[mlassoff]

Originally Posted by Highpointer

It was government malfeasance that caused the mortgage crisis. In large part, the mess was the product of government policies designed to increase homeownership among the poor and ethnic minorities. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Housing Administration created a demand for bad mortgages that encouraged mortgage brokers to generate millions of them. According to The Wall Street Journal, almost two-thirds of all bad mortgages in our financial system were bought by government agencies or required by government regulations. Our lives and businesses are constrained by millions of rules and regulations. The Federal Register is the main source of regulations for U.S. government agencies. According to this article, in 1936, the number of pages in the Federal Register was about 2,600. Today, the Federal Register is over 80,000 pages long. Obviously Federal regulations are only a small part of the regulations that affect people and businesses, and there are many more rules and regulations imposed by state, county, and local governments.

Also, what do you mean "I don't have the marriage equity rights you do?" I am not married, so I don't have any marriage equity rights. You obviously are not up to date - Wackenhut is now The GEO Group (http://www.thegeogroupinc.com/newsroom.asp - broken link). I am reading about this company, and this company adheres to the highest ethical and compliance standards.

If you still believe that Fanny and Freddy were the sole cause of the collapse, your obviously some kind of corporate sycophant. Since you choose to believe false information, that is more in line with your political feelings, then true information that challenges them, there really isn't any discussion to be had here.

Sorry, I have wasted enough time with people who think as you do.

Good luck to you.

BTW: How do you know that GEO Group (Yes, Wackinhut has such an awful reputation they had to rebrand) has the highest ethical standards? Because they say so?

[Stylo]

Low Fed interest rates, the repealing of the Glass–Steagall Act, a government push for homeownership, and banks taking advantage of this climate with subprime loans created the housing crisis which is THE core of the global economic issue. Both sides of our government are to blame.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by Stylo

Low Fed interest rates, the repealing of the Glass–Steagall Act, a government push for homeownership, and banks taking advantage of this climate with subprime loans created the housing crisis which is THE core of the global economic issue. Both sides of our government are to blame.

It's really that simple. To absolve any of the above is pure partisan politics.

[blakesq]

Mlassoff, nobody said it was the SOLE cause. Thats a strawman you libs use. But Federal intrusion into the market was a GIANT factor in the mortgage fiasco.

Originally Posted by mlassoff

If you still believe that Fanny and Freddy were the sole cause of the collapse, your obviously some kind of corporate sycophant. Since you choose to believe false information, that is more in line with your political feelings, then true information that challenges them, there really isn't any discussion to be had here.

Sorry, I have wasted enough time with people who think as you do.

Good luck to you.

BTW: How do you know that GEO Group (Yes, Wackinhut has such an awful reputation they had to rebrand) has the highest ethical standards? Because they say so?

[Highpointer]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

Sorry, I have wasted enough time with people who think as you do.

Good luck to you.

BTW: How do you know that GEO Group (Yes, Wackinhut has such an awful reputation they had to rebrand) has the highest ethical standards? Because they say so?

Why don't you open your eyes and realize that government is not the solution to our problems, but it is the problem?

[mlassoff]

Originally Posted by Highpointer

Why don't you open your eyes and realize that government is not the solution to our problems, but it is the problem?

THat's pretty original. Have you been repeating it since Reagan said it?

Look, I am no fan of government inefficiency. I choose to work for BETTER government versus no government.

I never said government was the solution to ALL of our problems-- Please quote where I did. Is your argument so weak you have to mischaracterize mine? The main fault of the economic collapse is with corporate greed, malfeasance and dishonesty. I said nothing about the government in relation to it.

Why not just come out and say "I'd like to pay little or no taxes." Because, truly... The rest is subterfuge.

[Highpointer]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

THat's pretty original. Have you been repeating it since Reagan said it?

True, Reagan did say something like that. There is nothing wrong repeating one of the great quotes by the greatest President of the 20th Century.

[Beeker2211]

Highpointer,

You're wrong. The math doesn't add up for your story - Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae had stricter standards and less of a market share of the ARM mortgages that caused the wreck than loan originators that sold to BoA or Wachovia or Lynch.The GSE's by and large kept onto their loans and didn't make them into securities that are alphabet soup. They acted more responsibly (although having their share of issues) than their private counterparts. Why? Because their hands were tied by statute.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were victims, not culprits - BusinessWeek

Originally Posted by Highpointer

True, Reagan did say something like that. There is nothing wrong repeating one of the great quotes by the greatest President of the 20th Century.

Reagan, one of the greatest Presidents? You have to be kidding me. Bloated the federal government, bloated debt, was the start of the lowest PPP and wage growth of the American family, shifted taxes to the poor, shifted spending burdens onto states who then pushed it onto the poor, race baited with the best of them, ignored AIDS, ran away from terrorists, tried to set the stage for a financial based economy which helped lead us to the situation we're in, betrayed the country and his countrymen to get elected, etc etc etc. He was awful and this St. Reagan stuff is nauseating.

[mlassoff]

Originally Posted by Highpointer

True, Reagan did say something like that. There is nothing wrong repeating one of the great quotes by the greatest President of the 20th Century.

Actually Reagan said exactly that.

Greatest President of the 20th Century? He'd be considered a liberal by the current GOP standards... And his legacy is the shrinking middle and increasing poor classes we see today.

[jjbradleynyc]

I think New England will stay blue in 2012, especially if the Republicans are putting up Romney or Perry. Problem with Romney is his mormon background and view of him being to liberal-leaning by the Republicans. Problem with Perry is his fundamentalist extreme right religioius background, too divisive.

Obama wins a 2nd term in 2012--Republican field just too weak in my opinion.