“A very grave scenario.” “Very catastrophic.” That is how Federal officials are describing the situation developing in the Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon oil rig sunk off the coast of Louisiana last week.

Some estimate that 210,000 gallons of oil are spilling into the Gulf every day – resulting in a slick roughly the size of the state of West Virginia.

Oil has already washed ashore the coast of Louisiana and a state of emergency has been declared in several of Florida’s Panhandle counties.

Now is the time to act and protect our coasts.

Offshore drilling is a threat to our state’s economy and environment and I’m the only candidate in this race who has been consistently against its expansion. In the wake of the oil spill, Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio are finally changing their stances on drilling, but it is too little, too late.

Today, I am calling for a moratorium on expansion of oil drilling in the Gulf and off the shores of Florida. Join with me today.

Click here to sign our petition right now and stand with me in demanding Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio call for a moratorium on expansion of oil drilling in the Gulf.

Expanded drilling won’t solve our energy problems. It will only increase the chance for accidents that cost Florida families their livelihoods.

I will continue to fight to protect Florida’s economy and deal with the aftermath of this disaster, but we need to send one loud and clear message today.

Sign my petition and let’s tell Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio that we aren’t going to take any more chances with our state’s environment or economy.

I need your help right now.

Sincerely,

Kendrick Meek

Popularity: 2% [?]

With the economy waffling between slow stabilization and complete insanity, many would-be home buyers are sitting on the fence. They are waiting, along with realtors and sellers, to see what happens with interest rates.

Many are predicting that interest rates, especially those pertaining to a home mortgage, may be on the rise as early as April of this year. No one, however, seems to be certain when the rate hike will happen.

The powers-that-be (Federal Reserve/lenders/banks) all find themselves stuck in a dilemma. Raising rates may seem to be necessary, but doing so could easily burst the barely burgeoning bubble of a housing market increase. With the economy so anemic, bleeding potential buyers of the incentive of a low interest rate could result in a housing market that topples right back down into the morass from which it is struggling to arise.

A bit more encouraging is the news that, even if the rates are increased in April, it will not be a drastic increase in one big step. Instead, the plan would be to increase the mortgage (and other) interest rates slowly, incrementally over time. Most feel that the increase could start as early as April and then continue to meander upwards until sometime mid-year in 2011.

So, if you are a homeowner trying to sell, or a buyer looking to purchase a home, the message seems clear enough. Home mortgage rates are good now. They will not be getting better if you wait longer. The longer the buyer waits, the more the rate wills will affect their purchase. Sellers may find this affects the amount they can get for their home.

Still, don’t rush into a purchase before you’re ready just because of a possible rise in interest rates. That could cost you more than a fraction of a percentage point in the long run.

Popularity: 1% [?]