Bush’s plan to help homeowners ‘less than it appears.’
Bush’s plan to help homeowners ‘less than it appears.’
On Friday, President Bush unveiled his “plan to help homeowners,” who are facing foreclosures in the housing slump. But McClatchy reports that most of what Bush announced simply duplicates what Congress is already doing:
The plan was announced days before Congress returns from its August recess with housing issues high on its agenda. The proposals, however, duplicate efforts already under way by Congress and other federal agencies, would help at most 21 percent of the homeowners facing foreclosures and would do little to help areas in which inflated real estate prices are a problem.
Bush called on Democrats to approve a modernization of the Federal Housing Administration, which passed the House of Representatives last year with bipartisan support but was quashed by Senate Republicans.
He promised to require greater disclosure from lenders, a move on which federal bank regulators already have provided guidance. He promised to get tough with unscrupulous mortgage brokers, but they’re largely regulated on the state level. And during a briefing Friday, a senior administration official acknowledged that the plan would do little to help states with high real estate prices, such as California.
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Ane the news in that is ??????
September 1st, 2007 at 5:51 pmAne the news in that is ??????
Comment by MapleStreet — September 1, 2007
You’re right. Bush lied again. That’s not news.
September 1st, 2007 at 5:53 pmIf he really wanted to help he would order the IRS not to send tax bills to people who lost their home to foreclosure. Here’s how that works. You purchased your home for $400,000. The housing market tanks and your house is foreclosed upon. At that time your house is only worth $350,000. So the lending institution gets to take a tax loss of $50,000 (even thought that price for the home was inflated in the first place), and the homeowner gets a tax bill for $50,000 to offset the deduction the mortgage company gets. So, in the end the mortgage company that wrote the sub-prime loan when the shouldn’t have comes out whole and the homeowner homes out in a huge hole he will have a hard time getting out of, a $50,000 tax bill he can ill afford.
September 1st, 2007 at 5:58 pmNo one should trust McClatchy’s spin on anything Bush said; McClatchy will distort it to derogate him as much as possible. This will result in mentally ill progtards like troqua seriously thinking Bush “lied” again. The problem McClatchy is suffering from is that it misconstrued Bush’s statement on Friday and selfishly wanted more concessions from Bush. Bush properly hit the middle ground between providing some measure of relief to self-destructive, misjudging homeowners and refusing to use taxpayer money in a cataclysmic bailout. That’s why this is “news” to McClatchy: because they and progtards are furious Bush didn’t agree to using taxpayer money to bail out idiots who lived beyond their means and let themselves be taken advantage of. Besides the fact that subprime loans account for only about 2% of loans (as per Cavuto), bailouts are impermissible because they reward idiots for their own misjudgments. These people should learn the price of failing to do their OWN research before committing to risky loans.
September 1st, 2007 at 6:00 pmWhen Bush says he plans to help homeowners… you have to wonder… help homeowners do what?
September 1st, 2007 at 6:02 pmFine, he didn’t lie. He distorted.
September 1st, 2007 at 6:02 pmThese people should learn the price of failing to do their OWN research before committing to risky loans.
Comment by Manyprogressivesexperiencehomeforeclosures — September 1, 2007 @ 6:00 pm
Couple of quick questions, bush’spersonalcheerleader…
1) Do you really think anyone here reads your posts?
2) And if they do, do they ever take you seriously?
Please feel free to start shaking your pompoms again.
September 1st, 2007 at 6:06 pmYou mean the California that votes Democratic?
September 1st, 2007 at 6:08 pm“bush’spersonalcheerleader…”
wasn’t Bush a cheerleader too?
September 1st, 2007 at 6:11 pmwasn’t Bush a cheerleader too?
Comment by A.Political — September 1, 2007 @ 6:11 pm
I believe you are correct.
September 1st, 2007 at 6:18 pmKing George the Dumb wants Congress to put what they are now doing in a law for him to sign. He will veto the damn thing and cancel the programs. Maybe he thinks Congress is as dumb as he is.
One thing can be said for KGtD’s economic policy—for the middle and lower classes the economy has reached a point of stability: the taxes withheld from our pay checks and the taxes we must pay with the money we get now equal the amount of our earnings. You can’t get more stable than that!
Wrong thread but a viable question: Why do the Blue States recognize Gay marriage while the Perverts come from the Red States? Craig’s answer “I didn’t want to marry that cop in the next stall.”
September 1st, 2007 at 6:19 pmbailouts are impermissible because they reward idiots for their own misjudgments. -someidiotwithalongmoniker
`Fiscal, not monetary policy should be the preferred remedy,” said Gross, who manages the $103 billion Pimco Total Return Fund. “This rescue, which admittedly might bail out speculators who deserve much worse… ” -Bill Gross Pimco
September 1st, 2007 at 6:25 pmWhen Bush says he plans to help homeowners… you have to wonder… help homeowners do what?
Comment by had enough — September 1, 2007 @ 6:02 pm
Bush wants to help homeowners OUT, onto the street.
September 1st, 2007 at 6:29 pmBanks were more than happy to extend crazy loans to home buyers as long as they could package them and sell them to such things as the hedge fund industry. Now that we’ve seen a meltdown in hedge funds, banks are no longer able to package these loans and therefore cannot extend new ones. That’s affected the ability of homeowners to refinance or sell their homes to other borrowers.
The Bush Administration has been completely adamant in refusing to regulate the hedge fund industry. They’ve had the attitude that the industry should regulate itself and should be immune from either public or governmental scrutiny. We don’t really know what’s been going on there. Here’s an article from the February, 2007 New York Times on the subject:
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F0081EFC3B5A0C708EDDAB0894DF404482&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fB%2fBush%2c%20George%20W%2e
Officials Reject More Oversight Of Hedge Funds
February 23, 2007, Friday
By STEPHEN LABATON (NYT); Business/Financial Desk
Late Edition – Final, Section A, Page 1, Column 6, 1289 words
Bush administration says it sees no need for greater government oversight of rapidly growing hedge fund industry and other private investment groups to protect nation’s financial system; says investors, hedge fund companies and their lenders should adhere to set of nonbinding principles, many of which are already being followed by sharpest investors and best-run companies; decision comes after study by presidential working group of top officials and regulators, including Treasury Sec Henry M Paulson Jr, his top deputy Robert K Steel and White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten, all alumni of Goldman Sachs, one of most important players in private equity market; group’s conclusions reflect strong antiregulatory ideology of administration and formidable influence of Wall Street and increasingly wealthy hedge fund industry in Washington; pressures have increased to impose greater regulation on hedge funds amid periodic collapses that have shaken markets and caused investors to lose money.”
September 1st, 2007 at 6:32 pm`Why is it possible to rescue corrupt S&L buccaneers in the early 1990s and provide guidance to levered Wall Street investment bankers during the 1998 LTCM crisis, yet throw 2 million homeowners to the wolves in 2007?” Gross wrote. “If we can bail out Chrysler, why can’t we support the American homeowners?” -Bill Gross Pimco
So there you see that MPEHF is full of ’spin’ The fed has bailed out the corrupt buccanneers of the S&L industry.
[Remember Neil Bush?]
September 1st, 2007 at 6:35 pmMPEHF thinks many ‘progressives’ will suffer from foreclosures. This is wishful and politically unimaginative group-think drabble.
Almost half of all collateralized debt obligations sold in the U.S. in 2006 contained subprime debt, according to a March report by Moody’s Investors Service.
MPEHF thinks their is a box that one checks for ‘political ideology’ on mortgages.
Can you say LAME MPEHF?
September 1st, 2007 at 6:43 pm“MPEHF thinks their is a box that one checks for ‘political ideology’ on mortgages.”
===============
nope, only for the Justice Department, Coalition for Provisional Authority, FEMA, FDA, NASA, CDC etc etc
September 1st, 2007 at 6:53 pmBush didn’t agree to using taxpayer money to bail out idiots who lived beyond their means and let themselves be taken advantage of.
Comment by Manyprogressivesexperiencehomeforeclosures — September 1, 2007 @ 6:00 pm
So, in your warped, distorted view of the world, the bad people here are the ones who “let themselves be taken advantage of”, not the ones who actually took advantage of them? I’m not sure if the right words exist to describe your illness, so I’ll let others have fun trying to find them.
September 1st, 2007 at 6:58 pmAny government help should 1) not take income of default homeowners into account, and 2) should not be unfair to homeowners who take the right steps to qualify for mortgage within their means.
Comment by CT_V1 — September 1, 2007 @ 7:01 pm
That doesn’t make any sense.
September 1st, 2007 at 7:12 pmThat doesn’t make any sense.
Comment by vermontdave — September 1, 2007 @ 7:12 pm
I read it about five times, and you’re right, it’s not making sense.
September 1st, 2007 at 7:14 pmno it does, you just have to step through the looking glass of a repub.
1 means screw the poor, the helpless, the sick the tired etc
2 means bolster the rich b/c they qualify for any mortgage.
September 1st, 2007 at 7:21 pmwhy would you expect nything the moron CT_VD writes to make any sense? He clearly knows nothing about anything. he comes here and lies, plants false stories, and defends the Bush crime syndicate. It’s no surprise to me that he makes no sense, after all, he has no sense.
September 1st, 2007 at 7:21 pmI think what Ct is trying to say is that Govt. help with the Mortgage crisis shouldn’t be Means tested. No discrimination against Mansion purchasers.
September 1st, 2007 at 7:23 pmI have a problem with his “right steps” statement. That’s the problem…there was a lack of regulation…there were no “right steps. In some cases, If you had a job and were breathing…you got your loan. The risk went to wall street…so no one local cared.
The thinking with real estate WAS you can’t lose…prices only go up.
Now the economy has to pay the price for this thinking.
Badger,
So you’re saying CT means that the millionaire who finds himself in a pickle because he bought a five million dollar house, when he could really only afford a two million dollar house, should be treated the same as some poor sap that got lured in by predatory lenders?
September 1st, 2007 at 7:26 pmComment by Zooey — September 1, 2007 @ 7:26 pm
I should let CT speak for himself…but yeah…that’s how I read it. I’m not agreeing with it… but ) not take income of default homeowners into account, means no means testing to me.
September 1st, 2007 at 7:31 pmand I like your new website ;)
“The fact that they had too low of an income and/or a weak credit rating, for the most part, shouldn’t be excused.”
September 1st, 2007 at 7:37 pm==============
even though the predatory aspect of it probably bamboozled them in to taking the loan in the first place with both parties aware of the income level but the predator preying on the consumer aspect of our society when selling to the lower income buyer…bigger, better, more expensive is the American dream aspect of it I mean?
Thanks Badger, you’re welcome at the Zoo anytime. :)
I hadn’t realized CT was still here.
September 1st, 2007 at 7:38 pmCT, it seems to me that you’re hell-bent on not letting the people who have been most preyed upon get the help they need — although I’m not sure the government should be involved in this, other than to regulate the mortgage industry.
Is it possible that many of those who were the victims of predatory lenders simply did not have the tools to understand that they didn’t have the proper income or credit rating? Wouldn’t a predatory lender smooth over those issues as much as possible?
September 1st, 2007 at 7:42 pmOk, nevermind. My question was answered while I was typing. Thanks, CT.
September 1st, 2007 at 7:43 pmBush must be drinking again, why in the hell would he want to try to help dumbass Democrat’s that got loans they could not pay and now want the government to bail their sorry ass’s out? If you cant pay for it dont buy it…stupid!
Hey idiots…so-called predatory lenders follow the rules as they are now….why does Bush have to take the lead on this… where are the Democrats who are looking out for the little guy???????? Which dumbass Democrat is chairman of the banking committee, finance?????I think its your in-house gayrod Barny Frank himself. What happened? Has he been following Craig around….not doing his job?
September 1st, 2007 at 7:56 pmGood job CT-V1….you got it. All “sub-prime” lending r&r’s fall under the ospisis of the banking and finance committee in the house. Oversight is their job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For your pleasure
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Ypa75axdK6o
September 1st, 2007 at 8:06 pmI have problems with blaming the homebuyers – most of them anyway.
People who got subprime loans, by and large, were preyed upon by companies who were looking for another demographic niche to bring into the booming housing market. These are people with low credit ratings, low income, poor documentation. Easily exploited, and looking at their economic characteristics, probably not able to understand every nuance of the contracts they were signing. None of us can fully understand the risks even of a regular mortgage loan. But the lenders completely understood, every time they sold another subprime contract, that they were taking a risk. Even if they full disclosed the risk to the buyers, they were putting the best spin on the deal.
People just wanted a part of the American dream. The issues related to subprimes are complex for those in the industry, never mind a single mom who sees an opportunity to better her family’s life .
This is fully the industry’s fault. The solution – there probably is none. People will lose their homes, blight will set in many communities, that affects local businesses, and on and on. It’s a mess no matter how you look at it.
September 1st, 2007 at 8:07 pmMy name is bilbogaggins, I am a retard!
September 1st, 2007 at 8:08 pmBush has NO plan to help the homeowner or former homeowner.
But he will be right there to bailout the speculators who purchased the speculative investments of bundled loans. This the worst kind of hipocracy, theivery.
September 1st, 2007 at 8:08 pmGWB has no respect for the people that have been victim of Wall Street shennanigans. Middle class people must pay again and again for their one mistake of investing in America.
Wall Street remains on the take. TA legalized mob with the Bush face.
Sorry….couldnt help myself………….picked that one off of the Dailykos a week or so back :)
September 1st, 2007 at 8:08 pmCT,
Predatory is the term I meant to use.
Regarding Carlester’s insane rambling: CT, do take a look at the original post on this thread. Bush’s plan is “less than it appears.” Congress is already doing what Bush is now proposing. That doesn’t count as “standing up and doing something about this.”
September 1st, 2007 at 8:09 pmBut he will be right there to bailout the speculators who purchased the speculative investments of bundled loans. This the worst kind of hipocracy, theivery.
GWB has no respect for the people that have been victim of Wall Street shennanigans. Middle class people must pay again and again for their one mistake of investing in America.
Wall Street remains on the take. TA legalized mob with the Bush face.
Comment by theswan — September 1, 2007 @ 8:08 pm
WRONG! The executive branch has no such powers.
September 1st, 2007 at 8:10 pm#37 Comment by Carlester
Good one.
September 1st, 2007 at 8:16 pmif, for the hell of it, we accept that what he said is what he is going to get done gets done, that is help for 80,ooo folks !!
September 1st, 2007 at 8:19 pmWell, every single economist and expert is talking of approximately 2 million plus that will be in need of assistance within the next year or two! Everyone gets that? Maybe I should repeat that- 2 million plus! And, that is if everything else works out exactly as predicted.
So, what we are faced with is once again, the greatest LIAR ever to be elected as President of the United States of America is proposing to do what he does best- He is about to LIE Again to US!
And it is September- remember what Card said about the summer?
Molester, Bush has the power to bail out. He only has to ask mr Bernachae to lower the rates. A done deal already, fella.
September 1st, 2007 at 8:27 pm“Bush called on Democrats to approve a modernization of the Federal Housing Administration, which passed the House of Representatives last year with bipartisan support but was quashed by Senate Republicans.”
…that’s what the criminal Repulsivescum Bushites do…
…STEAL…
…lives, money, ideas, souls, and legislation…
…Greedy Old Perverts…
September 1st, 2007 at 8:32 pmThe President should be receiving praise from TP, as he likely has the veto power to sit down and do nothing at all.
Comment by CT_V1 — September 1, 2007 @ 8:25 pm
I see it differently, CT. I think if all Bush can come up with is what the Congress is already doing, he ought to simply come out and say, “Hey, I think the Congress has a good plan. I support this plan.”
But no, Bush has to be divisive, and come out with his own same plan, so when he does what he really wants to do — veto the whole mess — he can say, “Hey I had a better plan, but Congress wouldn’t hear of it.”
It’s what he does.
September 1st, 2007 at 8:39 pmThe Fed is a scam…
…a bunch of crooked counterfeiters…
…even the name is FRAUDULENT…
…The Federal Reserve is a group of PRIVATE businessmen…
…independent of the Federal Government of the United States of America…
…HOW can THEY set interest rates and print money?
September 1st, 2007 at 8:44 pmThe President should do nothing. There is no reason for anyone here to be forced to pay a personal debt (Or cover with tax money) someone elses choice. The Predatory lending institution should not get a break on their loss because they took the risk (And would reap the benefits if nothing bad happened), They have insurance for such things and if they choose not to take it, well tax payer money should not be used to cover that.
Of course that’s just my warped Libertarian view of things.
September 1st, 2007 at 8:45 pmI’m gonna go out on a limb here, and predict that the Economy will be as big an issue for the 2008 elections as the war/terrorism.
September 1st, 2007 at 8:50 pmFor years, our economy has been losing high paying, family raising , jobs to globalization….but the slack had been taken up by the booming real estate market. Those out of work skilled factory workers took jobs in construction, and heavy equipment operation, etc.
Every new house built, needs furniture, electricians, plumbers , landscaping, holes dug etc…in other words jobs for americans that can’t be shipped overseas .
A crash in the real estate market has a big impact on the rest of the economy. I don’t think we’ve seen the worst of it yet.
This is the same thing Bush did while Governor of Texas. He’d find out what was going to be passed by the Legislature with or without his support and then he’d announce “his plans” for proposals they were already implementing so he could take credit for them when they inevitably passed.
He’s a guy who’s built his life on taking credit for what others have done and having daddy’s friends bail him out when the ideas that truly were his (also inevitably) tanked.
September 1st, 2007 at 9:06 pmAssociated Press concludes pretty much the same thing:
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush’s plan to help financially struggling homeowners likely will have a modest impact on a worrisome global credit crunch, economists said Friday.
The White House’s proposal — to have a government agency created during the Great Depression to insure mortgages assist homeowners at risk of default — is symbolic more than substantive, says Nigel Gault, chief economist at Global Insight.
September 1st, 2007 at 9:17 pmhttp://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070831/risky_mortgages_government_help.html?.v=1
The Predatory lending institution should not get a break on their loss because they took the risk -Tundra
Dont forget the securitisation game..
…
http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c.php?leftnm=10&autono=294222
September 1st, 2007 at 9:44 pmInvest in Halliburton . . . don’t bet the ranch.
Bush will probably support a sub-prime mortage bailout package focused on no-bid contracts headed up by the twins, supervised by Cheney, from headquarters in Portugal.
If you live in the ‘burbs . . . yow . . . you’re pretty much sol.
But that wedding at the WH (no mortgage, just us taxpayers) . . . amazing ( the flowers . . . ahh, had to cost tens of thousands, not to mention the food, the wine, the band, the dancing . . . ahh . like something in the palace of Henry XIV . . . all the while, we the People eat cake)
September 1st, 2007 at 10:09 pmI keep checking my mailboc for my invite to “the People’s House” for the big event . . . unfortunately, all I get are Countrywide applications to refinance . . . oh, the humanity.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:13 pmRobert Z. Aliber, “The propensity to swindle grows parallel with the propensity to speculate during a boom. The implosion of an asset price bubble always leads to the discovery of fraud and swindles.”
Ohh Boy, if Mr. Aliber is correct – pretty soon the swindlers will be unmasked!
September 1st, 2007 at 10:14 pm“No one should trust McClatchy’s spin on anything Bush said; McClatchy will distort it to derogate him as much as possible.”
Of course you trolls don’t like McClatchy because they are the only independent news organization left in our country. The rest of our news outlets are owned by major corporations who are beholden to the Bush Administration and the Republicans for all the perks they get in exchange for carrying water for the Bush Crime Family.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:17 pmWeeeeeee.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:20 pm“The fact that they had too low of an income and/or a weak credit rating, for the most part, shouldn’t be excused.
Comment by CT_V1 “
Why, it was excused by the predatory lender.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:23 pmWill a real Republican please stand up?
Now that the Democrats finally have some power, I hope the Democrats didn’t actually take August off again like our “wartime” Vacationer in Chief. Bush’s sloth, his treatment of the most important job in America as a sinecure, and his low mental ability to the point where he jokes he can’t even speak English, are giving the Dems an opportunity. Especially now that Bush’s brain, aka Turdblossom, has been excreted from the white building.
And one of these replacements is going to finally realize that doing the right thing with his newfound power is the only non-morally treasonous thing to do that won’t make him go down in infamy with the rest of the Bush Fox Republican bunch.
Maybe it will be Acting Attorney General Paul Clement. He’s actually an impressive guy. He’s one of those guys who got into Harvard on merit, as opposed to as a legacy seeking to avoid Vietnam like our Chickenhawk in Chief. And he was on the Harvard Law Review. Okay he clerked for Scalia, but even Scalia is not corrupt. Clement excelled in private practice at K&E arguing many cases before the Supreme Court. Does Clement want to be seen as a continuation of one of the most crooked Attorney Generals in American history? There are some hopeful signs he doesn’t. I’d give it even odds Clement sticks his neck out for Justice as the head of that department. That is if he has the chance before Bush can shove in another one of his lackeys. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Clement
September 1st, 2007 at 10:27 pmWow. More Bush blaming/bashing.
Who would’ve guessed?!?!?
September 1st, 2007 at 10:35 pmHas Bush done anything to help average people in New Orleans, Louisiana, after it flooded from Hurricane Katrina? Nope, so he will do nothing to help average Americas with mortgage problems.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:36 pmAVGVSTVS sez:
Yes…funny how the facts tend to support that conclusion time and again, isn’t it?
September 1st, 2007 at 10:37 pmMy son has a long term friend who worked for Countrywide. He lost his job in two stages, first a sixty mile commute and then a pink slip. He also lost his condo after eleven years of a twenty year pay out. They assumed the property for $100 and now he has to pay taxes on the $46,000 residual. This is in spite of the fact that he lost about $21,000 in equity. If he had been smart enough to sell the property for for $20,000, he could have declared a loss of $44,000 and be about $35,000 ahead in the game.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:39 pm… average Americans … in post 65.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:39 pmWhoa, I think I just had déjà vu!
September 1st, 2007 at 10:40 pmIt is bad enough some are facing foreclosure…but to falsely raise the hope of the falling is like putting one last firecracker in the butt of a frog. Those facing foreclosure and perhaps homelessness don’t need this crap of lies.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:42 pmBush wants to eliminate s-chip health care for children while continuing tax breaks for the rich… that is where his evil mind is.
jd-
Appreciate your commednts . . . not sure about Clements, but appreciate your insight. Hayy to know that “He’s one of those guys who got into Harvard on merit, as opposed to as a legacy seeking to avoid Vietnam like our Chickenhawk in Chief.”
For better or worse, I know a lot of Harvard grads . . . they feel entitled, they behave badly. They would never consider service. They consider themselves out best, brightest and most entitled. They are wrong.
I do not like them. That has nothing to do with their national service, but as a woman. They seem to feel an entitlement to my affections and my body that is wholly misplaced. Don’t appreciate it, don’t like it and can’t afford the doctor bills.
Scalia embodies the horrible mindset of the entitled. I don’t know him but I kow his advocates. I sent one to jail for six months.
” And he was on the Harvard Law Review. Okay he clerked for Scalia, but even Scalia is not corrupt. Clement excelled in private practice at K&E ” and I have worked for enough establishment firms to know that these elites hardly hold the beacon of American virtue. I refused to marry one and wouldn’t let my children associate.
Get your values right. Harvard is not a beacon of rightiousness, nor is Congress. If you’re going to harangue against homosexuality, don’t solicit in public bathrooms, if you’re going to preach about tolerance, don’t declare war against a religion. We declare war against political entities that have wronged us, not against a religion in a country that didn’t attack us.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:47 pmWhoa, I think I just had déjà vu!
Comment by AVGVSTVS — September 1, 2007
I think you mean Déjà visité.
A clinical correlation has been found between the experience of déjà vu and disorders such as schizophrenia and anxiety, and the likelihood of the experience considerably increases with subjects having these conditions. However, the strongest pathological association of déjà vu is with temporal lobe epilepsy
September 1st, 2007 at 10:53 pmNow that the Democrats finally have some power, I hope the Democrats didn’t actually take August off again like our “wartime†Vacationer in Chief.
Comment by jd — September 1, 2007 @ 10:27 pm
They did. ;)
September 1st, 2007 at 10:55 pmBush riding on the coattails of Congress. Why does this not surprise me. I guess when you can’t come up with any ideas of your own that work you might as well just claim some others as yours.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:56 pmHow could Augustus not have deja vu? it keeps posting the same tired
bullsh*t over and over again.
that’s just your reflection, Aug. it’s the same sorry sh*t it was yesterday.
nothing to see here, move along.
September 1st, 2007 at 10:58 pmFor better or worse, I know a lot of Harvard grads . . . they feel entitled, they behave badly. They would never consider service. They consider themselves out best, brightest and most entitled. They are wrong.
I do not like them. That has nothing to do with their national service, but as a woman. They seem to feel an entitlement to my affections and my body that is wholly misplaced. Don’t appreciate it, don’t like it
Rise above those cowardly Harvard grads and tell them to go f*ck them self. The self respect gained will always be with you.
September 1st, 2007 at 11:11 pmOf course you trolls don’t like McClatchy because they are the only independent news organization left in our country. The rest of our news outlets are owned by major corporations who are beholden to the Bush Administration and the Republicans for all the perks they get in exchange for carrying water for the Bush Crime Family.
Comment by bilbogaggins — September 1, 2007 @ 10:17 pm
And McClatchy doesn’t lean left in the least? ;)
September 1st, 2007 at 11:36 pmAnd McClatchy doesn’t lean left in the least? ;)
Comment by upright left — September 1, 2007 @ 11:36 pm
McClatchy papers are primarily small- and medium-sized markets that trend conservative, not left. One of their earliest acquisitions was the Modesto Bee, for cripes’ sake. Hardly a bastion of commie propaganda.
The McClatchy papers have somehow retained the bizarre concept of investigative journalism and the now-radical understanding that the role of The Press in regard to government has to be skeptical and confrontative. Otherwise, frankly, we are all f@cked.
September 1st, 2007 at 11:47 pmthe stockmartket crash in 2000 was greenspans fault as well as the lowering the prime rate to almost zero. huge inflation occurred becasue of this
September 1st, 2007 at 11:51 pmThose facing foreclosure and perhaps homelessness don’t need this crap of lies.
bive me a break, if you bought a 500k home for 1000/mo and now its adjusted to 3000/mo, just let the house go and rent for 1000 a month- i dont see anyone being homeless
September 1st, 2007 at 11:54 pmhe shouldnt do anything, just like the overpriced stock market in the 90’s – it made a coorection, now that banks were dumb enought to give a 500k subprime loan to someone making 30k a yr, why should tax payers have to help bail any of these losers out. One other thing – for yrs this statement has always held true. Just because a bank says you can afford a loan doesnt mean you should get it. 100% of any foreclosures in all of time – somebody qualified them for that loan.
September 1st, 2007 at 11:59 pmAnd McClatchy doesn’t lean left in the least? ;)
Comment by upright left — September 1, 2007 @ 11:36 pm
And if they did, which is not assured, what’s wrong with at least one news service which doesn’t represent the rich and lazy/ What’s wrong with one service that represents more than half of all Americans? You righties don’t have a clue of the shitstorm that’s coming, do you? If you think you’re going to get away with the destruction you have wrought on this country, you’re very wrong. “Leaning left” is what more than half of America does. It is not some evil taint. it is what those who move the society forward to.
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:01 amall of time – somebody qualified them for that loan.
Comment by cindy — September 1, 2007 @ 11:59 pm
The problem is fairness. The government never hesitates to bail out the rich. You’re talking class warfare. If the government can bail out those who don’t need it, they certainly can bail out those who do, especially given the miniscule amounts involved compared to Chrysler or the S & Ls. We know you hate the poor, especially if they’re minorities, but you don’t have to be so blatant about it. Justifying his trillion-dollar off-the-books war is a lot more difficult thatn justifying a helping hand to families that were lied to by Greenspan and the Fed.
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:06 amAnd McClatchy doesn’t lean left in the least? ;)
Comment by upright left — September 1, 2007 @ 11:36 pm
McClatchy is a Left-wing, neo-Stalinist, source of propaganda!
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:08 amMcClatchy is a Left-wing, neo-Stalinist, source of propaganda!
Comment by AVGVSTVS — September 2, 2007 @ 12:08 am
Not in the least bit true, but even if it were, so what? This is America, land of the free. 1st Amerndment and all that. but any news agancy that dares to tell the truth about Emperor Boosh is left-wing and stalinist, according to you fellators of the little prince. You have no proof, and not even a link to back up your claims, so they’re worthless, as usual. You suffer from Bush Derangement Syndrome. BDS is a disease of the ignorant, cowardly right.
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:13 amIt is not some evil taint.
Comment by ronjazz — September 2, 2007 @ 12:01 am
Oh sure it is. ;)
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:14 amOh sure it is. ;)
Comment by upright left — September 2, 2007 @ 12:14 am
Not in this country. Leaning left is how the country started, how the country became successful, how the USA was instrumental in winning the second World War, and how the USA became a world powerhouse after the war. Socialism: GI Bill, Marshall Plan, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. Socialist programs at their very best, helping people become independent and contributing citizens, and creating the world’s leading bastion of freedom. The founders were liberals, the greatest American success stories were liberals, the reason America WAS respected so highly was because of its liberal policies. Now the the right has figured out how to sell its lies and greed, America is weaker and looked down upon around the world. Conservatism is the cradle of evil, based on greed and class distinctions, rather than freedom and equality. Conservatism is patently anti-American, and has proven itself so.
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:20 amRojazz,
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:23 amThe proposal Bush is discussing is a Democratic one.
So in reality it’s a Dem plan that TP is criticizing.
If Bush was against it, you guys would be bashing him for it!
bive me a break, if you bought a 500k home for 1000/mo and now its adjusted to 3000/mo, just let the house go and rent for 1000 a month- i dont see anyone being homeless
Comment by cindy —
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:30 amMany of the sub prime loans were/are 2nd mortgages… homeowners were living off the equity of their home in order to make ends meet. I bet I received 6 calls per day from those predators trying to sell me one of those loans. And, you must know of someone with bad credit trying to rent an apartment… notice I said trying….you can not rent a decent apartment with bad credit.
McClatchy is a Left-wing, neo-Stalinist, source of propaganda!
Comment by AVGVSTVS — September 2, 2007 @ 12:08 am
…so what?
…
Comment by ronjazz — September 2, 2007 @ 12:13 am
Um… nevermind.
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:39 amPIP,
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:42 amWhat’s up!
See how the Leftards lin bumjazz are attacking Bush for supporting a Democrat plan!
If he was against it, they would attack him for that too!
Um… nevermind.
Comment by AVGVSTVS — September 2, 2007 @ 12:39 am
Exactly. You have no smartass comeback for something so clear and correct. Now, if we can all agree that FOX news is a rightwing, neonazi source of corporate propaganda, we’ll be on our way back to freeing our country from the neocon liars who managed to convince a drug-addled drunk that blowing up an innocent country was a sure way to make America the dominant king of the world for all time. Of course, Clinton had already achieved that, without the bloodshed and looting of the treasury of the Bush crime syndicate, but the neocons weren’t happy with merely being rich and powerful. They had to kill a couple million folks to show that they mean business. Then they run away. Pathetic.
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:46 am“Now, if we can all agree that FOX news is a rightwing, neonazi source of corporate propaganda…”
We can agree Fox leans right. ;)
“drug-addled drunk…”
An unkind reference to Kerry-Heinz.
“Then they run away.”
Comment by ronjazz — September 2, 2007 @ 12:46 am
You whine that you want Rove and Gonzales out, now you whine when they leave. Kind of like lefties here whine about those who post opposing views, then can’t let few hours pass without wondering when they will show up again. ;)
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:55 amComment by ronjazz — September 2, 2007 @ 12:46 am
Don’t worry, if Hil is elected she will kill just as many as Bush would have.
September 2nd, 2007 at 1:05 amThe Democrats and Republicans are proposing packages that bail out the banks, not the homeowners. The homeowners are upside down in their mortgages and thus have no equity in their homes. It’s best for them just to give the bank the house keys and go back to renting.
However, that’s not what is best for the bank. They don’t want to be stuck with a house right now. They want the payment stream.
Thus, the candidates that are bought and paid for by corporations HILLARY and BUSH are proposing a bank bail out.
September 2nd, 2007 at 1:13 amSimply another mess that gets harder and harder to fix as the fiddling in the WH continues. And more distortions by the WH to make their “fix” look better than it really is.
What won’t these turds break into irretrievable little pieces before they’re thrown out of government for good?
At the same time it has finally come to the aid of homeowners by unraveling standards for borrowing, the Fed needs to seriously consider raising rates to combat a complete, long-term meltdown of the economy.
Guess this is just another one of those “hard decisions” Bush talks about when he’s whining about his job being so hard.
September 2nd, 2007 at 1:24 amIf i was a LIBTARD I’d be happy about people getting thrown out of thier HOUSE too…. (and oppose any effort to stop it)…
A home owner is someone that OWNS something,, as a citizen,,,, REAL DANGEROUS in LIBTARD TOWN thought…
NOPE,,,, the STATE should own everything, with LIBTARDS running the show of course.
September 2nd, 2007 at 1:41 amDid you know that BUSH PERSONALLY closed all the FLIM FLAM SUB PRIME mtgs… YEP.
You say thats impossible as he is 1 man and can’t be everywhere at once….
Shut up you BUSHCHEERLEADER. The man is an evil force that can be everywhere all the time..
September 2nd, 2007 at 1:45 amHow do you KNOW when the DEMOCRATS have a good chance at the PRESIDENCY?
When any citizen with HALF a brain looks for ways to protect themselves from the future DEMO TAXES.
September 2nd, 2007 at 1:50 amI’d like to know how many FORECLOSURES are in NY..?
The guidelines on MTGS are made by the STATES and I’m interested in how many HILLARY is responsible for in HER state….
She set the GUIDELINES and is thus responsible for all the poor FORECLOSURE victims…
September 2nd, 2007 at 1:53 amComment by ronjazz — September 2, 2007 @ 12:06 am
You are assuming Cindy is saying yes, bail out the rich. Personally I take it as No don’t bail anyone out. You are using the Clinton did it to defense in the other way.
September 2nd, 2007 at 2:23 amShut up you BUSHCHEERLEADER. The man is an evil force that can be everywhere all the time..
Comment by scooter — September 2, 2007 @ 1:45 am
——–
Umm… scoots,
I do believe you are thinking of Vice President Cheney, are you not?
September 2nd, 2007 at 2:31 amWhy should I help the people that priced me out of the RE market?
The only people who should qualify for help should have to meet the following requirements:
a) have a 15 or 30 year fixed rate mortgage
b) purchased their house with a minimum 20% down payment
The rest are just speculators.
September 2nd, 2007 at 3:36 amWhat’s up with Mucktard al-Sadist’s latest announcement?
September 2nd, 2007 at 3:58 amWhat’s up with you pimping your blog in the wee hours? Bowling for dollars? Trolling for hits? Retard.
September 2nd, 2007 at 4:21 amOf course it’s less than it appears. It’s his trademark. The now ya see it now ya don’t president…it’s his legacy. All words, all talk and no walk except when it puts money in his bank account or the bank accounts of his corporate buddies.
September 2nd, 2007 at 7:28 amMuqtadas mahdi Army is coming under some Iranian influence and he wants to have a ceasefire so he can clear out the Iranian influence.
As well the Maliki gvernment is rife with corruption. The Iraqis and Iranians have created a free trade zone around Basra. Iraq buys electricity form Iraq [no surprise there]
September 2nd, 2007 at 8:29 amhttp://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:l-QycwzcB5kJ:fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/91004.pdf+Mahdi+iranian+influence&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us&client=firefox-a
Don’t worry, if Hil is elected she will kill just as many as Bush would have.
Comment by AVGVSTVS — September 2, 2007 @ 1:05 am
Yeah, just like Bill did. You’re just ridiculous.
September 2nd, 2007 at 8:44 amThe rest are just speculators.
Comment by Sac Renter — September 2, 2007 @ 3:36 am
another briliant statement based on ignorance.
September 2nd, 2007 at 8:51 amYou whine that you want Rove and Gonzales out, now you whine when they leave. Kind of like lefties here whine about those who post opposing views, then can’t let few hours pass without wondering when they will show up again. ;)
Comment by upright left — September 2, 2007 @ 12:55 am
I never wanted them out, I want them imprisoned. Fact-free from you as usual.
September 2nd, 2007 at 8:58 amComment by Zep Tepi — September 2, 2007 @ 8:29 am
In other words, Mucktard is in cahoots with another one of our enemies, Iran!!!
No surprise. They will both fail.
September 2nd, 2007 at 9:42 amOkay, so Bush’s plan is at follows: Don’t do anything and take credit for the little that Congress is doing. The laises faire approach worked so well for Hoover that obviously Bush wants to copy it.
September 2nd, 2007 at 9:48 amI think its funnny Mr. P is ranting about AL-Sadr… who followed in the footsteps of his father, who was killed by Mr.P’s # 1 villian, Saddam…perphaps our perpetual dislike of the Sadr family politics had something to with why we supported and armed Saddam for so many years….wouldnt it be better to still have saddam fighting these guys than us?
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:10 amwouldnt it be better to still have saddam fighting these guys than us?
Comment by Chocolate Messiah Overload — September 2, 2007 @ 10:10 am
————–
No. It would be better to kill them, as they are Arab murderers. Also, it would be better if you didn’t support the Muslim death culture.
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:14 amComment by AVGVSTVS — September 2, 2007
Mr. Accident, sir?
It’s September, sir…
I beg your pardon sir?
No sir, I can manage.
The Vice Incident showed me how.
Thank you sir.
(Barney, stop that!)
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:15 amWell, I’m off to Church!
Christian Church, that is!
I’m going to Worship our Lord, Jesus Christ!
True Religion is the best!!!
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:20 amIf you live in an area with ‘inflated’ home prices, you could refinance, unless your credit sucks, in which case you should NEVER have mortgaged in the first place. Once again, the private sector got greedy with their dubious loan structures, so before the economy takes a huge dump, scream and cry that the government’s responsibility is to help these shyster loan officers? P L E A S E .
The Dumbya has no influence.
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:21 amNo. It would be better to kill them, as they are Arab murderers. Also, it would be better if you didn’t support the Muslim death culture.
Comment by AVGVSTVS — September 2, 2007 @ 10:14 am
support the chritian death culture
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:22 am“Well, I’m off ….”
Gospel of Pee, Chapter 1, verse 1
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:23 amAVGVSTVS
So you are off to worship a mostly naked man nailed to a cross, and engage in a ritual that supposedly makes a bread wafer tastes like his body?
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:24 amSo you are off to worship a mostly naked man nailed to a cross, and engage in a ritual that supposedly makes a bread wafer tastes like his body?
Comment by Bruce Gorton — September 2, 2007 @ 10:24 am
————–
Nah. But I knew that the mere mention of “Jesus” would trigger the TP megaphone, and all the libs would come out of the woodwork!!!
It worked like a charm!
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:26 amTrue Religion is the best!!!
Comment by AVGVSTVS
Yes, the religion which forces all it’s homosexuals into public bathrooms to practice their “dirty” love?
The religion which is anti-abortion, yet pro capital punishment?
The religion that Shrub claims “tells him” what to do. I thought praying was when you talked to God. When God “talks” to us, that’s called INSANITY.
Ah yes, the religion of hypocrisy, yea, I know it, was raised in it, and still came through as an agnostic – I can’t tolerate self-righteous hypocrisy.
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:26 amAVGVSTVS
Not all that much wrong with Jesus, in fact he was just a wee bit of a Hippy. He wore long hair, ate organic foods, preached love and peace, was all about doing something about economic injustice (That whole bit with rich people having problems getting into heaven), didn’t wear shoes and made friends with all sorts of oddball characters (Including prostitutes, tax collectors, and sailors.)
Its the Church I have problems with.
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:30 amComment by Bruce Gorton — September 2, 2007 @ 10:30 am
Sure, but for most Leftists, the mere mention of “Jesus” evokes comments like #119!
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:37 amI think I’ll stick with the Sunday talk shows and get my weekly dose of blasphemy….
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:39 amLets see, who will it be this week?
Larry Craig finds the lord?
Organized religion is for the weak-minded. Those among us who without some pie-in-the sky overlord keeping his eye on us is NEEDED to keep those weak-minded in line.
I eschew religion and God, but still function quite well within society.
The weak-minded would run wild, kill, rape, etc. without the specter of a looming GOD ALMIGHTY dangling the carrot of Life Everlasting.
Who the hell wants that anyway?
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:43 amThe weak-minded would run wild, kill, rape, etc. – RepublicansAreFascists
Sounds like the (liberal) Manson Family Religion!!!
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:49 am“Who the hell wants that anyway?”
Reincarnation is a much more appealing prospect, variety, mystery, challenges…
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:50 amI for one would sure get weary of the same old golden mansion, lugging the same old harp, singing the same old tiresome tunes millenia after millenia….
AVGVSTVS
Religion is 100% kack of course, and the Judao-Islamic-Christian god is one of the least pleasant characters in fiction.
But, that doesn’t change the fact that for the most part Jesus wasn’t a total villain in the story.
September 2nd, 2007 at 10:51 amAVGVSTVS
I will see your Manson, and raise you a Ted Bundy.
September 2nd, 2007 at 11:11 amThey couldn’t even trot out the old fat FHA Commissioner and Bush crony Brian Montgomery to do the photo op. Instead they went for a photo with the black HUD Secretary (also a Bush crony) and Treasury Secretary Paulson (a guy who knows at least something).
Homeowners, help IS NOT coming.
September 2nd, 2007 at 11:15 am“I will see your Manson, and raise you a Ted Bundy.”
Read him and weep, fellas…
Torquemada!
September 2nd, 2007 at 11:17 am“bive me a break, if you bought a 500k home for 1000/mo and now its adjusted to 3000/mo, just let the house go and rent for 1000 a month- i dont see anyone being homeless
Comment by cindy “
They will be homeless when they get the tax bill for the difference between what they paid for the house and what the foreclosing financial institution sells the house. The financial institution gets to deduct the difference as a loss and they are there made whole. The home owner, on the other hand, is screwed royally when they get that tax bill.
September 2nd, 2007 at 11:21 amQ. What’s the BEST part of Christianity?
September 2nd, 2007 at 11:23 amA. Jesus Christ
Q. What’s the WORST part of Christianity?
A. Christians
Judao-?Islamic?-Christian god
——–
Let’s play a game called “Which one doesn’t belong”!!!
I have given a clue as to the answer of this one.
September 2nd, 2007 at 11:23 am#130: They will be homeless when they get the tax bill for the difference between what they paid for the house and what the foreclosing financial institution sells the house. The financial institution gets to deduct the difference as a loss and they are there made whole. The home owner, on the other hand, is screwed royally when they get that tax bill.
Wrong. You only get the tax bill if you do a short sale. Not a foreclosure. In a short sale, you act to sell the house for less than you bought it and the bank forgives you the debt. That forgiveness is treated as income by the IRS. In a foreclosure, through no choice of your own, the bank forces you out and the property becomes the banks. This is not a taxable event.
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:27 pmI was surprised Bush actually proposed something that would help all people. Not just the repubs directly and big business like he normally does. Hearing this fits right in. Bush is not capable of doing this so he had the steal the idea from congress and try to gain politically in these extreme hard times for his administration. I think this, as most political tricks he tries to get away with these days will be ignored as the usual empty rhetoric.
September 2nd, 2007 at 12:51 pmAVGVSTVS
Obviously you have never read your Bible or spoken to a Muslim about just where the nation of Islam comes from.
The Jewish god and the Islamic god are one in the same, with the nation of Islam being descended from Ishmael – Abraham’s son by Hagar.
As a bit of trivia, Ishmael is the laziest character in the Bible, his mother had to carry him across the desert – and by my reckoning Ishmael was about sixteen at the time.
September 2nd, 2007 at 3:59 pmLife in Bushworld.
After families are kicked out into the street, Bush will still be riding his bike on his “ranch”.
September 2nd, 2007 at 4:10 pmComment by Bruce Gorton
mr. p has proven to be nothing but ignorant with a capital I.
September 2nd, 2007 at 5:41 pmBush won’t bail own any of the misery that his wallstreeters have layed upon us all. Their strategy is to bilk the little guy out of their bated trap of no intrest for ….. ever? Mr bush’s fed officer ( Bernakee ?) will lay down the interest rate to rekindle the fire. They are not satified with so little of your cash.
September 2nd, 2007 at 6:29 pmhere is an idea, go out, get a second job, lose the 5$ StarbuckS coffee, shop for clothes at the Goodwill, get your free movies, music, books at the library, cancel the cable and cell phone and live like i did for 5 yrs while I paid off my house. I paid off a 90k mortgage in 4.25 yrs grossing 40-50 k per yr. If I can do anyone can.
September 2nd, 2007 at 7:36 pmThe Non Americans
By David Glenn Cox
The non Americans are with us, it is we who are not with them. They walk our streets and live in our communities but travel different paths and live a thousand miles away. We don’t know them and don’t want to know them for they are not the Americans like we are. Just being born here might make you a citizen but it doesn’t make you a full participatory American, they live invisible right before our eyes
There was a time not too long ago when America led the world in manufactured goods, steel, automobiles, furniture and electronics. The system built itself and the wealth of the middle class drove the system on allowing the best and the brightest to rise to college while allowing the rest to at least an opportunity for a decent lifestyle.
There has always been a percentage of non Americans, pushed out unwanted derided, hated because of the color of their skin or the god they worshipped. To them the American dream was a cruel illusion but I’m speaking now of the new non Americans to which the American dream isn’t an illusion at all but a myth. They watch television and see wealth portrayed but it’s like watching Neil Armstrong
step off the lunar module, it has no relationship to their lives.
What is real to them is poverty what is illusionary is the chance to escape. To build a future on a minimum wage income but the shame is not theirs, the shame is ours. The shame of paying less than subsistence wages, literally slave wages with boisterous talk of a free society. Is it any wonder they form gangs to salvage some vestige of dignity from a society that believes their labor is unworthy of anything but a starvation wage. Iron bars do not a prison make and chains need not be made of steel.
During the Truman administration Truman advocated raising the minimum wage by 40%. During the three years of the Kennedy administration the minimum wage rose by 25% A new car averaged $2000 or 1600 hours at minimum wage today a new car averages $20,000 or 3479 hours working at minimum wage. But we claim no one really works for the minimum wage but the minimum wage is the floor it is the bottom and when you have no decent floor you have no decent bottom.
There was a time when railroads meant prosperity in America they symbolized power and growth but this too like a living wage is no more. You see I live on the fringe of non America I once watched the railcars carrying new cars from the cities two automobile factories. They are both shuttered and vacant now and the railroad hauls away only empty boxcars and hauls in the containers from the great ships importing poverty and exporting our wealth. Make no mistake and remember always the next one you see that when it returns home it carries away a part of your children’s future inside it’s belly.
This is not to say some don’t succeed and prosper but we are talking about non Americans here not those born with every advantage. How well the prosperous do is no indication of how well a society is doing. Hurricane Katrina was an excellent metaphor for as the storm drew closer the wealthy and prosperous just drove away
leaving the non Americans to sink or swim. How many in big SUV’s that held six or seven drove away with one or two passengers without a thought or concern for their fellow man.
But everyday is Hurricane Katrina somewhere in America, with upwards of two million homes expected to go into foreclosures the residents wait on the roof tops with their help signs but our Christian President makes it clear we don’t help those who have made bad decisions. They have over reached they have tried to climb the glass mountain and now it’s begun to rain and the President says sink or swim. After all he’s the American President and they are after all non Americans.
But the storm is growing in intensity, new car sales are falling the savings rate is non existent as home prices collapse. The academics and economists spin and weave like undertakers in Louisiana trying to bury the bodies of the truth. But the delta soil is saturated by the storm and the bodies keep popping back up. This is the perfect storm and the ranks of non Americans are swelling. But we are leaderless, the Americans have a President but we non Americans are alone trying to shield ourselves and hold back the winds of destitution on our own.
But some profit from the system even if it’s in the death of the system it’s self. The undertakers and casket makers profit from the dead and dying as do the worms. The systems working just fine don’t change a thing. But the waters are rising and even some at the top are beginning to question whether the levees will hold. I have no grand academic laurels or educational sheep skin but then again I don’t need one. Because I live in non America where we see with our eyes and feel with our hearts. My neighbor moved here two years ago for a job as an aircraft mechanic now he’s swimming on with his family on his back chasing a job in Denver.
My neighbor with his Masters Degree in aircraft design working at Home Depot designing patios tells me more about the economy than CNBC or the President. After all who listens to the President? Not the non Americans.
On my daily jog through the neighborhood I see the numbers of foreclosed homes rise their once green lawns turned to weeds their paint fading like the dreams their structures once held. And I ask myself, where have my fellow non Americans gone too? Where are they now? What will they eat tonight?
But these are the questions that only non Americans ask themselves. The media confines its self to; will the subprime mortgage crisis affect investments? What are the best stocks to buy? Will the fed move to lower interest rates? Maybe to Americans these are important questions but to non Americans were it not so pathetic it would be funny. The stewards on the Titanic worried whether the champagne is cold enough in first class while the seawater pours in upon the third class and pretending it won’t affect them.
Our major cities appear as economic class war zones outside of the gleaming glass towers that rise to the sky proclaiming their exclusivity. Very sexy and attractive much more so than the factories that once made things and employed people. But they are still out there off the beaten path like dinosaur bones, relics of a by gone age of productivity. Their silent size stands testimate to their former glory and power, their fading signs, employee’s only and no vendors at this gate remind us that indeed at one time it was so. Not just the talk of the obsolete or the downsized or of the non American.
But it is only natural for those forced to live in the wreckage of the storm to live our lives wet to the bone to become resentful of the dry. Because those who are dry think they are dry because of some ingrained superiority not because they just aren’t wet yet. That because they are dry is proof enough that the system is strong and superior. Excuse us if we laugh because we non Americans have paid our tuition to the college of the kicked and know that if you don’t fall you will be pushed eventually. Besides we don’t have much else to laugh about.
How is it that we can be such a stupid society? The Germans fell for a demigod once who promised them pie in the sky but Americans fall for it every seventy years like Haley’s comet. That capitalism without control is no different than an alligator pond with the chicken house on the Island in the middle. That the measure of society is the health of the bottom not of the top and that it is all interconnected and indivisible.
The numbers of non Americans grow by the hour wise beyond their years of the holes and the larceny of the system. They carry with their pain the truth that it is not they who are the non Americans and soon very soon it will be a majority opinion. For the levees will never hold without a strong foundation at the bottom and even a fool knows that the strength of the mightiest oak is in its roots not in it’s closest leaves to the sun
September 4th, 2007 at 2:43 pm