bedspread, can the hotel charge them for it without their signature?

How do I market myself? I do credit repair, Admin. Assisting, Personal Assistant, Legal coding, Etc. and I need to market myself better. The business is slow so i need some new ways to get me self out there faster and more effective.

tricked into financing a car; high interest rates! any legal ramifications for car salesmen to refund money? I know someone close to me who while literally off his med, financed a 2003 Buick LeSabre for something like 13,000, the actual amount of the car is about 8000. He had the money to just buy the car but the salesman insisted he finance it (to build credit) the car broke and needed repairs 2weeks later and since then my friend has given the car back and has not received any money and is just wanting to be rid of the car. HE LET THEM KEEP THE MONEY! What can I tell him to do to get some sort of reprieve from these people who think it is okay to take advantage of someone! PLEASE HELP

Legal question? Help!? Hi I had an accident a year back. It was my fault, and I gave my details etc to the person for them to get their monies. Their insurance company issued a summons against me for non payment of the repair costs as my (reputable) insurance company was being slack in making payment. I faxed the summons to my insurance company who duly paid the costs. I just got back from holiday to find that I had a judgement passed against me. Its obviously some sort of mistake, but these kind of things can have a huge impact on credit ratings etc. WHat shall I do? Help!!! Can these judgements be reversed?

Can my insurance company sue me?!? I have an SR22 filing in the state of Ohio. Last Sept I was in an accident (my fault )hit a young woman. The brakes on the car failed.I stated this to the officer and insurance company. The insurance co declined to have the car examined by a mechanic although the officer said if that was the case I would not be liable. Now the insurance company is wanting me to repay them for the loss (they are threatening to sue me). I have no real property or any assests for them to attach liens to. Is this legal? Ive worked really hard to repair my credit, although its not great Im getting there. Im concerned about my credit rating and the long term effects.Is there anything I can do?Any adivce would be appreciated.Thnks. I was covered at the time of the accident, although I only had liability coverage which is legal in the state of Ohio. For that smart ass thats a top contibutor it wasnt a rear end collision. Two officers saw my car skate through 2 red lights while honking my horn and screaming. I tried to through the emergency brake, force the car into park, even cut it off.THEY NEVER LOOKED AT MY CAR YOU IDIOT.As i stated in the question they declined to do this. They have not even given me notice as to what they are attempting to collect the payment for.Also it is not the other party's insurance, its mine as the question states.

I am very late on my rent.The leasing office turns it over to legal today.How much time do I have? I was placed into a terrible situation that happened very fast.I went from a 25 percent wage garnishment,My wife left me after I just signed a new 6 months lease,I even had two jobs to make up for the wage garnishment.I had to choose between fixing my car or paying my rent.I am from Mississippi and living now in California.I have no family out here and don't wanna go back home.Mississippi pay really sucks.I had to choose my vehicle repair over the rent.Now I am worried about how much time do I have to move out before I am kicked out.I wanted to pay the rent but my car is more important because I work about 25 miles away with no bus stop near by.A cab cost me 40 dollars one way.Did I make the right choice on fixing my car?I need the apartment but getting to work is more important right.How much time do I have to get into another place before this is on my credit report?This is a two bedroom with only me now that my wife is gone and i can't find a roommate.Please give me positive advice.

If a husband, uses psychologic duress against the wife for 27 years, does the law provide for legal separation Husband has always been jealous of children from previous marriage and wife has walked on egg shells to keep the peace the entire marriage. The husband 6 years into the marriage was diagnosted with colin and prosrate cancer, had surgury and wife stuck by him changed his colostomy bags until he could on his own. started business and paid for business expenses, and marital home without help from husband, he banked his disability from SS and company he worked for. Each time she came into money 40,000. , 7,000.00 and 25-30,000. he made her give him the money of pay off a house or one of his cadillacs. She got into credit card trouble to the tune of 40,000. and he made her borrow the money from him. The husband has an IQ less than 100 and wife about 140. The husband can not read a map or has no home repair skills at all, wife has always had to do the work. Husband believes in God and is Christian as is the wife. He has told her he doesn't care if they stay married or not. No love in him .

Legal Question? I recently let my friend use my credit card to purchase a audio car player valued around $800. However, after bringing his car to the shop to get repaired, his car was broken into and the deck was robbed (it was already installed and working). He refuses to pay me now, even though I have VISA records of the purchase, as well as witnesses who saw our "casual" verbal consent of the agreement. What can i do? The shop also claims that they are not held responsible for any actions that take place on their lot. My friend says apparently there is some sign saying this. I'm unsure if his car insurance covers theft but it doesn't seem like an option. P.S. I live in Ontario, Canada and $800 is quite valuable to me. Does he have any chance to recover the money from the shop for negligence in safeguarding the vehicle, again I'm pretty sure there is a sign saying they are not responsible for anything that happens to the vehicles

Debt Elimination? Has anyone ever tried debt elimination? A company has contacted me about completely erasing my entire credit card debt within 1 year, then repairing the credit. Their website has testimonials of many people in all states. It is supposed to be a legal process and there is a lot of information to back that up. Has anyone ever done this before?

What are my chances of sueing my Realtor and winning? California? Hi, I hired a real estate agent to lease out my house. The agent found a tenant and I signed the lease agreement along with the tenant. The tenant never paid any rent after the initial first month and deposit. It turns out that the tenant had an eviction last year and my Realtor did not run a credit report. The Realtor approved the tenant by a character judgment based on the personal property that the tenant had (expensive cars, watches, etc.). I had to go through an expensive eviction proceeding (not to mention 3 months without rental income) and the tenant damaged my home which will cost me over 15k to repair! Do I have any legal recourse against the Realtor and if so, what would be my chances on winning? Thanks The contract is a standard National Association of Realtors lease listing agreement for Southern California. It does not state that a credit report must be performed, but it states that the Realtor will perform due diligence in finding a tenant.

How Can I sue An insurer? My insurance company ( Allstate ) is trying to weasel out of paying for a transmission damaged in a collision. Car is at 2nd shop being evaluated assuming these jerks refuse to pay can i sue them not only for repairs but interest cause since i'm dam near broke gonna have to charge work on high interest credit card. Is there legal aid or insurance commision that can help I'm in vermont ty

Give me your opinion insights and summary or how you understand this..?

Why don`t people research leaders and only accept the given thought of the mass media? Austin, Texas... Politex's for BUSH FAMILY SKELETONS ...www.bushwatch.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bush Watch... abortion... archives... autobiography... books... brasin's beat... bush league... blacks... blurbs... california... cartoons... charter schools... cocaine... comedy... culture... de lay... education... environment... executions... exploitation... family... foreign policy... free speech... funeralgate... gays... guns... health... insider trading... iowa... jews... justice... latinos... lotterygate... media... millions... pat... personality... press kit... quizgate... rankings... religion... schedule... songs... talk... taxes... tobacco... triangulation... welfare... end... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BUSH FAMILY MACHINATIONS, 1918-2000 1918 Prescott Bush Sr., leads a raid on a Indian tomb to secure Geronimo's skull for Skull & Bones. 1937 Prescott Bush's investment firm sets up deal for the Luftwaffe so it can obtain tetraethyl lead. 1942 Three firms with which Prescott Bush is associated are seized under the Trading with the Enemy Act. 1953 George Bush and the Liedtke brothers form Zapata Petroleum. Zapata's subsidiary, Zapata Offshore, later becomes known for its close ties to the CIA. 1954 The Bush family buys out the Liedtke brothers. 1955 George Bush sets up a Mexican drilling operation, Permago, with a frontman to obscure his ownership. The frontman later is convicted of defrauding the Mexican government of $58 million. 1959 Manuel Noriega recruited as an agent by the US Defense Intelligence Agency. 1960 Some investigators believe George Bush spent part of this year and the next in Miami on behalf of the CIA, organizing rightwing exiles for an invasion of Cuba. Is said to have worked with later Iran-Contra figure Felix Rodriguez. 1961 According to the Realist, CIA official Fletcher Prouty delivers three Navy ships to agents in Guatemala to be used in the Bay of Pigs invasion. Prouty claims he delivered the ships to a CIA agent named George Bush. Agent Bush named the ships the Barbara, Houston and Zapata. Bay of Pigs invasion fails. Right-wingers blame Kennedy for failure to provide air cover. CIA loses 15 men, another 1100 are imprisoned. George Bush invites Rep. TL. Ashley -- a fellow Skull & Boner -- down to Texas for a party in order to meet "an attractive girl." Bush writes that "she may be accompanied by an Austrian ski instructor but I think we can probably flush him at the local dance hall." Bush notes that he's had to unlist his phone because "Jane Morgan keeps calling me all the time." [From a letter in the Ashley archives uncovered by Spy magazine.] Zapata annual report boasts that the company has paid no taxes since it was founded. 1963 John F. Kennedy is assassinated. Internal FBI memo reports that on November 22 "reputable businessman" George H. W. Bush reported hearsay that a certain Young Republican "has been talking of killing the president when he comes to Houston." The Young Republican was nowhere near Dallas on that date. According to a 1988 story in The Nation, a memo from J. Edgar Hoover states that "Mr. George Bush of the CIA" had been briefed on November 23rd, 1963 about the reaction of anti-Castro Cuban exiles in Miami to the assassination of President Kennedy. George says it ain't him, admits he was in Texas but can't remember where. 1964 George Bush runs as a Goldwater Republican for Congress. Campaigns against the Civil Rights Act. 1966 Bush, runs as a moderate Republican, gets elected to Congress. Robert Mosbacher chairs Oil Men for Bush. Apache leader Ned Anderson meets with the Skull & Bones lawyer and George Bush's brother Jonathan who attempt to return the skull Prescott Bush had looted in 1933. Anderson refuses the skull because he says it isn't Geronimo's. 1968 George W. Bush joins Skull & Bones at Yale 1970 Bush loses Senate race to Lloyd Bentsen, despite $112,000 in contributions from a White House slush fund. Jim Baker is campaign chair. Bush later claims to have reported correctly all but $6000 in cash --which he denies he got. A 1992 story in the New York Times says the $6000 was listed in records of Nixon's "townhouse operation" which was designed in part to make GOP congressional candidates vulnerable to blackmail. 1971 Bush is named UN Ambassador by Nixon. Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs finds enough evidence of Noriega's involvement in drug dealing to indict him, but US Attorney's office in Miami considers grabbing Noriega in Panama for trial here to be impractical. State Department also urges BNDD to back off. 1972 Bill Liedtke gathers $700,000 in anonymous contributions for the Nixon campaign, delivering the money in cash, checks and securities to the Committee to Re-Elect the President (the infamous CREEP) one day before such contributions become illegal. Bill says he did it as a favor to George. 1973 Bush is named GOP national chair. Brings into the party the Heritage Groups Council, an organization with a number of Nazi sympathizers. Bush, according to Lowell Weicker, inquires as to whether records of the "townhouse operation" should be burned. Robert Mosbacher wins an offshore drilling concession from Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Watergate tapes indicate concern by Nixon and aide HR Haldeman that the investigation into Watergate might expose the "Bay of Pigs thing." Nixon also speaks of the "Texans" and the "Cubans." and mentions "Mosbacher." In another tape, Nixon decides following his re-election to get signed resignations from his whole government so he can centralize his power. Says Nixon to John Erlichman: "Eliminate everyone, except George Bush. Bush will do anything for our cause." 1974 Bush is named special envoy to China. 1975 DEA report notes Noreiga's involvement in drug trade. George W. Bush graduates from Harvard Business School 1976 Jerry Ford names George Bush CIA director, his fourth political patronage job in a little over five years. Bush later claims this is the first time he ever worked for the CIA. At his confirmation hearings, Bush says, "I think we should tread very carefully on governments that are constitutionally elected." Bush holds first known meeting with Noriega. Noriega starts receiving $110,000 a year from the CIA. Noriega found to be working for Cubans as well, but keeps his CIA gig. Bush sets up Team B within the CIA, a group of neo-conservative outsiders and generals who proceed to double the agency's estimate of Soviet military spending. Senate committee headed by Frank Church proposes revealing size of the country's black budget -- intelligence spending that, in contradiction to the Constitution, is kept secret even from the Hill. According to journalist Tim Weiner, Bush argues that the revelation would be a disaster and would compromise the agency beyond repair. By a one vote margin the matter is referred to the Senate. It never reaches the floor. Chilean dissident Orlando Letelier is assassinated by Chilean secret police agents. CIA fails to inform FBI of pending plot and of assassins' arrival in US. CIA claims the hit was the work of left-wingers in search of a martyr. Bush writes internal CIA memo asking to see cable on Jack Ruby visiting Santos Trafficante in jail. In 1992, Bush will deny any interest in the JFK assassination while CIA head. Bush claims nuclear war is winnable. 1977 Philippine dictator Marcos buys back Robert Mosbacher's oil concession. Mosbacher claims he was swindled. Philippine officials say they never saw any expenditures by Mosbacher on the project. 1978 Bush, Mosbacher and Jim Baker become partners in an oil deal. From a Washington Post article by Bob Woodward and Walter Pincus: "According to those involved in Bush's first political action committee, there were several occasions in 1978-79, when Bush was living in Houston and traveling the country in his first run for the presidency, that he set aside periods of up to 24 hours and told aides that he had to fly to Washington for a secret meeting of former CIA directors. Bush told his aides that he could not divulge his whereabouts, and that he would not be available." Former CIA chief Stansfield Turner denies such meetings took place. George W. Bush declares his candidacy for the Midland Congressional district. He wins the Republican primary and loses in the general election. George W. Bush begins operations of his oil firm, Arbusto Energy. With the help of Jonathan Bush, he assembles several dozen investors in a limited partnership including Dorothy Bush, Lewis Lehrman, William Draper, and James Bath, a Houston aircraft broker 1980 Bush becomes Reagan's vice presidential candidate. Runs as a rightwinger again. Mosbacher becomes chief fundraiser for Bush's presidential campaign. Forms a millionaire's club of 250 contributors, each of whom cough up $100,000. William Casey forms a working group to prepare for possible Carter October political surprise. In early October, an Iranian official meets with three top Reagan campaign aides. All three deny memory of the meeting in subsequent proceedings. On October 21, Reagan hints he has a secret plan to release the hostages. This is right around the alleged date of a Paris meeting at which the so-called "October Surprise" was settled. Some allege that at this meeting it was agreed to end the arms embargo against Iran if Iran would release its hostages after the election. While Bush's presence at this meeting has been denied by the House committee investigating the October Surprise, Bush's whereabouts at this critical time remain in doubt. The White House, in fact, has leaked conflicting stories. Rep. Dan Quayle goes on a Florida golfing vacation with seven other men and Paula Parkinson -- an insurance lobbyist who later posed nude for Playboy. Parkinson describes Quayle as a husband on the make, but says she turned him down because she was already having an affair with another congressman. Marilyn Quayle says, "anybody who knows Dan Quayle knows he would rather play golf than have sex." The Reagan-Bush campaign receives stolen copies of Carter's briefing books. Bush's campaign manager, James Baker, forces the dismissal of Bush aide Jennifer Fitzgerald, described in a 1982 Time story as having "much to say about where Bush goes, what he does and whom he sees." Bush continues to pay Fitzgerald out of his own pocket. 1981 Reagan-Bush inaugurated. Hostages released moments before. Shortly thereafter, arms shipments to Iran resume from Israel and America. In July, an Argentinean plane chartered by Israel crashes in Soviet territory. It is found to have made three deliveries of American military supplies to Iran. In a 1991 story in Esquire, Craig Unger quotes Alexander Haig as saying "I have a sneaking suspicion that someone in the White House winked." Says Unger: "This secret and illegal sale of military equipment continued for years afterwards." James Baker named Reagan's chief of staff. SEC filings for Zapata Oil for 1960-66 are found to have been "inadvertently destroyed." Reagan authorizes CIA assistance to Contras. 1982 CIA director William Casey begins Operation Black Eagle to expand US role in Central America. Urges use of "selected Latin American and European governments, organizations and individuals" in the project. Inslaw, a computer software company, signs a $10 million contract to install a case-tracking program in 94 US Attorney's offices. Four months later, after obtaining a copy of Inslaw's proprietary version of the program, the government cancels the contract and begins an aggressive campaign to force the company into bankruptcy. Later sources claim that the program was installed by the CIA and sold to various foreign intelligence agencies. After $3 million is poured into Arbusto with little oil and no profits, just tax shelter George W. Bush changes the company name to Bush Exploration Oil Co. Subsequently he is kept afloat by an investment from Philip Uzielli, a Princeton friend of James Baker III. For the sum of $1 million, Uzielli bought 10% of the company at a time in 1982 when the entire enterprise was valued at less than $400,000. Subsequently, to save the company George W. Bush merges with Spectrum 7, a small oil firm owned by William DeWitt and Mercer Reynolds. DeWitt had graduated from Yale a few years earlier than Bush and was the son of the former owner of the Cincinnati Reds. Bush becomes president of Spectrum 7. He also gets 14% of the Spectrum's stock. Meanwhile, 50 original investors in Arbusto get paid off at about 20 cents on the dollar. 1983 Noriega meets again with George Bush. Bush presents an autographed photo to a WWII Ukrainian leader under the Nazis, whose regime killed 100,000 Jews. KAL 007 crashes under circumstances that remain suspicious to this day. Bush promotes Jennifer Fitzgerald from appointments secretary to executive assistant. Seven staffers resign in protest. Fitzgerald tells the New York Post: "Everyone keeps painting me as this old ogre. I really don't worry about it. All these bizarre things just simply aren't true." Neil Bush forms his first oil company. He puts in $100, his partners contribute $160,000 and Neil is named president of the firm, JNB Exploration. Jeb Bush's business partner, Alberto Duque, goes bankrupt, is eventually convicted of fraud and is sentenced to 15 years in prison. 1984 Jeb Bush lobbies the Department of Health & Human Services on behalf of Cuban--American businessman Miguel Recarey, Jr., whose medical firm later collapses. Recarey, who was close to mobster Santos Trafficante, later disappears with at least $12 million in federal funds. George Bush takes part in meetings to plan increased "third country" aid to the Contras.. CIA mines Nicaraguan harbors. 1985 Jennifer Fitzgerald is sent to work on Capitol Hill after stories arise linking her romantically with George Bush. Stuart Spencer's public relation firm starts receiving over $350,000 from Panama to improve Noriega's image. CIA starts using BCCI as a conduit. George Bush thanks Oliver North for "dedication and tireless work with the hostage thing, with Central America." Bush will later deny knowing about the Contra effort until late 1986. Neil Bush joins the board of Silverado S&L, serves until 1988. Silverado loans his partners in JNB $132 million which they never repay. Silverado will eventually collapse at a taxpayer cost of $1 billion. 408 TOW anti-tank missiles are shipped from Israel to Iran. A day later, US hostage Benjamin Weir is released. 1986 VP Bush goes to Honduras to promote support for the Contras. Takes along baseball players Nolan Ryan and Gary Carter. Contra figure Felix Rodriguez meets with Donald Gregg, Bush's national security advisor, to complain about Iran-Contra operatives skimming funds from the Contras. Bush may have made several secret visits to Damascus between 1986-88 according to a 1992 report in Time, which said two senior GOP senators were pressing for a probe. The allegation is that Bush went to negotiate the release of hostages in Lebanon but in fact stonewalled Syria, "playing for campaign timing. Republicans want to get to the bottom of intelligence-community suspicions that the US somehow blew a chance to free Terry Anderson and his fellow captives." Iranian arms runner Manucher Ghorbanifar proposes "diversion" of profits from Iran arms sales to Contras. George W. Bush and partners receive more than $2 million of Harken Energy stock in exchange for a failing oil well operation, which had lost $400,000 in the prior six months. After Bush joined Harken, the largest stock position and a seat on its board were acquired by Harvard Management Company. The Harken board gave Bush $600,000 worth of the company's publicly traded stock, plus a seat on the board plus a consultancy that paid him up to $120,000 a year. When Harken runs short of cash it hooks up with investment banker Jackson Stephens of Little Rock, Arkansas, who arranges a $25 million stock purchase by Union Bank of Switzerland. Sheik Abdullah Bakhsh, who joins the board as a part of the deal, is connected to the infamous BCCI. 1987 Bush's former chief of staff, Daniel Murphy, flies to Panama with South Korean influence peddler Tongsun Park on a private plane owned by arms dealer Sargis Soghnalian to meet with Noriega. Murphy later tells a Senate subcommittee that he informed Noriega that he need not resign before the 1988 election despite the Reagan administration public pressure to the contrary. Bill Casey dies. Lee Atwater accuses Robert Dole of spreading stories about Bush and Jennifer Fitzgerald. An agreement is worked out, as reported by Sidney Blumenthal in the Washington Post: "The Dole people didn't spread any rumors and promised not to do it again. And the Bush people haven't spread rumors about the Dole people spreading rumors and won't do it again." Harken Energy project gets rescued by aid from the BCCI-connected Union Bank of Switzerland in a deal brokered by Jackson Stephens, later to show up as a key supporter of Bill Clinton. 1988 Dan Quayle is named VP candidate. Stuart Spencer is assigned to improve Dan Quayle's image, the same job he handled for Noriega and Nixon. Quayle embarrasses campaign by such statements as "[The Holocaust] was an obscene period in our nation's history," adding that "I didn't live in this century." Prisoner who claimed he sold marijuana to Quayle is put into solitary confinement by the head of federal prisons, aborting a planned news conference shortly before the election. Silverado S&L goes under after receiving 126 cease & desist orders in past four years from the Topeka office of the Office of Thrift Supervision. These orders found conflict of interests, insider abuse and other violations. Dwight Chapin, ex-Nixon dirty trickster, gets job in Bush campaign. Rudi Slavoff becomes head of Bulgarians for Bush. In 1983, Slavoff organized an event honoring Austin App, promoter of the theory that the Holocaust was a hoax. Slavoff joins other GOP ethnic leaders in the Coalition of American Nationalities co-chaired by Edward Derwinski. Among them is a former member of an Hungarian pro-Nazi party. After press revelations, eight of the leaders accused of anti-semitism resign from the campaign. Bush says: "Nobody's giving in... These people left of their own account." GOP flier warns that "all the murderers, rapists and drug pushers and child molesters in Massachusetts vote for Michael Dukakis." Bush establishes Team 100, which will eventually grow to 249 individuals who contribute nearly $25 million in soft money to help the GOP cause. The contributions also apparently help the contributors, various of whom get ambassadorial appointments, legislative favors, and intervention on regulatory and criminal matters. Bush denies knowledge of Noriega's involvement in drug dealing. The Willie Horton ad is aired. Credit for similar tactics is given to campaign guru Lee Atwater, whose PR firm had represented drug-connected Bahamian prime minister Oscar Pinding and the Philippines' Marcos. Atwater himself had represented UNITA, the CIA-backed Africa rebel group. Fred Malek, ex-Nixon aide, resigns from the Bush campaign after it's revealed that he compiled a list of Jews in the Labor Dept. as part of a Nixon investigation of a "Jewish cabal." A few days before the supposedly surprise arrest of five BCCI officials, some of the world's most powerful drug dealers quietly withdraw millions of dollars from the bank. Some government investigators believe the dealers were tipped off by sources within the Bush administration. Although Felix Rodriguez, former leading cop under Batista, claims he left the CIA in 1976, Rolling Stone reports that he is still going to CIA headquarters monthly to receive assignments and get his bulletproof Cadillac serviced. Bankruptcy judge George Bason Jr. concludes that the government stole Inslaw's software through "trickery, fraud and deceit." Stock market drops 43 points on false rumor that Washington Post was about the publish the Bush-Fitzgerald story. 1989 Bush inaugurated. Aides tell the press that the new administration would rather "stay one step behind than be one step ahead." Bush authorizes CIA support to Noriega's opposition, giving Noriega an excuse to annul Panama's elections. Bush claims executive privilege to avoid testifying in the Oliver North trial, thus becoming first president to use this power to keep his acts as vice president under wraps. Dan Quayle declares changes in Soviet Union "just a public relations extravaganza." Bush brother Prescott flies to Shanghai after the Tiananmen Square massacre to close a deal for an $18 million resort there, despite his brother's ban on high-level Chinese contacts. Prescott says, "We aren't a bunch of carrion birds coming in to pick the carcass. But there are big opportunities in China, and America can't afford to be shut out." Prescott Bush also visits Japan, searching for consulting contracts just ten days before his brother arrives on a presidential tour. The Japanese firm that paid Prescott a quarter-million dollar consulting fee comes under investigation for exchange law violations and links to the Japanese mob. C. Boyden Gray, the president's top ethics official, corrects his 1985 and 1986 financial disclosure forms. He forgot to include $98,000 in income. George Bush signs the S&L bailout bill promising that "these problems will never happen again." The Chicago Tribune reports: "After 14 fishing outings, the President has failed to catch a single fish." At White House behest, the DEA lures drug dealer to Lafayette Park to make arrest in front of presidential home for the benefit of Bush's upcoming drug speech. At first, drug dealer is dubious, asks DEA agent, "Where the fuck is the White House?" Defense secretary nominee John Tower runs into confirmation troubles when it is revealed that he has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in consulting fees from defense contractors. Runs into more trouble with revelations of womanizing and drinking. His nomination is rejected. The sale of three communications satellites to China is announced. Prescott Bush is a $250,000 consultant in the deal. GOP memo is leaked implying that House Speaker Tom Foley is a homosexual. President Bush signs a top-secret directive ordering closer ties with Iraq, which opens the way for $1 billion in new aid just a little more than a year before Bush goes to war against that country. The agricultural credit allows Saddam Hussein to use his hard currency for a massive military buildup. A second judge concurs that the government stole Inslaw's software. The Statistical Abstract of the United States, published by the US government, reports that the GNP of East Germany during the 1980s was greater than that of West Germany. The figures come from the CIA. Bahrain officials suddenly break off offshore drilling negotiations with Amoco and decide to deal with Harken Energy, George Bush Jr.'s firm. Harken has had a series of failed ventures and no cash, so the Bass brothers are brought in to finance Harken's efforts at a cost of $50 million. Neil Bush bails out of JNB Exploration, the firm where he became president with a $100 ante, leaving his partners to worry about its debt. Days earlier he forms Apex Energy with a personal investment of $3000. The rest of the money -- $2.7 million -- comes from an SBA program designed to help "high risk start-up companies." Like JNB, it proves to be just that. Apex will later go belly-up with no assets. Two months after his father's inauguration, George W. Bush announces that he and a syndicate of investors have purchased the Texas Rangers. The investors are Edward "Rusty" Rose, Richard Rainwater, Bill DeWitt, Roland Betts (a former Yale frat brother) and Tom Bernstein (Bett's partner in a film investment concern). While Bush appears to lead the group, Rainwater makes clear that Rose is to control how the business is run. Bush's stake in the $86 million deal is 2%, financed with a $500,000 loan from a Midland Bank of which he had been a director and $106,000 from other sources. Rainwater and Rose put up 14.2 million, Betts and Bernstein invested about $6 million and the balance comes from smaller investors and loans. Bush will eventually sell his share for $15 million. 1990 Federal regulators give Bush son Neil the mildest possible penalty in the $1 billion failure of the Silverado S&L. The deal is so good that Bush drops his appeal. Among other things, Neil, as a Silverado director, voted to approve over $100 million in loans to his business partners. January: Bahrain awards exclusive offshore drilling rights to Harken Oil. This is a surprise as Harken is in very shaky financial condition, has never drilled outside of Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma and had never drilled undersea at all. The Bass brothers are brought in by Harken for sufficient equity to proceed with the effort. Harken's stock price increases from $4.50 to $5.50. George W. Bush sells two-thirds of his Harken Energy stock at the top of the market for $850,000, a 200% profit, but makes no report to the SEC until March 1991. Bush Jr. says later the SEC misplaced the report. An SEC representative responds: "nobody ever found the 'lost' filing." One week after Bush's sale, Harken reports an earnings plunge. Harken stock falls more than 60%. Bush uses most of the proceeds to pay off the bank loan he had taken a year earlier to finance his portion of the Texas Rangers deal. August: Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait. Harken's stock price drops substantially. Two months after Bush sells his stock, Harken posts losses for the 2nd quarter of well over $20 million and is shares fall another 24 %, by year end Harken is trading at $1.25. Bush has insisted that he did not know about the firm's mounting losses and that his stock sell-off was approved by Harken's general counsel. George W. Bush is asked by Carlyle Group to serve on the board of directors of Caterair, one of the nation's largest airline catering services which it had acquired in 1989. The offer is arranged by Fred Malek, long time Bush associate who is then an advisor to Carlyle. October: Arlington, Texas Mayor Richard Greene signs a contract that guarantees $135 million toward the new Texas Ranger Stadium's estimate price of $190 million. The Rangers put up no cash but finance their share through a ticket surcharge. From the team's operating revenues, the city will earn a maximum of $5 million annually in rent, no matter how much the Rangers reap from ticket sales and television (a sum that will rise to $100 million a year). Another provision permitts the franchise to buy the stadium after the accumulated rental payments reached a mere $ 60 million. The property acquired so cheaply by the Rangers includes not just a fancy new stadium with a seating capacity of 49,000 but an additional 270 acres of newly valuable land. Legislation is passed and signed that authorizes the Arlington Sports Facilities Development Authority with power to issue bonds and exercise eminent domain over any obstinate landowners. Never before had a Texas municipal authority been given the license to seize the property of a private citizen for the benefit of other private citizens. A recalcitrant Arlington family refuses to sell a 13 acre parcel near the stadium site for half its appraised value. The jury awards more than $4 million to the family. Fred Malek returns to power with ambassador status to head up planning for the economic summit. S&L industry is losing money at the rate of $3 million a minute. Bailout chief estimates total cost at $325-500 billion. Some 200 young soccer players have their games canceled for security reasons because Bush wants to go fishing on the Potomac nearby. Says one seven-year-old player: "We had a tough soccer game and he's just going fishing. He could play somewhere else." Bush son Jeb gets the federal government to pay off the $4 million he owed to a failed Florida thrift. Bush brother Jonathan's east coast brokerage fined in two states for violating laws and Jonathan is barred from public trading in Massachusetts. Bush's attorney general, Richard Thornberg, is warned about BCCI but does nothing. Federal court of appeals throws out the Inslaw case on the grounds that it did not belong in bankruptcy court. Bush says, "The economy is headed in the right direction." 1991 Former top aide to White House Chief of Staff John Sununu goes to work for a prominent figure in the BCCI scandal less than a month after leaving the Bush administration. Edward Rogers Jr. signs a $600,000 contract to give legal advice to Sheik Kamal Adham, an ex-Saudi intelligence officer who is being investigated for his role in BCCI's takeover of First American Bancshares. The Miami acting US Attorney is allegedly rebuffed by the Justice Department in his efforts to indict BCCI and some of its principal officers on tax fraud charges. Justice Department later denies this occurred. Danny Casolaro, a reporter investigating the Inslaw story, is found dead in a motel room bathtub, the day after he met a key source. The death was ruled a suicide. Perhaps he is despondent over the loss of his briefcase, which is missing from the room. George Bush spends three nights in a Houston hotel so he can claim Texas residency. Texas has no income tax. Neil Bush bails out of Apex Energy after collecting $320,000 in salary plus expenses. Bill Daniels, cable-TV magnate who has been lobbying against regulation of the cable industry, offers Neil a job. According to a representative, he "thought Neil deserved a second chance." 1992 New York Times reports that three of Bush's top fundraisers are being sued in connection with bank failures and another pleaded guilty to mail fraud in connection with an S&L. These men include the GOP national finance chair, vice chair and two co-chairs of the President's Dinner, which raised $9 million for Republican causes. Former US Attorney General Elliot Richardson, representing the owners of Inslaw, tells Mother Jones, "I don't know any case where the government has stonewalled like this." First of Harken Energy's wells off Bahrain comes up dry. George W. Bush takes a leave of absence from the firm to work in his father's campaign, saying "I don't want to involve this company in any kind of allegations of conflicts or whatever may arise." Village Voice reports that President Bush has taken at least 76 partisan flights during his term, at a cost to the taxpayers of over $6 million. Nixon's Jew hunter Fred Malek is back as Bush's campaign manager. Campaign sells photo opportunities with the president at a fundraiser for $92,000 each. Washington, DC, loses $52,000 in taxes because Bush claims to be a Texas resident. Donald H. Alexander contributes $100,000 to Team 100; shortly thereafter he's named ambassador to the Netherlands. Bush says: "I will do what I have to do to be reelected." 1993 With the new Ranger stadium being readied to open the following spring, George W. Bush announces that he would be running for governor. He is says his campaign theme will be self-reliance and personal responsibility rather than dependence on government. 1994 George W. Bush is elected Governor of Texas, defeating Ann Richards 53 to 46 %. 1999 George W. Bush executes his 99th prisoner. George W. Bush celebrates the Martin Luther King holiday by staying inside the Governor's Mansion with the windows closed so he wouldn't hear the thousands of Martin Luther King celebrants listening to speeches right outside his window on the Texas capitol grounds [across the street]. Bush claims to be reading four serious books while campaigning for president. Total pages of the four books: 1,762 * "When I was coming up, it was a dangerous world and you knew exactly who they were. It was us versus them and it was clear who them was. Today we are not so sure who the they are, but we know they're there." -- Texas Gov. George W. Bush, presidential candidate. * "Food on the family." -- George W. Bush listing one of the priorities of his future administration. * "This is Preservation month. I appreciate preservation. This is what you do when you run for president. You've got to preserve." -- George W. Bush to several hundred children at an elementary school in Nashua that was celebrating what it called Perseverance Month (not Preservation Month). * "Is your children learning?" -- George W. Bush on education. * "Some people have too much freedom." -- George W. Bush * "The Grecians." -- George W. Bush on Greek people. * "What I'm against is quotas. I'm against hard quotas, quotas that basically delineate based upon whatever. However they delineate, quotas, I think, vulcanize society." -- George W. Bush, meaning to say "balkanize," not "vulcanize" -- we think -- and something about quotas (Austin American-Statesman 3/23/99). * "Sitting down and reading a 500-page book on public policy or philosophy or something." -- George W. Bush when asked to name something he isn't good at (Talk magazine, September 1999). * "Please! Don't kill me." -- George W. Bush to Larry King, mocking what Karla Faye Tucker said when asked "What would you say to Governor Bush?" prior to her execution by lethal injection (as reported by Talk magazine, September 1999). * "Tell them I have learned from mistakes I may or may not have made." -- George W. Bush 2000 "Jeb's the smart one" -- George Bush Sr. to dinner partner Former President George Bush tries to block Gen. Manuel Noriega's release from a US prison because he fears the Panamanian strongman wants to kill him. Noriega attorney Frank Rubino says the assertion was made by Assistant US Attorney Pat Sullivan, who represented the government at a parole hearing for Noriega. Copyright 2000 The Progressive Review Also,'Sam Smith's Great American Political Repair Manual' is published by WW Norton. 2000 (continued) Al Gore gets more popular votes than George W. Bush in the November presidential elections, but a winner is unable to be declared because the outcome depends upon a state of Florida recount that must made, according to Florida law, since the eventual winner will have a majority of less than 1% of the vote. Many of the counties do not do a recount, but simply re-report their first results. Other counties decide to accept late overseas ballots, contrary to Florida law. Bush enlists James Baker to oversee his post-campaign Florida campaign. Although Jeb, as Florida governor, recuses himself from official state participation in the recount, phone records later made public lead observers to question that statement. The Florida Supreme Court directs that the entire state must physically recount all of the votes, but the U.S. Supreme Court overrules, declaring George W. Bush the victor in order to protect our tradition of the smooth transition of power. The vote was 5-4. Although the court ruled that the decision could never be used as precedent in any future legal case, it was determined that allowing the State of Florida to recount its votes, even though it is legally required to do so, would not be in the best interest of George W. Bush's presidential aspirations. On the basis of the Supreme Court's decision, Bush was declared the victor in Florida, thus winning the majority of electoral votes and thus being elected the nation's 43rd president. 2001 Bush is sworn in as president and Dick Cheney, Sec. of Defense under Poppy, is sworn in as vice-president. Numerous key members of the Regan-Bush and Bush-Quayle administrations, including those who left under a Contra cloud, are brought back into the new administration. With Bush as front man and Cheney as the brains behind the throne, Bush begins to consolidate power with fast-track plans to weaken government regulations of corporations, begin drilling on previously out of bounds environmentally fragile sites, place greater world trade powers in the White House, establish formal governmental funding of religions, allow greater civil rights discrimination in the name of freedom, shift more of the nation's wealth away from the middle class and into the hands of the wealthy through changes in the tax laws, further establish military dominance in the world and in space through missile defense, and weaken international compacts protecting the environment and controlling small arms. 79 year old Andrew Marshall, a colleague of Herman "Dr. Strangelove" Kahn at the Rand think tank in the 50's appointed head of the Pentagon's Office of Net Assessment and major speechwriter of Bush's Missle Defense System speeches. Taking a cue from the Bush Administration, Japan deals with Iran to provide oil field studies, indicating that the Clinton Sanctions Act will no longer be enforced against Iran. 2000-2001 Updates by Politex

how do u build a salon? starting with 75000? the average cost of operating a business ( by percentage of income ) breaks down as follows: INCOME -(minus) EXPENSES=(equal) PROFIT compensation: salaries or commissions for yourself and your emplyees, incoulding payroll taxes Rent: fixed or variable supplies: professional products used ( consumption/consumable), retail products sold and miscellaneous equipment and tools advertising: promotion of the salon utilities: water. electricity, gas, sanitation, phone... insurance: all type employee Benefits: education, paid vacations, pension plans or profit- sharing, health insurance Maintenance: Repair, laundry, cleaning and replacement of equipment Cost of Doing Business: Accounting, legal, licenses, subscriptopns, professional due. ect. Services of Debit: capital improvements, equipment and original loan expense Depreciation: An avvount established to save for replacement of equipment;creats tax credit Miscellaneous: All other expenses

If a gas attendant pumps diesel into a gasoline truck, is the station liable for damages? In Oregon you can not pump your own gas.I pulled into a station that I normally do not use and pulled up to the diesel only island.Stepped out of my 82 ford p.u. and gave the girl my credit card and said fill it up with regular.she pumped 15.7 gals of diesel into my truck and I drove away.Ten minutes later my truck broke down and had to be towed to my home then to a repair shop.I still did not know that there was diesel in my tank. The repair shop figured it out and now I have two tow bills and a repair bill. I filed a complaint with the station and the main office called me and the girl said that she would present the problem to the owners and see if they want to help me out with the expenses that I got. Do I have any legal right? Is the station liable?They are going to call back Mon. or Tues. with there answer. The woman that called me said that they train there people to repeat the order back so as not to get it wrong,this was not done.

Need help... money issues!? Ok, I am a single mom w/ 2 kids, I work and go to college.. My finances are allready stretched way too thin and now I have about $400 worth of repair work on my car. I need it soon.. the car won't last much longer. Any (legal) suggestions on how to earn this.. I can't borrow from family or friends... No school loans possible and my credit sux! I know I am pretty much screwed, but I though maybe someone on here could give some good ideas, I live in a small town, not much opportunity for oddjobs.. I'm 2 busy with kids, school and work.. No babysitters either.. No bus transport around here (yeah it sux) and I tried every auto shop in town and nobody will let me pay it out... Dang this does sound hopeless.. lol

What happens to old debt? Serious answers please.? Remarried on the rebound ended up in divorce and it was just ended annulled type thing, but legal divorce however no bills were addressed. Whatever it is, what it is not going there about divorce just over and done. But there were bills and it has been over 5 years for most. There was an auto repossession that shows negotiated to 900 owed just and late. It had been a new car sold 12,000 short of bill. on the credit report understand. There was a charge card for 3000. I never hear from them. A celular phone plan that was bogus but anyways. and a dental bill. They still send threatening letters but that is all I never hear from the others. Don't tell me to pay them on my wages that is just impossible. I don't have enough for groceries or car repairs let alone past debt created by the ex on my name. I am NOT filing bankruptcy. Hubby number one did that on me. It has been 8 years and credit companies still site this as excuse for not giving me a credit card for auto tire

How much weight does a promise note holds in court? Father puts house in his name for his step-daughter, she pays for everything, cleans credit and earn loan for purchasing the house. Daughther paid down payment, all house payments and all repairs, father got the tax benefits from the house. Daughter asked father to apply with her for a quick-loan, which would remove father name completely and not cost the daughter more with down payment that she had already did once. Father took daughter to court to have evicted. What legal rights does the girl have? Would the promise note make her commited to getting that house? The father don't want the house.

Personal grants and/or other free money resources? I am looking for a place where I can get personal grants, or something like that (free money basically). I do work full time, but my Fiancè is at college and cannot work much. We are getting married this summer and need to get some money for that among various other things like bills and repairs for our house and cars. I do not want any fake or hokey sites, they are all scams. I do not want any of those "Refer 10 other people and get so much money" deals, they are all scams as well. I want a free, legal and legitimate way to get some money without taking out a large loan, since I already have a credit card, car loan, mortgage payment, etc. Is there such a thing? Thanks in advance! My Fiancè is finished with college in 1 month...that is what poses another problem because then we will have to begin paying back the loans. I am looking for a way to get some extra money so that I can afford to make all of the payments I need to.

HELP!! Girlfriend got into a motorcycle accident? My girlfriend recently signed up for a motorcycle training school in Queens, NY. She did not sign any waivers or fill out any applications. All they did was just get her credit card. They made her ride up and down the block and do turns for 4 hrs. On the day of her road test, she was following the instructor to the road test site. She was going about 45 MPH and the instructor in the car in front of her hit the brakes at the last minute in front of a yellow light. He did not file a police report and now is asking 550 bux for repairs. The motorcycle company is also asking for payment to fix the bike. Thank god my gf is okay, but I think its kind of unusual that they run an operation like that. That being said, I do not think that my gf should pay this. Do you think the instructor or driving school can take legal action against her? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

I really want a second chance. Surely there is some one out there that can help.? All my life I have worked and opportunity has knocked. But some how I did not open the door. soon enough I met my wife at 18 we have been together 32 years. Have 4 kids And 8 grand kids and I would do it again. My credit is good but some how it’s hard to make it and give her the things she needs, I have NO criminal record. I understand work ethics. Start at the bottom and understand that life and the company owe’s you nothing you only get out of it what you put into it. I do not trust get rich fast and only work when you want to crap. Is there someone out there that can use me to work from home? We have fence to rebuild animals to feed a job to go to. We need a tractor Home repairs small barn to build and some grand kids we may have to take care of down the line. I am willing to work I just need that second chance. Any leads are welcomed P.S. It has to be legal and ethical , Thanks

What do you think of the following article? EXTRA HELP When Special Education Goes Too Easy on Students Parents Say Schools Game System, Let Kids Graduate Without Skills By JOHN HECHINGER and DANIEL GOLDEN August 21, 2007; Page A1 GREENPORT, N.Y. -- On June 25, 2006, Michael Bredemeyer threw his tasseled cap in the air and cheered after getting his high school diploma. Two days later, his parents mailed the diploma back. [More Data on Mainstreaming] * * * Plus, read more about the challenges of integrating special-needs students, at WSJ.com/Mainstreaming. Michael, now 19 years old, has learning disabilities and finished high school at a seventh-grade reading level, despite scoring above average on IQ tests. The Bredemeyers say he passed some classes because teachers inflated his grades and accepted poor work. By awarding him a meaningless diploma, they say, school officials avoided paying for ongoing instruction. "I felt proud because he had worked so hard," says Michael's mother, Beverly, her voice breaking. "You don't want to take that away from him. But you knew it wasn't real. What's he going to do in the future? Will he be able to go to college and get a job?" The Bredemeyers represent a new voice in special education: parents disappointed not because their children are failing, but because they're passing without learning. These families complain that schools give their children an easy academic ride through regular-education classes, undermining a new era of higher expectations for the 14% of U.S. students who are in special education. Years ago, schools assumed that students with disabilities would lag behind their non-disabled peers. They often were taught in separate buildings and left out of standardized testing. But a combination of two federal laws, adopted a quarter-century apart, have made it national policy to hold almost all children with disabilities to the same academic standards as other students. The 1975 statute now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act promoted putting special-education students in mainstream classrooms. The 2001 No Child Left Behind Act said schools would be punished if disabled children don't pass the same state tests as other students. It also requires states to set standards for high-school graduation rates and meet them for all students, including those with disabilities. By some measures, the extra attention is paying off. Test scores and classroom grades of disabled students are rising, and their high-school graduation rate increased to 54% in 2004 from 42% in 1996. But critics say some of the gains have come because schools have learned to game the system. For instance, federal rules allow states to make "reasonable accommodations" to help disabled students pass tests and graduate, such as allowing extra time on exams. Some schools, say critics, are giving students too much help, for instance by guiding students to the right answers on multiple-choice tests. MAKING THE GRADE • The Issue: Some parents of students with learning disabilities say their children are graduating too easily. • The Background: Federal laws raised school standards, but left loopholes. Increasingly, special-education students get special help to pass tests. • The Problem: If schools game the system, those students move on without the skills they need. From 2000 to 2005, special-education fourth graders showed more improvement in reading and math than the general population on an important benchmark test, the National Assessment of Educational Progress. But accommodations also increased. In 2005, 70% of fourth-grade special education students received some sort of accommodation while taking the math portion, up from 44% five years earlier. In reading, 63% used accommodations in 2005, up from 29% in 2000. On tests used to measure compliance with No Child Left Behind, more states are permitting students with disabilities to use calculators on arithmetic tests or have reading-comprehension tests be read aloud. Massachusetts education commissioner David Driscoll warned school administrators in February that an alarming number of special education students -- a quarter or half in some cases -- were receiving such accommodations on state exams. With unclear guidelines, "People start driving trucks through loopholes," he said in an interview. Some school districts have an informal policy against failing students with disabilities even if they miss many classes or aren't learning. "I can go into any school we represent and have somebody tell me we have to pass special education students" to avoid being blamed for not providing the right services if students fail, says Janet Horton, a Texas special-education attorney. Federal law says special-education students should receive a "free appropriate public education," but it doesn't prohibit failing them. Mardys Leeper and Carol Merrill, former teachers at West Philadelphia High School in Pennsylvania, say a special-education administrator there ordered them to pass special-education students. Ms. Leeper says she made concessions for students with disabilities, such as letting them write shorter essays or copy paragraphs she wrote onto a word processor rather than composing their own. But when those students didn't make an effort, or skipped class, both teachers say they sometimes sought to fail them -- only to have the administrator insist on passing grades. The reason they were given: Students had met the goals of their federally mandated individual education plans, IEPs, spelling out goals and services for each special-education student. "Students who weren't even participating, even trying, we couldn't fail them," says Ms. Merrill, an English teacher who retired this year. Even if they couldn't read, "I had to give them a 'D.'" The administrator couldn't be reached for comment. Brenda Taylor, head of special education for the Philadelphia school district, called the matter a "breakdown in communication." The district has no written policy against failing special-education students, she says. But rather than being "punitive" if a student performs poorly or cuts class, she says, the district prefers to revise a student's IEP. "We're not in the business of failing students," Ms. Taylor says. Only 19 states require all students to earn the same kind of diploma, according to a recent University of Minnesota survey. Some of those states let special-education students amass fewer course credits to earn the degree, the survey found. Other states give substitute certificates, in some cases called IEP diplomas, to special-education students who don't qualify for standard diplomas. Many special-education parents are happy to see their children advance through school and graduate. Reggie Felton, director of federal policy for the National School Boards Association, says special-education students learn more in regular classes even if they're given a break on assignments or grading. The federal government recently decided to triple the percentage of students allowed to take easier tests, to 3% from 1%. Some legislators have proposed exempting more students. But the rebellion against too-easy passing is growing, says Pam Wright, who with her husband has co-authored books on special education issues and operates a Virginia-based information clearinghouse for special-education parents. She estimates she now receives more than 1,000 email messages a year from parents lamenting that their children with disabilities take mainstream courses but aren't being taught as much as their classmates. Dozens of parents have contended in recent administrative appeals that their children did not deserve the diplomas they received, she says. The family of Alba Somoza, who has cerebral palsy and speaks only with the help of a computer, filed one such case. Alba drew national attention in the 1990s when her family successfully pushed to include the then-third grader in a regular classroom. Then-President Bill Clinton backed her cause, and Alba, now 23, graduated with honors from a New York City high school in 2002. Last year, Alba and her family filed an administrative case claiming her education was a sham. A school report prepared weeks before she graduated showed she had language and math skills at an elementary school level, court records show. "You cannot shunt children through -- you cannot scam them through the system," says Alba's mother, Mary. [Michael Bredemeyer] Since shortly after she graduated, New York has been paying for a special program for Alba that costs $400,000 a year -- including a full-time teacher, an aide, transportation and extensive technology. The city says it is doing so out of compassion, not legal obligation. The family is seeking to continue the public funding another year to help Alba receive enough education to work as a museum docent. The Somozas lost the administrative case, but a judge in U.S. District Court in Manhattan ruled in the family's favor earlier this year and ordered another hearing. Rather than develop a program that would help Alba reach her academic goals, teachers lowered the curriculum's "level of difficulty" and removed "large and meaningful portions of its substantive content," the judge said. One teacher testified that he did most of the work on Alba's final project in 2002. New York officials say the school properly adapted the curriculum for a severely disabled student. In northern California, Jennifer McGowan, an 18-year-old who is deaf in one ear and suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disabilities, was supposed to graduate from Vacaville Unified School District in June. She didn't get her diploma -- because her family won a court injunction to stop it. In an interview, Jennifer said she often received A or B grades for poorly completed work or, at times, when she didn't do assignments at all or show up for class. Achievement tests she took in January 2005 showed that she had the math and reading skills of an elementary-school student, according to her administrative complaint. The school district denies her grades were inflated and said she showed her proficiency by passing a high-school exit exam. John Aycock, Vacaville's superintendent, said teachers did "a great job working with Jennifer." Jennifer says she failed the exit exam several times despite intensive preparation. "They just wanted to pass me and let me fly by," she says. The school system says it's not unusual to make several attempts to pass. At the Mercer Island school district in Washington state, the family of a girl with severe learning disabilities complains that, instead of the intense instruction she needed to master reading and math in eighth and ninth grades, teachers showered her with accommodations: a peer note-taker, a peer to read materials to her, oral exams, reduced assignments and a calculator on math tests. At an administrative hearing, the family -- whose names are not disclosed in the court papers -- sought to force the school system to pay for her private schooling. Noting her strong A and B grades, the district successfully argued that accommodations were helping her learn. In U.S. District Court in Seattle, a judge hearing an appeal of the case disagreed last year, saying the system improperly relied on accommodations rather than instruction, and has returned the case to a hearing officer to determine financial relief for the family. Boxes of school correspondence and Michael Bredemeyer's old tests and assignments line the hallways of his family's weather-beaten saltbox house in Orient, N.Y., on Long Island's North Fork. Michael's parents are demanding public funding for more services until age 21, to which students are entitled unless they graduate, so he can improve his academic skills for college. John Bredemeyer, a county public-health inspector, and his wife, Beverly, had high hopes for Michael, who has a strong work ethic and a knack for repairing machines. But once he entered public middle school in nearby Greenport, his parents worried that teachers were letting him skate through classes and tests. Michael, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disabilities including dyslexia, says in some classes he "definitely earned" a passing grade, but others were "borderline." He took regular classes except for one period a day. "A little more one-on-one" instruction would have helped, he says. On state achievement exams, Michael's IEP permitted him extra time, simplified instructions and guidance from a teacher to slow him down if he rushed through answers. But when he completed the eighth-grade math test, his special-education teacher also took him to the resource room and directed him to redo problems he had answered incorrectly. According to a memo from Greenport Superintendent Charles Kozora, the teacher "exceeded the intent" of Michael's accommodations, boosting his score. The state investigated and invalidated Michael's test. [Revolt] Mr. Kozora said the school system had only two cases of testing irregularities in six years, few conflicts with parents over special education and "many successes" among students with disabilities. The district says achievement, and not cost, dictates its decisions on graduating students. When Michael was a junior at Greenport High, his chemistry teacher passed him with the minimum grade of 65, even though he says he spent much of the class doodling and playing solitaire on his laptop. Checking his assignments and tests, his parents couldn't understand how he could be passing. In a letter, the school principal acknowledged that the final grade was a "miscalculation" and should have been 56.6, or an F. The school offered to let him make up his lost credits by volunteering in the town library. When his parents balked, he was instead placed in courses in sociology and psychology. On one psychology pop quiz, five of Michael's seven answers were marked wrong, but a failing grade was crossed out on the paper and a passing score of 65 was substituted. The school district declined comment. For a senior English assignment, he received an A for one untitled paragraph. "I believe competition today has changed dramatically," he wrote. "Back in the day, sports was some of the only sports that had competition. Today, everyone wants to compete and only be successful. School work, school sports, major league sports, all involve high amounts of success and competition. Competition today has become very extreme." His English teacher, Michael Connolly, said he didn't remember the assignment and had no comment on the grade. On standardized tests, Michael had mixed results: On the SATs, which have a 200 to 800 scale, Michael received 330 and then 370 in two tries on the reading test, in the bottom 10% of all students nationally. On math, he scored 460 both times. He failed two state exams and passed five others. His school grades put him in the bottom one-third of his class. A month before graduation, the Bredemeyers debated whether he should accept the degree. "I wanted to have it," Michael says. "Get it and forget it." On graduation day, a school band played "Pomp and Circumstance." Michael's parents, his sister, his grandmother, aunts and uncles watched as he walked up to the podium and a school official handed him a purple diploma case with his name etched in gold letters. Michael says he knew his parents might not let him keep it. "I had a feeling they'd do something like that," he said, shrugging. "I'll eventually get it back, one of these days, months, years." This summer, Michael has been mowing lawns and picking up trash at a state park for $9 an hour. This fall, he plans to enter his second year at Suffolk County Community College, which does not require a high-school diploma. Last semester at Suffolk, he received a D-plus in freshman composition, D's in statistics and Western Civilization and an F in the history of rock 'n' roll. Write to John Hechinger at john.hechinger@wsj.com and Daniel Golden at dan.golden@wsj.com RELATED ARTICLES AND BLOGS Related Content may require a subscription | Subscribe Now -- Get 2 Weeks FREE Related Articles from the Online Journal • The Kids Are All Right • School Choice and Racial Balance • Back to Failing Schools • Tort-a-licious: The Trials of Law School Blog Posts About This Topic • SaukValley.com - Serving Dixon, Sterling & Rock Falls saukvalley.com • August 14, 2007 edspresso.com More related content Powered by Sphere