Free Republic

L.A. forces are present in the Garden State At a time when the Democratic Party establishment counsels a move to the "center" as the cure for a defeated and demoralized Democratic Party, a new path is emerging. On May 17, Antonio Villaraigosa, a progressive politician won a landslide mayoral victory in Los Angeles, defeating incumbent James Hahn, a moderate Democrat. The grassroots chemistry that gave rise to Villaraigosa's win may be present in the Garden State.Days before the Los Angeles election, on May 5 and 6, Mark Murphy, of the Fund for New Jersey, brought together leaders of more than...

Dalila and William Timal look like any other couple signing a home mortgage. They've picked out paint colors for their new four-bedroom house and can't wait for their 18-month-old son to play in the yard. But they differ from others you'd sometimes see at a loan officer's desk: Neither is a U.S. citizen nor a legal resident. The Timals came to this country from Guatemala in the late '90s and illegally overstayed their visas. Advertisement They are the beneficiaries of a new program by Fifth Third Bank that bases mortgages on an individual taxpayer identification number, or ITIN. Nationwide, increasing...