Stuff to Blog About and More: Nearing the end of the election season

Finally......nearing the end of the 2008 campaign season.

This has been a historic presidential campaign on many fronts. It has also been a long journey for all of us. As the presidential candidates sprint toward the finish line Republican John McCain will spend his day campaigning through seven swing states while Barack Obama is headed toward three once GOP leaning states that have become Democratic-leaning battlegrounds.

CNN/Opinion Research Corporation say in a new survey that McCain would do better if vice presidential vote was separate.

Fifty-three percent of those surveyed say Palin doesn't agree with them on important issues
The national poll suggests Sarah Palin may be hurting Republican presidential nominee John McCain more than she's helping him. The poll indicates McCain's running mate is growing less popular among voters and may be costing him a few crucial percentage points in the race for the White House.
Fifty-seven percent of likely voters questioned in the poll said Palin does not have the personal qualities a president should have. That's up 8 points since September.

What else is a stake in the election? Congressional seats.
Dems currently have 235-199 majority in the House; 51-49 advantage in the Senate.

What has President Bush been up to while the Pres. candidates have been duking it out?

According to media reports, the Bush administration is sprinting to enact environmental policy changes before leaving power.

Getting wolves off the Endangered Species List
Allowing power plants to operate near national parks
Loosening regulations for factory farm waste
Making it easier for mountaintop coal-mining operations, these proposed changes have found little favor with environmental groups.

FTC: Your Rights: Credit Reporting

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, has prepared a brochure, Your Access to Free Credit Reports, explaining your rights under the FCRA and how to order a free annual credit report.

A credit report includes information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you've been sued, arrested, or filed for bankruptcy. Nationwide consumer reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home.

How do I order my free report?

You can order your free annual credit report online at annualcreditreport.com, by calling 1-877-322-8228, or by completing the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mailing it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281.

When you order, you need to provide your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. To verify your identity, you may need to provide some information that only you would know, like the amount of your monthly mortgage payment.

A Warning About "Imposter" Sites

The FTC advises consumers who order their free annual credit reports online to be sure to correctly spell annualcreditreport.com, or link to it from the FTC's website to avoid being misdirected to other websites that offer supposedly free reports,but only with the purchase of other products. While consumers may be offered additional products or services while on the authorized website, they are not required to make a purchase to receive their free annual credit reports.

For more information on free annual credit reports, read Your Access to Free Credit Reports.