Why, do you think, deeply-in-debt borrowers, public interest advocates and think-tankers are unable to defeat banks and financial institutions? Could it be that, at this stage of political play, progressive forces which could focus on debt-relief issues could be stronger?

For myself, I am surprised at the success the advocates for those drowning in debt have had in focusing national attention on the issue. We're a few months into a very narrow Democratic majority in Congress and have, in my view, a very long way to go both in analysis and organizing before we can more effectively challenge debt industrial complex.

It does help -- if just for the moment -- to call people who should, could and will be key allies, spineless and stupid. But it also distracts from the incredibly difficult tasks still before us.

Daniel, you make a perfectly reasonable point. Unfortunately, my experiences with this issue have led me to different conclusions.

I, my colleagues and our allied organizations spend a great deal of our collective days talking to elected officials, crafting talking points for them, sending them model legislation, testifying at their hearings, standing with them at press conferences and organizing town hall events with them. We don't lobby them, but we certainly treat the liberal and "progressive" ones as partners in our efforts to transform the financial services industry. NEDAP, for its part organizes a state-wide coalition of fair lending groups, participates in nation-wide economic justice collaboratives and facilitates active working groups and task forces that go toe-to-toe with the debt and credit "industrial complexes" and literally beg for political intervention.

In other words we do all the things you say we should do and so much more. All the while we are respectful, polite and good team players. Virtually never do the "responsible" and "measured" responses of my economic justice colleagues dare to publicly critique the people for whom we have been waiting for decades to do the right thing.

While this has obviously resulted in some victories, in New York and throughout the country we've seen unprecedented deregulation in the financial services industry, the roll back of fair lending laws and the unhinging of financial institutions. And let's be clear, much of this has happened under Democratic party majorities and administrations, or at least with Democratic complicity.

While the thin Democratic majority poses challenges for those of us looking for a more equitable and responsible system of regulation, legislative restraints, and guidances for the mortgage, short-term lending and debt collecting industries, there are, quite frankly, more intractable challenges. Namely, the fact that many elected officials, Democrats included, are under the thumb of the financial services lobbyists whose interests they consider more than their constituents.

The problem, is not that we "call people who should, could and will be key allies, spineless and stupid", but that we do the exact opposite - bite our tongues and play nice while waiting for our representatives to one day get it.

Daniel, the time is now to turn up the volume and, when necessary, take off the gloves. Who knows the next time when so much media attention, public will and political rhetoric will be focused on things like sub prime mortgages, foreclosures and abusive debt/credit practices?

In the meantime, we run the risk of get immune to as well as complacent and patient with the pain that hundreds of thousands are feeling because financial service providers are given free reign to feed off of families, consumers and communities, particularly those of us of color. If you've ever spent a day, like I have, fielding calls from or talking face-to-face to people caught up in this vicious, two-tiered, predatory financial services industry and your patience may similarly run thin.

Daniel, I don't think it's an either/or situation. At the very least, it's certainly not a distraction to call out people who are standing in the way of progress. We should continue to work closely and politiely with our elected allies, but also let them know that our support can't be taken for granted.

To me, the question is: how can we bring more political power to bear? When political opportunity knocks, opportunists will respond. We, therefore, need to make it more politically viable for electeds to support us. Thus, for example, it's not clear to me in NYC that advocates of affordable housing see the relationship between debt and sub-prime lending issues and the lack of housing. It's not a part of the agenda of their current campaign: "New York Is Our Home." Further, I personally, have not heard people concerned about debt issues lobbying to allow municipal deposits in credit unions or in community development credit unions. (Of course, the fact I know know nothing, doesn't mean you haven't been there.) Community development credit unions, adequately funded, could be given the task of intervening in the sub-prime market to avert foreclosures.