From Bad to Worse
Aug 06, 2010
Anyone who knows me or reads this blog knows I’m not a fan of President Obama. Never have been. But his latest stunt has me more pissed than ever before.
Since WWII, home ownership percentages for average Americans have grown steadily, largely as a result of support from Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. These government-sponsored enterprises (GSE’s) provide security and guarantees for mortgage lenders, which gives more people access to loans for homes. As the entire U.S. mortgage market imploded over recent years, Freddie and Fannie went down along with everyone else.
I don’t know when people are going to wake up and realize that government should be run like a business. We need less government, not more. Despite the fact that President Obama had little to no business experience when he took office in 2008, he promised to run a more transparent administration. What he’s done since taking office couldn’t be further from that promise. In recent months, Obama has appointed more than two dozen “czars” to various posts in his administration. Why is that a big deal? Because it means these individuals didn’t have to go through the rigorous Senate confirmation process they should have. He snuck them in under the radar. Think that’s bad? There are now rumors circulating that the Obama administration is going to order Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to forgive a portion of the mortgage debt owed by Americans who are underwater on their homes. Want to hear the crazier part? Obama may be able to push this through without oversight by hiding behind a crisis waiver passed during the Bush administration! Transparent, my ass!!
So what are we really talking about here? If this rumor becomes reality, we’re talking about forgiving debt to the tune of $800 billion! You might be thinking this doesn’t sound like a bad thing if you’re one of the 15 million homeowners in the U.S. who would be affected. But don’t kid yourself: any debt you’re forgiven would be considered taxable income! And where does this plan to write off billions of dollars in equity leave the millions of American homeowners who didn’t overspend and over borrow? What about all the taxpayers, their children and their grandchildren who will be saddled with the additional debt for decades to come? What about them?? And unlike loans to auto manufacturers, or even bank bailouts, this money wouldn’t even be repaid.
America was founded on the principles of hard work, self-reliance and personal responsibility. This country was built by men and women that believed they could create their own fortune with their own two hands. They didn’t expect the government to pay for their irresponsibility. We’ve all been raised to believe that this is the only country in the world where we can actually expect our hard work to pay off. It’s the American dream, and it used to be a reality. I know from personal experience because I’m a living, breathing example of it. I worked my ass off to get to where I am today. But now, thanks to all of Obama’s bailouts and write-offs, hard working men and women across the country just like myself are actually being penalized. This administration is sending America a new message. And it’s not one I want my children or my children’s children to learn.
If President Obama were running a company, he would have been fired a long time ago. Because he’s the president, we have a different word for it. When are the American people going to come to their senses? President Obama and his administration are a joke. I say it’s time to start impeachment proceedings. It’s already gone from bad to worse. What are we waiting for??
LINKS:
Reuters – An August Surprise from Obama?
Reinstate Glass-Steagall -PERIOD.
Bravo JZ!!
Keep beating the drum. We need as many people as possible to wake up before it’s too late and we are dangerously late right now! We have to vote out as many of these bums as possible starting this November..
I agree wholeheartedly – buying votes, pure and simple.
Enjoy the “Summer of Recovery”. You’re right, the whole administration is a joke.
JZ did you know the big Financial regulation bill doesn’t even mention Freddie or Fannie? They were a large part of the Mortgage bubble along with the FED who was given so much power in the new financial Regulation Bill the FED will be the most powerful corporation in this country ….corporation since they are no more Federal then FedEx. This jackass OBAMA is going to ruin this country if he is not stopped. The congress and Senate need to be taken back in the next 2 elections if we have any hope for a capitalistic future in the USA.
I want to impeach the President, the Vice President, the Speaker of the House, the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Christorpher Dodd and Congressman Barney Frank and remove every czar. That should cover the main culprits.
Jordan – very well said!
Jordan, I and most people I know agree wholeheartedly with your feelings about Obama Your prestige and respected position in the business world would make you and excellent candidate to initiate an IMPEACH OBAMA MOVEMENT. You would be surprised how everyone would jump on the bandwagon. I personally can not believe what I read daily in many of the online and print publications. This is a crisis and most politicians are afraid to start this movement but a strong person with a good following could make a major dent the complacency of the public. There may be a place for a person like you in the future of this country. Give it a shot
Well, considering what Mr. Obama inherited from an 8-year Republican administration mismanagement of the U.S. Financial system, its not surprising that some of his solutions are ruffling the feathers of some of the upper 2% of the richest Americans, as that group would have the MOST to lose, financially speaking, after collecting enormous gains
(under a Republican admin for 8 years )
C’mon Jordan, be real…the only reason you’d fire Obama is to get your cushy tax breaks back…but only after a Republican replacement takes over…. };-)~
I would love to see the same attitude applied to the bankers and brokers who helped get everyone into the state so they could make millions off the loans both before and after they failed. Maybe we should be attacking them for their crimes of greed as long as we are looking for all the parities guilty for the mess we are in. Surely we don’t really think it is the doing of one man. Nothing wrong with a lynch mob mentality, but be sure to go after the real criminals. Heck maybe everyone should just give their houses back to the banks and let them take the debt out of their multi billion dollar bonus programs.
Not everyone caught up in this web overspent or over borrowed. Where does the responsibility of the loan officers and banks work it’s way in to the discussion?
What about the actions of the brokers, bankers, and secret investors who created and sold the loans to people in the first place? They plotted and made millions on both sides. First from the loans and then from their failure. Many I imagine then scooped up the foreclosed homes at below market prices to fatten their wallets even more.
Why not send the lynch mob after them? Or better yet take the money from the billions of dollars in bonus’ the bankers and brokers received for the glory of their actions. Maybe we don’t want to blame the people responsible for deregulating and then using the system to line their pockets but it makes more sense than attacking one man who took office after the crisis was created.
Steve:
If you really think the only reason Jordan wants to fire Obama is so he can get his “cushy tax breaks back,” you don’t know much about him. Jordan is very generous with his money. I happen to know that he’s heavily involved with many charitable organizations in South Florida (just check out his blog post from earlier this week about Take Stock in Children). Come on man, give him a little credit…
Agreed 100%. It is completely against evolution to be giving away handouts to failures and people who screw themselves over. If someone makes the decision to take out a loan and they are unable to pay it back they should be ready to face the concequences, and stop dragging down the rest of americans who work hard every day for freedom and liberty.
This seems like a bunch of crap. You really need to check your details because most of this is incorrect. Any I am not crazy about Obama either but lets face it Bush and Cheney broke the law a whole lot more. I just think you need to get your facts straight.
Matt:
Why would you even make this comment unless you’re an Obama fan? You say my blog sounds like a bunch of crap – you’re obviously the one that hasn’t done his homework here. My facts are straight – you can reference the Reuters article I list at the end of the entry for just one of my sources.
Sounds like you’re probably one of the people out there supporting Obama as he tries to turn this into a socialist country. Our country wasn’t built on that – quite the opposite. Our country was built on people working hard to support themselves. You’re probably a freeloader that refuses to do anything to better himself and relies instead on Obama and his out of control policies for a handout.
Be careful when you challenge a man’s integrity. I would never speak without proper sources, or without double-checking those sources.
Well said and agreed. Self-reliance and hard work is key here. I can tolerate a varying degree of personality types, attributes etc but FREELOADING and LAZINESS, really eat my stomach lining. Where has the american work ethic gone?