Well, there's a suprise. Another government program that not only didn't work, but wasted money. I'm not just blaming democrats, I'm blaming Republicans too, since they are basically the same.

Go Ron Paul.

How about the humanity of selectively supporting Middle Eastern uprisings and flouting the necessary approval of Congress? Or how about the bailing of out failed corporations and yet leaving the middle class to die homeless and without jobs? Or how about pushing the nation to the brink of bankruptcy and threatening the financial stability of the entire world by threatening the value of the US dollar?

Yeah, I'll vote for Ron Paul, thank you very much. Obama is no better than GWB. In fact, he's GWB on steroids.

They're all terrible. Sadly, Neocons and Obots like bicfj are all too happy to heap all of the responsibility onto the ideology opposite theirs so they never have to admit to being too stupid to see their own party is just as terrible.

Some say that the poor deserve to be poor.

Or, you could just get smart and VOTE.

Somehow Obama and the Democrats were able to spend at record levels, adding more six=figure federal government jobs in his first 2 years, as they controlled both houses and the Presidency. The only power the minority had was to slow down, not stop, this juggernaut.

So sorry bic, but the Republicans have nothing to do with this mess anymore, as they were sidelined, shut out of meetings and votes, and told by our disgusting President to "sit in the back" - his words.

Certainly both parties are responsible for getting us into this mess, but the promises made by democrats and Obama have been empty, wrong, or have failed. By any measure, he and they need to be fired as their job performance has been a complete failure.
"

Hey bicfj, way to dodge every point I made. You keep supporting Obama there, champ!

Sorry homeowners but according to the government you're less important than welfare check collectors, illegals, and Libyans.

Good thing those vermin whove been living in tax payer funded public housing units for decades don't have to worry about silly things like foreclosure. I hear they have a lot of fun spending their "food stamp" debit cards in Vegas and on cruise ships too.

@PaulF:

Do you recall when Bush faced the post-tech boom recession in his first years in office? How exactly did he pull us out: did he follow the traditional model of spending and stimulus to help circulate more money into the economy, or did he cut federal spending, shutdown government programs like Medicare, and privatize social assistance? Might you recall Vice President Cheney's statement about budget deficits in times of recession?

See, I'm curious as to your recollection of recent history because I am very interested to hear what you feel President Obama should've done differently than what most every economist and past presidential administration would advocate in these situations. You present yourself as uniquely informed on macroeconomics, so please dazzle us with your acumen.

Wow, my grandmother would get so mad when people would complain about little things like not getting a big house or loosing a job or what not. She lived through the turn of the century, WW1, the great flu pandemic that killed members of most families in her town, struggled against famine and faced (albeit super sized by propaganda to the eyes of the young) nation destroying foreign empires and wars that measured casualties in the multimillions.

All this whining about poor vs rich envy and the plans of control freaks who want to micromanage their magical versions of human psychology and economics need to be seen for what it is. Socialist propaganda and catering to entitlement mentalities that will in themselves ensure the erosion of America as a great nation.

Real Americans could care less how well others are doing, and will adopt a rugged individualism attitude of innovation and savvy.

America was never about fair, it was about equal treatment under the constitution. The rest of this legislating of moral and economic justice is just wanna be social engineers implementing their vision of utopia.

The housing mess needs to work itself out according to free market dynamics. I'm tired of my tax dollars being squandered on idiotic programs like trying to keep unemployed people out of foreclosure.

The statistics on loan modifications are pathetic -- most people who get a modification eventually default anyway. The so-called "assistance" just prolongs the inevitable. If you can't pay, you need to move. It's sad and it's brutal, but sometimes the truth is like that.

All government 'programs' were a lot of bull from the begininning; all programs are voluntary pertaining to banks working with anyone, they STILL MAKE MORE by foreclosing and writing off losses in the neighborhood of 50% of what they WOULD HAVE GOTTEN if they worked with homeowners (thanks, Clowngress) and STILL TRY TO BLAME subprimes, ARM'S, etc... when the reality is that it's much bigger and much more apprapo to point to the afore mentioned as well as the fact that MIDDLE CLASS AMERICANS' JOBS HAVE BEEN SOLD OVERSEAS, TO 3RD WORLD WAGES, BY BOTH PARTIES THAT HAVE BEEN IN CLOWNGRESS.

I can pay my mortgage, have been in foreclosure for close to 3 years because my bank, backed by tax dollar bailed Freddie has REFUSED to do anything with me, starting when I was temporarily unemployed. They'll be LUCKY to get HALF of what they could've worked with me on, but thanks to our sold out representatives that LEGISLATE TOWARDS CORPORATE interests, they'll MAKE OUT by doing such.

Jobs overseas, all that I've mentioned above, underemployment rampant, golden parachutes and whatnot for those THAT HAVE FAILED, ..... it's really like a nightmare story of a varied version of 'Soylent Green' but as it turns out...

It's reality. The ones getting assistance are upside down, 2nd mortgages and such; somehow, the loophole lawyerism hasn't been able to permeate that, so those that ABUSED?....... THEY'RE being worked with.

Until you've lived it, don't pretend to know the reality of it all; no insults intended, but that's the strict definition of ignorance. None are being stupid, but aren't educated or understanding of the facts.

NOTHING TO DO WITH UMEMPLOYED PEOPLE. Nothing. Banks, corporo government and government backed media want all to believe so, but it sure as hell doesn't make it so, no matter HOW BADLY they want to skew and divert attention from facts.

Screw up, make mistakes, and find your scapegoat; with enough money, you can be COMPLETELY wrong and STILL come out ahead.

Those in the know, KNOW.

Non Participation "GREED"
Prevented many of the Modifications from occurring!!!
I heard numerous owners of mortgage companies and banks say before the modification began that they would only make it look like they are helping but won't modify hardly any loans.
This along with many other sabotages of the Obama administration's policies by the Republicans can be blamed for the potential double dip.
If the Republicans can keep the unemployment figures high then they can potentially take the White House.

I hoped that Bush would stay for 8 years so that you people can see that a person does not have to be BROWN SKINNED to rob you!!!

But, m,any of you just don't get it!!!!
So I say allow for the Republicans to win so that those who are on the ban wagon but not in the main cart can suffer like they are destined to.

In other words the Republican Ban Wagoners and other Poor Republicans who are middle class or poor can see how your party really works.
Don't be upset when they take you and your childrens' children for everything!!!

So give tax breaks to all of the corporations and let the middle class & poor Republicans foot the bill.

PS - Just about everyone knows tricks of the trade for corporate tax breaks and if they don't I'll be sure to continue to inform them. It's the information age their are no secrets!!!!

It will become history like bankruptcies!!!!

Sanescience; 'real Americans could care less about how others are doing'.

How patriotic to not recognize the difference between corporotism and capitalism, socialism vs. just legislation.

Wanting to have America come first and foremost and NOT being sold out to international 3rd world wage banking interests and gambling via GLB, NAFTA, CAFTA, the Fed Reserve and the like is NOT socialistic.

Those that can afford; interesting.

How many COULD afford before Middle Class America was sold out by Our Supposed Representatives over the past 30 plus years...... by both 'parties', the should be extinct Donkephant?

Welcome to Obama's America, A Change We Can Step In...

This country needs a third party solution

Obama better not play towards the Republicans like he did when it came to corporate tax breaks.

They said that if they get their tax breaks that they will hire.
Well the Tea Party is here and the Republican majority as well and apparently that was a LIE like everything else that comes out of their mouth.

It's sort of like the Republicans and Democrats play good cop, bad cop with us.
The Republicans will take an extreme and harsh stance while the Democrats will act as if they have to give in a little.
When it is all said and done both parties get what they want and regular Americans get the Doo Doo End of the stick.

People when we get tired the best way to revolt is like how they did back in the day when they stopped paying their taxes to a government that they no longer wanted ruling them.
But, we have a good reason which is our government has stopped representing the people and started representing INDUSTRY!!!

It's almost time for a separation from it's citizens because like in marriage those in Government are cheating.
We citizens should not stay in an unhealthy relationship any longer because this government is cracked up like Clarence Thomas!!!
I heard even he is accepting money and is for sale!!!

Come on, a supreme court justice? What kind of BS are you F-r's allowing to go on in wonderland????

Everyone is afraid to do the right thing in government!!!
Including Democrats "FAKE ASSES"!!!!

It's almost funny if not so serious; the number of right vs. left, Dem vs. Repub, purportedly conservative vs. purportedly liberal, whom's looking out for the Average Joe...

When for DECADES now jobs have been sold overseas, treasnous 'free trade' agreements legislated, corporate interests coming first, NO representative worth less than a million dollars or more elected to BE representative of those who AREN'T....

Personally? I continue to see jobs offshored, not coming back, no legislation towards such, high unemployment, people talking about tax breaks but NOT talking about tax breaks with caveats that WILL bring jobs back for Real American Business, no talk of re-enacting Glass-Steagall, continued policies of giving and investing BILLIONS AND BILLIONS of dollars IN offshore interests.

Yeah, go ahead.... keep blaming one 'party' or the other. That's the plan afterall, isn't it?

Face it; the article SHOULD read: Jobless find little help on finding any worthwhile jobs. No job, no decent American paying job, no home, no way to live.

Jobless find NO help in getting jobs back, in having real jobs or hope of such.

Reality and truth can be a bytch.....

If you don't have a job, any foreclosure assistance program is a short-term band-aid. The focus needs to be on jobs, and leveling the playing field between us and our trading partners.

Please remember that outsourcing is not the only reason the number of jobs and wages have gone down. Technology has a lot to do with how businesses can use less people for longer hours.
Also keep in mind how the US economy did so well from 1947 to about 1977: The rich paid higher taxes than they do today, the government invested in public institutions and infraestructure, and it also made sure there was a minimum wage and social programs to help people in need or help them prepare for their retirement.
I think the Republicans and the Tea Party are making a huge mistake in forgetting all of this, misrepresenting the past, and then try to reinvent the wheel by turning things on their head and pretty much do the opposite of what the US did after WW2.
Americans need to do themselves a huge favor by going back to basics and elect politicians who're willing to do so and stop catering to the ruling class and Wall Street.
Otherwise, there'll be no end to the economic ills the US is suffering now.

Sucks that many of us are still going through tough times but the good news is we will all be dead eventually, and when that moment finally happens, just as the last little bit of fading electricity is passing within your synapses you should experience a powerful hallucination that is akin to an alternate reality where all your dreams will have come true. The best part is that you won't ever even know it happened, and time will be irrelevant. Don't believe me? Have someone put you in a choke hold till you pass out. You'll see what I mean.

There ya go! Finally someone has given you something to look forward to. You're welcome!

Oh yeah, just don't get shot in the head or something similar, because I'm pretty sure that ruins it.

Where was my Government Program in 1994.

Ya know what ??...This is what has always happened. Without going into all the details, In 1994, I got sick from lead poisoning at work. I went from making $1,200/week to $1,300/month on Workmens Comp....My illness kept me from returning to work for 10 months. I couldn't keep up with my Mortgage Payments and I did lose my home to foreclosure. And it didn't take long. I know people right now that haven't made a mortgage payment in 2 years and are still living in their homes by filing for all these programs to delay the inevitable.....but they don't mind because they are living "rent free" for years.

Sometimes life gives you lemons....I recovered physically and eventually economically as well.....because I decided to take the lemons and make lemonade....

What's next ??....a new Government Program that keeps the Repo Man from taking the Luxury car you couldn't afford but bought anyway.

Foreclosures have been around ever since the first home mortgage was written. It's part of the contract. Pay and you keep the house. Don't pay and we take the house back. The house IS the collateral for the loan....pretty simple folks.

I was surprised to read that most of the money allocated for helping unemployed people avoid forclosure has never been spent.

so,basically we borrowed a crap load of money from the chinese a couple years ago when this whole mess started and a lot of that money hasnt been spent. If the government wasn`t prepared to spend that money then they shouldn`t have borrowed it.The taxpayers have been paying interest on that money that has just been sitting somewhere doing nothing for years.

Anyone who is collecting an unemployment check should legally be allowed to postpone their mortgage payments.The banks won`t lose anything they will just have to wait a little longer to get their money.

Face it; the article SHOULD read: Jobless find little help on finding any worthwhile jobs. No job, no decent American paying job, no home, no way to live.

Jobless find NO help in getting jobs back, in having real jobs or hope of such.

Reality and truth can be a bytch.....

Man, you are SO right. This is not a foreclosure problem. This is an unemployment problem and foreclosures are simply one of many symptoms. How can you possibly keep people in their homes if they don't have a job? Why should the taxpayers pay the mortgages of people who aren't working? (who live in nicer houses than many of us, in many cases) It's clear that the business community views government as the stifler of jobs, and until government gets the #@!# out of the way, the private sector will continue to languish. Government is the problem, not the answer. The election of Obama showed that people are really hungry for change. However, it's becoming obvious that for all his smooth talk and rhetoric, his socialistic big-spending change is NOT what people had in mind. I hope and pray that from somewhere a candidate will emerge who will put America (not party) first, and focus on getting government out of the way and the private sector humming again. I am a conservative, and the thought of a "President Romney" is a disappointing thought to me. Certainly better philosophically than Obama, but still a long time entrenched politician who won't really change the status quo. What America needs is a leader who is NOT a politician.

Last evening I watched a report where CEOs voted California the worst state in the union to do business in. High taxes, lots of red tape, etc. Businesses are leaving in droves because it cost them 25% MORE to do business in California than elsewhere. It seems that the liberal answer to "fix" this problem is to simply mandate that all the other states raise their taxes to California's level, or get the NLRB to rule that companies can't leave their high-tax states (in the case of Boeing). The solution isn't to even the playing field by crippling everyone equally. The solution is to spur innovation and growth by setting the private sector free. Heck, if we had spent the 1.2 trillion dollars of the stimulus by giving everyone a year off from paying taxes, the economy would be in MUCH better shape than it is now... Think of all the TVs, appliances, cars, etc that would have been sold (and produced)....

NBForrest..(#1.23)..."Anyone who is collecting an unemployment check should legally be allowed to postpone their mortgage payments"

Should we include your electric, cable, cell phone, internet bills as well ??
How about the people who rent....should they be legally allowed to not pay their rent to the landlord when they are unemployed ??.....Let's just let everyone have to wait for their money.....And while you're at it, run up to BestBuy and pick up a big Flat Screen TV.....and tell them they have to wait till you're off unemployment for them to get their money....yeah, that's the ticket......

Most mortgages are 30 year mortgages the bank has to wait 30 years to get all of it`s money back anyway,so whats one more year? The bank will still get all it`s money back plus the interest it will just take an extra year.

Banks make money by lending money. The interest is their income. For most of the life of a mortgage the majority of the payment goes to the interest, with very little for years going to the principle. So, if a motgage payment is let's say $1,500 a month, $1,000 is interest. If a bank has oh let's say 10,000 mortgages of people on unemployment, that's $10,000,000 (10 MILLION) dollars a month less income. ....how many bank tellers jobs are you willing to throw under the bus, by not letting the banks foreclose and resell the properties for what they can get for them ????

How is the President supposed to force businesses to hire? I read this is an unemployment problem...agreed!, but how do you force a private enterprise to hire?

I'm tired of my tax dollars being squandered on idiotic programs like trying to keep unemployed people out of foreclosure.

Are you not tired of your tax dollars being spent to rebuild a country we blew apart? I am! Or to keep up wars that we have no business being in? I am. I'd much rather help the unemployed in the US before the rest of the world!

You don't force businesses to hire. That is the problem. We have a government that thinks they CAN force things to happen (like forcing Boeing to stay in Washington when they want to build a new plant in SC because costs are lower and labor regulations are more favorable). Why does Boeing want to go to SC? Because of less government and less government cost and regulations. Companies will hire when the government gets out of the way. Healthcare reform has been a HUGE job killer because it adds cost and red tape to employers.... When things are uncertain, businesses pull in their tents and hunker down. That is what is happening now. Get a republican house, senate, and white house and see what happens. Business will expand because they won't feel like the government is out to take everything they have. Right now we have a very punitive administration. If you succeed, we will punish you!

Welcome to the bottom, one and all.

These are the best words I have ever seen used to describe the Democratic party!

Virgil Starkwell This country needs a third party solution

No we just all need to fix the two parties we have. That means that the american people need to vote out any one regardless of their party that has been in office for a decade!! Invoke term limits at the poles and keep invoking it until they get the message.

During the Republican era under Bush bankruptcy laws changed. In spite of the fact that the leading cause of bankruptcy was a medical crisis or job loss the suggestion held that those who filed bankfuptcy were irresponsible people given to reckless spending.

Prior to the revision in Bankruptcy law a person would put up their unsecured assets to settle all unsecured debt. The home mortgage made the house a secured asset, thus unavailable for bankruptcy settlement. Odd to think the banking lobby backed this reform.

Does it occur to anyone that jobless people might be able to sell their homes if the bank lead charge toward subprime lending hadn't played such a pivotal role in the current financial disaster? Whatever made banks so confident that they couldn't lose money on ill considered loans?

Hope and Change, I do believe that is two words. Bob, I hope you change the way you count...

Bruce-308647

Get a republican house, senate, and white house and see what happens. Business will expand because they won't feel like the government is out to take everything they have. Right now we have a very punitive administration. If you succeed, we will punish you!

We HAD a Republican House, Senate & President, during W. I think, even the Supreme Court was mostly Conservative, but I may be off a bit. Where did that get us?

Ok, without the Iraq & Afghanistan thingy? How'd we do?

Short / selective memory, huh?

GO try living in another country winers.

Consider this non-political perspective.

How about giving all the help and money to people CURRENT on their mortgages instead of throwing it away on people who can't be saved? In other words, invest in winners, not losers (not being pejoritive, consider the comment in an investment perspective, not a reflection on the people). Dumping money into a lost cause serves no purpose other than raising our national debt. The winners can invest in other things to raise the overall standard of living in the country.

Additionally, lower prices allow more people into the housing market. Not every investment pays off; these people are better off as renters. If you wish to call me mean and cruel, call me realistic, too.

Raidaz2010

We HAD a Republican House, Senate & President, during W. I think, even the Supreme Court was mostly Conservative, but I may be off a bit. Where did that get us?

We were in a Recession when Bush took over, then shortly thereafter we got attacked. It didn't take 3 years to pull out of the recession did it. Nor was our Unemployment during these time ever at 9%. The 107th Congress was split, the 108th & 109th Congress were Republican, since then it has been Democrat controlled until this Congress. Most of his Presidency was not controlled by the Republicans.

EVERY President since LBJ, with the exception of Bush Sr. has inherited a recession. It's what they do with it and how fast they pull us out that counts. So far this President hasn't done a good job figuring out how to pull us out or leading his people and Congress to put us out. I don't totally blame him, I blame the advisors Obama has chosen and I blame the Congress the most who have just totally abused their possitions for the last decade or more. I don't care who the President is, its the Congress that creates most of the problems we face today.

It's obvious that mpst unemployed are not going to find jobs in the future. So they should have the good taste to just kill themselves and their worthless families so as not to inflict their disgusting lifestyle on the rest of us.

Sound like a plan?

I blame greedy Realtors and bankers, who only care about their bottom line. (Profit).

Believe me, when Realtor tells you "I have only your interest in mind." what they mean is "I can't hear you."

All Realtors and bankers are money hungry out for their own good and have no interest in the buyer or seller...

We had this problem a long time before we ever heard the name Obama.

Amazing on how our government continues to hand out billions of dollars to foreign countries and let their own people go and forced to struggle.

No more oversea jobs, all American jobs and companies must return back to America, No more money and aid to foreign countries, if they need money, it's a loan, it must be paid back with interest, and people that have retired and those on SS, VA and SSI benefits shouldn't be allowed to work and collect at the same time. Either you have permanently retired, or you continue to work. Free up the job markets for the young people that need work and jobs.

SS and VA benefits should be set at $1800 a mth for all, and SSI recipients should be set at $1350. All medical and dental is free.

Start taking care of of America and the American people.

No one in America should be going to bed hungry or cold during the winter time.

Vote for Me!

One thing to remember is fractional reserve banking; people talk of banks 'losing' money, when in reality, on a 100K home, they have at best an actual investment of 10K.

They make approx. 750K over the life of the avg. 30 yr. fixed loan. Thanks to GLB and the wrong deregulations banks are allowed to leverage on this, in many ways count it as real money.

Any economist worth their salt would have warned that by doing so, even a minor recessive moment would start an exponential downward spiral..... so, all involved knew well and good what the end result would be, and still took while the taking was good, screw America and Americans.... let them be damned.

The bailouts, the massive bonuses using bailout money, fractional reserve banking..... Americans aren't stupid. We're just helpless.......

One study shows as much as 80 percent of all mortgage paperwork does not meet legal standards. The first thing everyone needs to know is that they really do know how to write mortgage paperwork to meet legal standars and when the paperwork does not meet legal standards - that is the first sign of predatory lending.

Predatory lending is based on the assumption that selling to the first customer, sucking that customer dry for resources, foreclosing and then repeating the same process with customer 2, 3, 4, 5 etc... make more money that the traditional one sales per lifetime. I hear all of the excuses that the housing collapse was caused by unqualified buyers but the blatantly obvious fact was that no one was twisting the arms of predatory lenders to make those loans.

Was Obama to blame for the 2007 housing market collapse and 2008 economy collapse? NO! That's called brainless partisan Obama bashing. First and foremost, what we are calling a recession and housing bubble bursting is really one and the same thing, a Wall Street white collar crime wave. It was generally as big as the crime wave that started the Great Depression.

Republicans are to blame for deregulating Wall Street in 1999 by repealing the Glass-Steagall Act of 1933. All of those regulations that were put in place to prevent depressions and recessions were eliminated by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (three Republicans). That was a Republican controlled congress, and it was back in 2000 to pass the Modernization of Commodities and Futures Act. That was a set of huge loopholes for white collar criminals to exploit. It included the Enron Loophole that allowed the electricity market manipulation scandal to happen the got numerous Enron executives sentences to prison. Any random accident that the Republican Senate Banking Committee Chairman Phil Gramm was an ex Enron lobbyist?

Everyone needs to watch the new documentary movie "The Inside Job" about the 2008 recession. Then CNBC is still running "The House of Cards" and reruns of 60 minutes episodes devoted to exposing the white collar crimes.

Wall Street developed credit default swaps, which was GAMBLING on stocks. A similar tactic was used in 1907 to start a recession. The Commodities legislation was very specific that they were not to be regulated. Derivatives were allowed to be traded on unregulated stock exchanges in other countries. Derivatives fraud became a way for Wall Street giants to hide liabilities from shareholders and regulators. Bundles of loans were sold together, alleged with a full range of rating from AAA safest with the least return to BBB riskiest with high return. It sounds like a good concept but when investors studied what they had bought they found toxic loans with no way to redeem them. They discovered they had been $crewed by Wall Street - who owned the rating agencies that were lying their butts off.

Then Alan Greenspan at the Fed had an opportunity to intervene to prevent the housing bubble from collapsing but didn't citing "the market takes care of itself." He is a libertarian and that was one of their core economic concepts. He had the same opportunity to intervene to prevent the economy from collapsing but didn't. Alan has recent stated that he saw the new forms of speculation for what they were, white collar crimes, but expected corporations to stop as it was not in their long term best interests. He has admitted that it was a mistake not to intervene in hindsight.

Three words? Failed BUSH policy!

This problem has been snowballing since the beginning of the 8 years of BUSH tyranny. We really never recovered from the "DOT COM BUST" and we certainly can't be serious about unemployment unless we look at the REAL amount of people unemployed. Those so-called surveys that the US department of commerce does are total bull-crap.

The real numbers have been in double digits since around 2005.

What we are seeing in the real estate market, is a classic supply/demand cycle. Republican policy driving working class wages down, and not increasing minimum wage has actually caused those who are still working to be making 50% less than they were 10 years ago.

So if working class people have less than 50% of purchasing power, yet the price of real estate continued to inflate at 8 to 10% per year duing the same period, you are left with far fewer customers that can afford to own homes at these inflated prices.

The fix? Salaries either must go UP at least 50% or more OR...

The price of housing and everything must come DOWN to match the workers ability to pay.

My guess is the prices will continue to go down.

Reublican'ts in congress will contiue to drive the working wages down

Prices of homes and other goods will continue to go down.

Republican'ts will take away social security and medicare leaving entire classes of people homeless and destitute.

Prices of homes and other goods will go down even further, until the US real estate market mirrors the real estate horrors in Flint Michigan.

and the cycle will go on and on and on, until everything that we hold dearly has totally evaporated.... except for the most wealthy 2% of the population.

Ricky Casino wrote:

Three words? Failed BUSH policy!

Tony Ironworker would count that as two words, go figure. Then again he might say it's five.

People, you have got to be well-connected to get free money from the govt. And if you have to ask, you are not well-connected. Your role is to pay, and pay some more.

Find some way to keep going without regard to what the govt does. I know that can be difficult, but don't let Barney Fife^H^H^H^HFrank or Timothy Geithner or anyone else dictate how you run your life. You run it.

Survive!

There's still too much talk about taxes; these are symptoms and no cure whatsoever.

If I worked for a company, an American based corporation that hired and employed at least 75% of it's workforce right here in the US then as their employee, I'd benefit from them paying the least amount of tax humanly possible. So would consumers.

As it is, tax breaks have no boundaries, just as our Southern border. It's reversed, and big companies and corporations employ 75% or moreso OUTSIDE of American borders. Now, tax breaks become a HUGE concern only because they're benefitting by killing America's economy, KILLING the Middle Class and American jobs.

So, tax breaks are being enjoyed by being Anti-American, by international corporotism and NOT by raising America and Her Constituents to higher and higher levels.... NO America and Americans first and foremost.

I'd not feel extremist to say that's out and out treason. And, it's being committed year after year by our 'reps' in Clowngress. Both parties.

Smaller government, less government intervention, less dependency on government nannying is what our 'reps' fear most, because they become less important, and would have to really work and lose their precious perks and inside investor millions. They'd have to become American Representatives and not Career Polipuktions.

It's laws and regulations that need to be changed, not arguing over whether or not wealthy business owners should or shouldn't get tax breaks. Again, symptoms, symptoms, symptoms.....

but, no cure even being considered much less mentioned.

So, back to applying this to the housing crisis..........

Mike in delray I quote you;

Banks make money by lending money. The interest is their income. For most of the life of a mortgage the majority of the payment goes to the interest, with very little for years going to the principle. So, if a motgage payment is let's say $1,500 a month, $1,000 is interest. If a bank has oh let's say 10,000 mortgages of people on unemployment, that's $10,000,000 (10 MILLION) dollars a month less income. ....how many bank tellers jobs are you willing to throw under the bus, by not letting the banks foreclose and resell the properties for what they can get for them ????

Yup that is what is supposed to happen. But since we have lost the ability to seperate the commercial Banks from the Savings and Loans Banks it no longer works that way.

Savings and Loan Banks are doing exactly what got the country in this mess in the first place. They are buying risky credit backing derivatives to make their money. Our savings of which I still have some is being speculated on "BETTING" on intangible bonds which I defy you to fully identify or define.

I worked like most folks to have enough cash to save and put into the care of the bank, at 1% interest, while these people have squandered and bet on these derivitives.

It isn't the President, not the illegal aliens or immigrants or even the Reoublicans or Democrats, it is Banking executives who play with the cash entrusted to their care. I am a handicapped person who worked all of my working life to send my children to college, saved a few bucks, enough to pay off any mortgage I owe if I please. I paid all my bills and never collected any sort of welfare. But these bankers have made me very angry. The whole nest of these vipers should be cleaned out. Every single one of them and their families, then start again with them no longer in existence.

They are the worst of thieves and worse than murderers and terrorists, they smile at you shake your hand and are destroying our Country while doing it.

Really study up, research this, don't believe me, I don't want you to believe me I want you to go, and look for yourselves. Then do what needs to be done to rid the world of these vermin. I am willing to say that many of this worlds biggest problems will melt away if the world people remove their existence.

I am an old man, my time is past, and the youth of the world needs to take the reins of state and indeed the entire planet to clean this mess up.

Ricky Casino,

So where are you getting your unemployment information from? If what you are saying is correct, and the unemployment rates were higher in 2005 that what was reported, then they must be even higher than what is reported now, right?

Supply and Demand is the proper economic model for this country and should not be tampered with in an attempt to legislate morality or to punish someone because they are more successful than you are.

You seem to be fairly intelligent, so why do you think the Republicans are driving working class wages down? It would seem to me that if the entire population has more disposable income, then the rich Republican business people would sell more products and thereby make more money. Hiring and retaining quality employees is the goal of every successful business and if that is not done, the business will fail. It is incumbent on the employee to look out for him/herself and make themselves as successful and marketable as possible. If your employer is not treating you right, then you should go somewhere else or start your own business. Legal immigrants to this country do this all the time.

Also, minimum wage jobs are typically entry level jobs, which are typically filled by younger, less experienced people. An entry level job is a stepping stone and not a career. Now, granted the current economic situation has forced many experienced people to have to work in more entry level type positions, but those who are determined to succeed, don't stay in entry level jobs for very long. Their employers see the dedication and hard work and reward them with raises and promotions.

Any governmental attempt to control either wages or the price of goods has never been successful anywhere it has been attempted and will never be successful. This country became the most powerful and prosperous nation on earth because of the concept of supply and demand and what used to be the freedom to work as hard as one desired to in order to succeed to whatever level desired without the undue burdens imposed by the government.

Less Government + Less Taxes = More Prosperity + Freedom for all

Sully-1030693..(#1.49)....I do agree with you...My reply was about NBForrest's assertion that "Anyone who is collecting an unemployment check should legally be allowed to postpone their mortgage payments.The banks won`t -- "lose anything" -- they will just have to wait a little longer to get their money.

Under his plan the banks lose 10's of millions upon 10's of millions a month.

Like you, I came up in simpler times...I did my banking at the Portland National Bank in Portland, PA. A stand alone hometown bank....across the street from the Portland Diner and the Portland General Store. A real 1 traffic light town, 60 miles from NYC, on the Delaware River border with NJ.
Ella the Bank VP, would see me downtown and tell me I didn't have enough in my checking account to cover a check, not to worry, they paid it, but could I come in and put some money into my checking account.....
Eventually they got bought out.....and then I became just a number...

Yeah, I'm no fan of banks, but some folks think the banks should just eat it if they can't or don't want to make their mortgage payments.....

Eventually the poverty line will reach your income level and then they can say that you just deserve to be poor

For the most part the poor got there because the don't know how to handle money. I have been on the poverty line and lived much better then people above my income it is about money management.

The Obama administration, while not at all perfect, is the primary source of help for people who need help.

Until then, benefits for citizens will be limited only to tax cuts for the wealthy and tax cuts for the corporations and banks. That's called CORPORATE SOCIALISM.

I just know that Obama has screwed me left, right, and twice on Sunday. You can't be honest, follow the law, and make any money in this country today. You have to hire illegal aliens, cheat on taxes, and then hire the best lawyer your ill gotten gain can buy. The only difference I see between the government and the mob is the government has nukes. They're both full of criminals.

You guys forgot to mention that he lied to the American people he did not end the wars, renewed the patriot act giving them the right to spy on it;s citizens, loaded the white house with bankers, gave more power to the federal reserve the root of all the problems, started more wars and ran up the dept. you guys are in lala land if you think he is doing good he is working hard but not for the people!!!!!!!!

The real reason why this country seems to stink so much these days is the number of its citizens talking out of their azzes.

In 3 years Obama hasn't changed his agenda (oh sure, he did become a centrist just prior to the 2010 elections, then went left again after those disastrous results for the democrats) and none of his efforts have succeeded! It is just not possible to pull an economy out of the toilet with a liberal strategy:

Raise taxes on small business owners, high-income earners, and jobcreators. Put the entire burden on only the top 20 percent of taxpayers, redistribute the income, punish success, and reward those who did nothing to deserve it (except vote for Obama).

Reagan wanted to dramatically cut taxes in order to starve the government. Barack Obama wants to dramatically raise taxes to starve his political opposition..

Obama and his tax cheating advisors have created a vast and rapidly expanding constituency of voters dependent on big government; a vast privileged class of public employees who work for big government; and a government dedicated to destroying capitalism and installing themselves as socialist rulers by overwhelming the system! Unimployment is rising again and more American's than ever before are on welfare and getting food stamps... more dependency on government.... "let someone else pay my way"!

I don't see how we can go thru another term with the mind set this administration has! When 2012 rolls around we need to vote for real change we can't afford the alternative!

Reagan cut the taxes we think of when April 15th arrives. He raised the taxes for Social Security and Medicare. If you worked for income Regan did you little good, if you lived on a trust fund or investment income you prospered.

Since the federal budget treats excess Social Security receipts as a loan to offset other taxes, Reagan simply increased tax on wage earners and cut tax on those wealthy enough to live on their investments.

Capitalism for the poor, Socialism for the rich. - The Republican Mantra.

George, Obama stated the scheduled draw down in Afghanistan would start in July. I think you turned too many calender pages last month. As for Iraq, he stuck to the Bush administration time line and parameters and withdrew all but training troops.

Started more wars? That implies he has declared war on multiple nations. Please list them. Libya was a NATO initiated action and we were asked to help.

Overall, your post is just a string of lies.

BIC: "The Obama administration, while not at all perfect, is the primary source of help for people who need help."

With whose money? Probably not yours, but certainly mine, and it is unreasonable to waste it on people and investments that will never recover to buy votes. Let 'em go. Others will buy the homes that can afford them; the old owners can rent at more affordable prices. Problem solved.

Oh, Moakler, it's a gang bang that started with Bush - no pun intended.

Gorge: You guys forgot to mention that he lied to the American people he did not end the wars, renewed the patriot act giving them the right to spy on it;s citizens, loaded the white house with bankers, gave more power to the federal reserve the root of all the problems, started more wars and ran up the dept. you guys are in lala land if you think he is doing good he is working hard but not for the people!!!!!!!!

No! Wait! I believe you are thinking about King George II. Isn't he the one who declared "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq back in 2004? And didn't his court jester stack the deck for his own private sector cronies?

Come on, people! When are you going to realize this is not a Democrat or Republican problem? This is an American problem. It's been going on for longer than most of us have been alive. It's the stuff they didn't try to teach you while you were goofing off in grade school. The last time we didn't have issues like this was before Lincoln was in the White House!

Republicans and Democrats have been arguing about policy since the Republicans maintained current Democratic sensibilities and the Whigs were a dominant politcal party. They all agree on what needs to be done, they just can't agree on how to accomplish it. BUT ... and this is a big caveat ... at least they manage to be civil to one another. Think maybe you folks could try that? It's easy. Just acknowledge that the other guy may have a valid argument and not insult everyone who doesn't agree with you.

Just try beginning your post with something like, "The way I see it ..." and then delineate your view without casting aspersions on the guy with whom you have some disagreement. Or maybe, "I understand what you are trying to say but ..." Or even, "Okay. I can see your perspective but what about ...?" It's not necessary to insult others to get your point across. That is usually a ploy of those who are insecure about something in their own being.

In other words, disagree, but be polite about it. It's called being civil.

See my post 1.47; again, arguing sides of the aisle when NEITHER has done anything about what I've mentioned there.

My challenge would then be; even those that are left vs. right, drop it temporarily at least, permanently at best, and debate WHY nothing has been done. In DECADES, I might add.

Jefferson,

Part of my career I spent working in statistical analysis. I have studied collegiate level prob and stats as well. What I can tell you is:

I have never seen such jerry-rigged numbers than the so called "unemployment" figures they try to ease up our backside with a little sunshine!

I see the heartache every day. I am very well educated person, and I can tell you that education is not the total fix to this problem. Tens of millions of Americans are sitting idle. They have simply given up. They want a job, however they are at a loss why they can't find anything that meshes with their skills.

Our government dept of commerce is in on the fix. They know those number are bogus. Look at the way that they actually do the surveys. They are mailed out to business owners, who fill them out on their own, and mail them back.

Then they make random phone calls. How do people use telephone systems today? Most have cell phone. NOT listed in any phone book. Listed numbers are mostly businesses, and typically people who are either retired, or have enough money to pay their phone bill. Would you tell a total stranger what your employment status was over a telephone?

What happens when they can't pay their phone bill. OH! they are NO LONGER counted in the survey! They are invisible! They still need a job, soon!

So when I hear that "smaller goverment" crapola start to play, it is everything I can do to keep from throwing up! If you have a job - then your life is great, and in your world you think... Hmmm hey there are plenty of jobs out there.

Jefferson, I can tell you that is the furthest thing from the truth. The only way you will find out how rough it is, is when someone tells you that your job is ending on a Friday afternoon, just as you are leaving work for the weekend. And then you start out with the beginning of the next week looking for a job.

and the next week, and the next week, and the next week.... You get the idea.

And the phone is still not ringing.... and there are no requests for interviews.

And there you will sit with a world beater of a stupid look on your face thinking how could I have been such a fool to belive that this couldn't happen to me.

IT can!

If Ron Paul would make it through the Republican primaries, I would seriously think about voting for him, BUT I am afraid he is not going to be their candidate for president in 2012, unless he runs as an independent which might be his best option.

If the GOP is foolish enough to nominate anyone else, they will hand the election to Obama again. If you want to help get him nominated, register as a Republican and vote for him in the primary.

I dunno. Herman Caine looks pretty good. And the governor of Texas has said he's thinking about it.....and he balanced the state's budget this year, which would be a huge talking point for him. But yes, I would prefer Ron Paul.

Cain was on the Federal Reserve board. He is part of the problem Jefferson talked about, not the solution. Rick Perry is a global-statist. He forced vaccines on young girls through executive order, violating not only their rights, but also the legislative process. He supports the TTC (NAFTA superhighway). Cain and Perry belong with Romney, Santorum, Palin, Gingrich, and the rest of the clowns who falsely put an R next to their name.

Eh, I don't know. I think he has more information about how to run a country then Obama does. He has the inside track on the Fed, he's taken two businesses from bankruptcy to booming. Just dismissing him because he was part of the Federal Reserve at one point would be like dismissing Obama because he once worked for the most corrupt government in the United States in Chicago.

If Cain was honest and used his knowledge of the Fed for the good of the People, he would not be blaming "speckuhlaters" for oil prices. He would instead be rightly blaming the inflationary monetary policy of the Fed. He's not doing that. I'm glad he can count on his fingers, but that doesn't provide the necessary reforms this country needs. Also, I couldn't possibly care less about his business success. He is running for the President of the United States, the government of which is not a business nor should it be treated like one. All the "services" it provides can be found working much better in the private sector and it should abandon all attempts at functioning like a business and instead foster a healthy business environment. It can start by providing honest money!

Actually, it has been shown that the price of a barrel of oil has very little to do with the Fed, and mostly to do with the speculators playing with the numbers. You'll notice that the Middle East unrest as a whole has had very little to do with the price of gas this time, but the speculators went ahead and speculated it higher anyways, even though only like 2 of the 6 countries in unrest have anything resembling significant oil reserves. I'm sure the Fed plays its part, but I somehow doubt they are more at fault then those whose job it is to set the price of barrels of crude.

If oil and gold are compared to each other, the price barely fluctuates. If oil and the USD are compared or gold and the USD, the price shows a huge spike. If you compare oil and gold to the Euro, you see a slightly smaller spike. Not only oil and gold, but silver, copper, grain, livestock... when compared to gold, their prices are relatively stable. When you measure these in USD, they have all skyrocketed in price. So, no, the facts actually prove the dollar is crashing because the Federal Reserve is continuing to create money and credit out of thin air. Rhetoric says it's all about speculation. On that, interesting name choice.

Nick, I was a registered Republican for 20 years but changed to an independent back in 2006 because of the direction of the party. Cannot go back until the party moves back to a more moderate position and stops the extremist positions. I like a lot of what Ron Paul says and he seems more moderate than the rest of the field but he won't pass the litmus tests being applied by the Republican party. I would also like to know some of his stances especially on Medicare before I would vote for him. I wish him luck though.

....the specculators set the prices of barrels of oil. Who SHOULD we blame for the high price? It's higher in other countries. In England, it's like 7 bucks a liter. These guys are playing the entire world with a stroke of a pen. You'll notice Obama isn't launching an investigation into the Fed (Which I TOATLLY agree has to go, and is unconstitutional), he's launching an investigation into the speculators.

I was a registered republican from 1978 to 2000, then I registered as an independent and I havent voted since. My right to vote and my vote are too precious to waste,give me someone worth voting for and then I`ll vote again.

Sounds like Jefferson was a bit of a Socialist. I wonder how Glen Beck would take that news?

Gas prices are different than oil prices. Gasoline is typically sold in the local unit of currency. Oil is globally traded on the USD. You cannot compare gas prices in the UK to global oil prices. And why isn't Obama investigating the Fed? Why should people know the truth about their money?

If people want to affect positive change this time around, you may have to register Republican to get the work done. I was ready to leave the party some years back until I heard Ron Paul. Now, I know that the GOP that I knew is making a resurgence and it's time to boot the neocons out!

MarcDLS, Jefferson was not a socialist. In fact, central banking is one of the planks in the Communist Manifesto and necessary in any socialist society whether fascist or communist. He believed establishing a central bank would be very dangerous to Liberty. Jefferson would be an Austrian economist (look it up, has nothing to do with Austria).

DacabeDuende: If Ron Paul would make it through the Republican primaries, I would seriously think about voting for him, BUT I am afraid he is not going to be their candidate for president in 2012, unless he runs as an independent which might be his best option.
#4.1 - Sun Jun 5, 2011 1:32 AM EDT

Mmm ... Not so much in my book. Couldn't vote for Ron Paul if he were the only candidate running. Don't care for his politics OR his personal entity. If Mitch Daniels had chosen to throw his hat in the ring, however, I would be first in line both to campaign for him and at the polls to vote for him. Unfortunately, like all men (and women) he's got a closet full of skeletons and is not willing to put himself under that much scrutiny and his family through that much stress.

Now, what was this lead article about? Oh, yeah! Not politics - unemployed people and foreclosure assistance. Anybody care to put this train back on the track?

wordsmith: I was replying to a comment by Nick, and I don't care what you think about who I will vote for in the next election. I have my own mind and don't need people like you telling me what to think.

Wordsmith: Dr. Paul doesn't have any skeletons. Seriously, he's honorable and principled. Been married the same woman for 50 years and never been unfaithful. Was a dad who raised his kids to believe the American way and refused to let them take government assistance when it came to education. He worked for everything he has. Look it up! People try to find dirt on him, but there is none and so they call him a nutjob who can't win.

"If you have ever been robbed by a black teen-aged male, you know how
unbelievably fleet-footed they can be." - Ron Paul, 1992

"Given the inefficiencies of what D.C. laughingly calls the `criminal justice
system,' I think we can safely assume that 95 percent of the black males in that
city are semi-criminal or entirely criminal." - Ron Paul, 1992

"We don't think a child of 13 should be held responsible as a man of 23.
That's true for most people, but black males age 13 who have been raised on the
streets and who have joined criminal gangs are as big, strong, tough, scary and
culpable as any adult and should be treated as such." - Ron Paul, 1992

"What else do we need to know about the political establishment than that it
refuses to discuss the crimes that terrify Americans on grounds that doing so is
racist? Why isn't that true of complex embezzling, which is 100 percent white
and Asian?" - Ron Paul, 1992

Yup....no skeletons at ALL. Damn you for saying that. I liked him until curiosity got the best of me and I looked him up.......

pete nailed it.

Pete is right to bring up many issues, but americans MUST also realize that there have been changes to industry needs. Americans of all ages should endeavour to obtain more education and to retool themselves. The work you had 10 years ago, if you are now unemployed - is probably NEVER coming back. There should also be a focus on local needs. What can you offer your neighbor, your community in the way of your talents and abilities? With the internet there is a lot of knowledge jobs - and the pay, if you are going to be competitive won't measure up to america's hay day - but there is work for skilled people at reasonably decent wages. The gravy train for jobless benefits for millions of people for years on end will come to an end.

There is still far too little pressure being put on lawmakers to circumvent the hemorrhaging of jobs. Too much conflict of interest there too.

I hear far too much talk about the responsibilities of a govt that is for the rich. Too little talk about the responsibilities of a nation that continues to send this type to washington.

We need change - we need more than this two party system. The only reason the press labels all the tea partiers as crazy is they have been the first competition to the status quo of power. We need concerned cititzens that impress decent people into office in the way George Washington was. Stop with the grandstanding greedy folk and send your trustworthy neighbor?

yep, and which political party practices 'penem et circenses' on a daily basis?

Mind you the term means, "the mere satisfaction of the immediate, shallow requirements of a populace"

FactsNotRhetoric....the specculators set the prices of barrels of oil. Who SHOULD we blame for the high price? It's higher in other countries. In England, it's like 7 bucks a liter.

You really cannot compare us to Europe unless you subtract their taxes that are paid at the pump. In theory, they pay the same (except for conversion rates) for a barrel of oil, but at the pump their prices include a 50% tax. Our prices are lower because we don't tax gas to death, or at least not yet.

peteMT American businesses ship manufacturing overseas and manage to get tax laws rewritten in their favor, as do the wealthy.

I will agree, manufacturing has been shipped overseas. Making products costs money. That’s why manufacturing is on the cost side of the balance sheet. Selling products makes money. But consumers in the US want low prices, something that cannot be achieved by manufacturing in the US. Other Countries are also suffering too, so producing products is not insulation against economic downturn. Manufacturing is not going to comeback to the US because the US Citizen is what dictates the price.

Middle class incomes are flat for 30 years while the costs of everything else rise dramatically.

Actually that isn't the case, not based on Census data going back to 1980. Going back to 1980, those individuals making below 75,000 have dropped, those making between 75,000- 99,999 have remained the same, those making above 100,000 have increased.

Millions more Consumers go on food stamps each year - currently 42 million.

As for food stamps, there is so much waste and fraud in this program it is unbelievable especially since they changed to giving them a debt card rather than physical paper money. They can take out cash at any machine, then take that cash and do what they want with them. The other day a woman that we know is on Welfare, bought $100 worth of lotto tickets. The man recently in the news who won the lotto but was still receiving food stamps. So really how many of those individuals on Food Stamps really need it. Our government has no way of knowing!!!

Bush era tax cuts for the wealthy are extended.

You better thank your lucky stars those tax cuts were extended. If you have children your deduction would have dropped from $1000 to 500. If you are married you would have gone back to the marriage penalty tax. EVERY income percentage, 10%, 15% etc would have gone up. Those retiring would be paying more takes on what they would be taking out of their 401k etc. In some ways I wished they wouldn't have extended it, only so those that keep screaming it was all for the rich would finally see how much it actually helped them.

Honestly, what did you expect would happen once the money was gone and transferred to the top?

What keeps you from coming up with an idea that makes money? I mean really...this is the only country in the world where you can come to with nothing, work hard and achieve wealth. But really it comes down to how much you are willing to sacrifice to achieve that goal.

clb - you're on to me!

Sometimes I wonder if I'm being too subtle.

Consumers lament that it isn't handed to them anymore.

I think a Nation wide Flat Tax for ALL Americans would be a step in the right direction...No matter if your rich or poor...
Time to cut out ALL the loopholes...

A capitalist fascist is an oxymoron and can't actually exist. You really are one or the other. Rand is great. Not sure which "monied folks" you're referring to, but Ron Paul has never stated he wants to bust the unions. Instead, he'd get rid of non-essential bureaucratic positions as the people left or retired. This would eventually dissolve public "service" unions as there would be no employees left to unionize, which is more than fine by me since I never voted to approve their union, but I have to pay for it. Also, as a free-market guy, he's all for letting private companies unionize if they so desire.

His own words on that matter of non-essential bureaucrats:

Only Congress can directly abolish government departments, but the president could use his managerial powers to shrink the federal bureaucracy by refusing to fill vacancies created by retirements or resignations. This would dramatically reduce the number of federal officials wasting our money and taking our liberties. One test to determine if a vacant job needs to be filled is the “essential employees test.” Whenever D.C. has a severe snowstorm, the federal government orders all “non-essential” federal personnel to stay home. If someone is classified as non-essential for snow-day purposes, the country can probably survive if that position is not filled when the jobholder quits or retires. A constitutionalist president should make every day in D.C. like a snow day!

The first thing Rand did was hire the head of the national right to work committee as his number two. If that isn't antiunion i don't know what is. As for being a capofacist what do you call a person that believes in oligarky?

Right to work does not equal anti-union. It means that I am a free and independent individual capable of negotiating my own terms of employment. More to the point, you said RON was a union buster, now backtrack and say it's Rand. Rand may be Ron's son and hold many of the same beliefs, but the two are not the same person.

C.Moaker....... cmon, Obama appointed about 36 Czars that are all anti-capitalist, pro-socialist.... and your only complaint of Rand Paul is he appointed one guy who happens to be a right to work guy? Get a grip, your arguments don't work!

Right to Work is anti-union. They can fire you the second they find someone who will do it for less. It becomes a competition to find out who will take the least. Minimum wage is merely a recommendation in many states...not a law. If we had decent Federal Laws protecting workers, no unions would be needed.

C. Moakler and Kay,

Right to work is anti-union. Unions are anti Right-to-Work. bla bla bla. BFD!

There are many laws protecting workers. What about some laws to protect the businesses and the taxpayers from the lazy, inefficient, incompetent workers that fill the union ranks?

There was a time when unions were needed because of many greedy owners/corporations, the unions forced improvements to the health and safety of the average American worker. But, at this stage of the game, too many unions are now focused on enriching the union leadership and the politicians who benefit from the voting power of the unions. It's all about power and control.

As a business owner, I need to treat my employees right and reasonably compensated, or I risk losing them to another company. I should also have the right to terminate employees who are not performing. Unfortunately, that is almost impossible with the unionized public sector and other unionized companies.

Do you really think they are doing the best they can? That's assinine. Have you ever taken the time to watch C-SPAN for the house or the senate? During so-called debates over legislation there are generally less than 10 representatives present in the chamber. Our representatives and senators should be required to be in the chamber when debates are happening instead of having a 'brief' sent to them by their staff. Then, they may actually know what's in a bill, or better yet, realize that the government is involved in too much bullshiznazz and seek to eliminate some of the crap.

The government can not "give" anything that it doesn't first take from someone else.

Defenietly Rich the fed was forced to realease documents that showed they printed 20 trillion dollers and sent it to banks all over the world more than the national dept threw back door deals, we just get stuck with the dept because that's their excuse to further inslave the American people.

What size tinfoil hat will you be needing flylowguy?

As much as I despise the tactics of corporations, they know that the public still needs cash. How else will they suck us dry!

So you don't think that the likes of Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, every medical insurance company (and so on) have any hand in this? Like maybe they just give all that money to politicians because they "like" them? And maybe the politicians gave them back 1000 times more because they 'respect' those corporations?

And you would like to portray me as paranoid? If I am it's with reason. And I missed the page with those fairy tales about money for the middle class where we all go together into some heavenly shopping center with solid and valuable greenbacks and high limit credit cards that don't need to be reoaid at 29% interest.

And finally, you really think the thieves will give us all some cash to continue gambling in their fixed machine casino? Uh huh. They already did that. We lost.

You are fooling yourself if you don't want to believe that the voters have been sold out.

"...started more wars..."

There you go again. Copy and paste this enough and people will believe you.

List all the wars Obama started since he took Office. Remember, wars is plural, which means more than one. We were asked by NATO to help in Libya, not the other way around.

I agree mark . Everyone wanted cheap. Clinton signed NAFDA. GW got us into war because Saddam tried to kill his dad BFD. The same people Dem and GOP have been in congress for decades. Talk about watching porn. All of them are the problem . They never look past there rich buddies and big money because they need them for their campaigns. GW and Paulson put together the bank bailout not Obamma. Get your facts straight. 63% of the 911 funds are still in the bank and almost all of the BP 20 bil is still in the bank . Funny thing about interest it still pays no matter how much.The same atty controls all of it and has for years. They interveiwed him and he said he wrote one 10 million check but doesn't remember who he wrote it to. This is the world you live in . GOP DEM doesn't matter. People may go into office with all sorts of good intensions but they soon fade. Americans have to realize no one in govt is their friend and will allways do what is best for them not us. So quit pointing fingers and go make a job. If you lose your house there are really cheap ones out theyre,Get over it.I've made my own jobs for 45 years . You just have to figure out what you can do and go for it . You can't keep waiting because help is not coming no matter who is in office.

Don't have a job? Can't afford food, utilities, rent, or mortgage? Fine! Freeze and starve in the dark.

More for the rest of us.

You'd sing a very different song if it were YOU in the dark.

Just saying.

Nancy wrote "Potential buyers are being disqualified because they bought into ARM loans, and subsequently went into default after the interest rates soared,"

Why didn't these buyers qualify for fixed rate mortgages? Did they only qualify for low introductory or interest-only rates?

" if only the credit Qualifications ignored one foreclosure (the last one) if it occurred since the financial collapse (2008). "

Only one foreclosure in the last 1-3 years?

Nancy2636-3039790 There are millions of home buyers out there, if only the credit Qualifications ignored one foreclosure (the last one) if it occurred since the financial collapse (2008).

Since they were irresponsible, then they should pay the price. To many other individual who followed the rules. Why should those that didn't read the fine print be given a second chance after a year or so. They have 7 years to clean up their credit, and then they will be able to purchase a home. Maybe next time they will pay attention to the fine print, not purchase a home that stretches their limits and most of all be responsible.

The solution is to ignore only 'one' foreclosure that occurred after 2008, and allow millions of buyers to acquire a home to live in, with their families and children.

Sweet! The market in my area has dropped significantly and I can't sell my house without a loss. You're idea is great! I can quit paying my current mortgage, save the money, let my house be foreclosed, apply for a new mortgage and get a bigger house and land...all the while letting the other taxpayers pay for my foreclosure.

Sometimes it leaves you with no good options......the feds produced the 'Hardest Hit' funds program with some options to help ONLY someone that has SOME income (ie. pension, disability). Won't help you if you don't. THEN when you can come forward with an income....they're in no hurry to assist. Most of these housing agencies have 'counselors' (Former loan officers in cahoots with the lending institutions anyway) that change rules as they go along or become elusive and thus not really helpful....monies must be gone, embezzeled, who knows........rhh

AtlasWillShrug,

Great posts! Thanks for imparting a little sanity and wisdom to the Vine!

Move to China? Really?

Well, I highly recommend it. Did it 2 years ago and haven't had one minute regret. You being an airline pilot, you've been around, so you know not to believe the news media and politicians. I'm retired and there are over 150,000 USA expats living in China, some working, some retired. Fortunately, I was am able to think for myself and didn't let the public schools and politicians brainwash me about other countries. I'v been to 32 countries and the 2 best I've seen to live in are Norway & China. My family is happy here to. Best wishes.

Jobs :

Google : Military Sealift Command (also have entry level)

Google : USCG Civilian Jobs

and : www.wmcareers.com

If you have time enough to be on boards complaining then you have time enough to get a second job to pay those property taxes!!

Thats like saying who should have known better the bankers or regular people. thats like blaiming the kid for what the grown up did. besides it was the banks ponzie scheeme that brought down the market and the ignorant federal reserve that did't raise intreast rates to staibalize the real estate market. I woulden't point fingers at other citizens the banks put out the candy and some people ate it the banks always have their motives they are money junkies =greed!!!!!!

The Greenspan monetary policy resulted in asset inflation. Homeowners borrowed against inflating home prices to sustain the illusion that our GDP grew with vigor when the underlying economic conditions would have delivered much less.

As a nation we put out the welcome mat for carpetbaggers. Why would anyone expect a different ending?

Our first move to ready the nation for global competition was to initiate a financial disaster. Now we yell back and forth asserting that one party or the other can fix everything is 6 months or less.

With this gullibility many look to Ron Paul to fix everything by administering a sound drubbing to the fools who paid their taxes believing that the Federal Government would not default on Social Security and Medicare. Didn't Regan raise SS and Medicare taxes to assure future solvency? One more zealot with a simple solution, we must really like this mess.

Gorge has it right. Timothy if you have a mortgage prior to the early 90's - the bank TOLD YOU what you could and could not have because, what? Were their moral people in the banking system? Were their laws back then that didn't exist between 1998-2009? Point is - you probably brought no more knowledge or understanding to your mortgage - you just were not swayed by the crooks from the boom to get in over your head. Advice from people you should have been able to trust, but turns out, their magnificent bonuses were worth far more to them then the the future street life of their targets. Don't be so self righteous. Sure there are some who are culpable, but like generations before them, if the bank told them they could, they signed the paperwork.

if the bank told them they could, they signed the paperwork.

Thats like saying who should have known better the bankers or regular people. thats like blaiming the kid for what the grown up did

I woulden't point fingers at other citizens the banks put out the candy and some people ate it

The bank told my husband and me that we could borrow $450,000 when we bought our home two years ago.

Now, I majored in English in college, and my math skills have never been the best. But it took me only two minutes and a calculator to figure out that there was NO WAY we could afford the payments on that loan. And while an ARM was one option, since I know that interest rates can go up, there was no way I would agree to that, either. We borrowed less than half of what we were approved for, and are pre-paying the principle to get out of debt sooner.

Now, granted, if one of us should be unemployed for more than 6 months, those payments might be hard to make. And IF the government is going to help any homeowners, I believe it should be those who fall behind because of unemployment or medical hardship.

But I have no patience with the "don't blame me, how could I know?, the big mean bank took advantage of me" argument. Read the loan documents; if you can't understand them, find someone you trust who can explain them to you (or pay someone, like a lawyer, to act in your best interest). We all need to start taking responsibility for what we do.

Don't get me wrong--I feel bad for those who are suffering because they made stupid decisions. (Heaven knows I've made stupid decisions, too.) I just don't think they should necessarily be rescued from the consequences.

I'm SO embarrassed...I'm an English teacher...We're prepaying the principal, not the principle.

Thanks for laying that out with clarity trublacque.

Not sure if what the banks are doing (to you too) is irony, usury, or just plain old stick-up-robbery!

Your story is unfortunate and I hope you get a job soon.

But, maybe the government should have placed some conditions on what the bailout money was to be used for. Or better yet, maybe they should not have given the banks any money in the first place and let the taxpayers and businesses keep their own money and decide what to do with it. If the bank made poor decisions, maybe the bank president might have been fired for mismanagement and you wouldn't be complaining about how much he got from the government bailout. Maybe you might have a job if there wasn't so much government regulation, taxation and control which would make it easier and less expensive to hire and employ people.

But of course, we'll never know that will we?

Good luck in your job search and some of us appreciate the fact that you haven't bailed on your house (yet).

trueblacque wrote "It defies logic; you've struggled to pay the inflated note, but we don't trust you to pay a lesser amount."

Has your collateral (the house) declined in value? Refinancing typically involves extending the loan period. But, overall, you agreed to a variable rate mortgage that started with artificially low initial payments, right? Why didn't you take a fixed rate 20 year mortgage with a 20% downpayment in the first place?

Ron Paul?

The simple solution guy - just default on the promise millions have paid for because it's too expensive. In some quarters it's called lying. Do you condone that?

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

An entire nation cannot borrow for decades, inflate the money supply and the prices (including stock prices) with borrowed money and hope that all will be fine when the borrowing stops! Why? Because when entire money supply is debt (which is principal), principal + interest cannot be paid back. Thus some of us are guaranteed to go bankrupt. This is the nature of deflation beast.

When we borrow, banks create money out of thin air and demand interest for it:

www.tradingstocks.net/html/banks_create_money.html

Then average Joe works for 30 years to pay his mortgage with hard earned money, while the bank continues to have a claim on his house just because they created money by making a promise to pay. This fractional reserve banking and interest based monetary system is destined to fail. Therefore they allowed mortgage interest deduction from income, to make the music last longer. After they ran out of prime borrowers, they went through sub-prime. Otherwise deflationary crash would arrive sooner. Therefore they changed the bankruptcy rules in 2005 to claim borrowers future income. Then they created too big to fail and scared the congress to bail them out at tax payer expense. In other words, they ran the bankrupt system knowing that it would crash, but at the end the bill still went to the tax payer.