"The Home Defender Teams are local neighbors and community activists prepared to mobilize on short notice to peacefully help defend a family's right to stay in their homes until a fair solution to the crisis is put into place by the new Administration."

Right to stay in their homes?  I must have missed that part of the Constitution.  Can you please direct me toward the appropriate section?

The right to housing is far different than having a right to stay in a house you can not afford & have everyone else pay for it.  The woman in the video is loosing her house becasue she was too worried about having a beautiful kitchen to keep track of her finances.  From the size of her kitchen, my guess is that she has a nice, large home.  I'll be she has several empty bedrooms that could be rented to pay her bills.  She chooses not to do that.
I've been a single mother most of my life, I've gotten no child support, I've worked 3 jobs to make ends meet, I drive a 14 yr old car & wear thrift shop clothes.  BUT... I am current on my payments, becuase I live in my basement & rent the rest of the house out to roommates.  I'll bet most people under foreclosure have empty space they could rent out, just like I have.  It's all about CHOICE.  I choose to pay my bills, on my own & lower my standard of living.

Community activism is an interesting animal.  When we use the community to force our emotions on society without regard to the principles of law, who wins and who loses.  In the designing of this Constitutional Republic (note: not a democracy), it is not lawful to steal from one person to give to another.  The stimulus package and the idea of using tax money to save people from foreclosure, although in the best spirit of Robin Hood, erodes our liberty, steals our property, and drowns our responsibility of personal determination.

One thing is for sure, the world will never be the same again.  I was sitting there one day thinking to myself at the american dream seems to be lost forever, so I surfed American Dream and found this GREAT music video literally called "Whatever Happened to the American Dream" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZKkSNk8d2g
andit just seemed to be a harbinger of things to come.

  I really am trying not to be a pessimist, but when the headline news are nationalizing the banks, I'm worried.   Isolationism is only a natural reaction after all of our jobs have been outsourced.  That's what led to WWII - but the world was a much less intertwined reality then...

I'm sorry Robert. Is that GREAT video YOUR video?
Is change.org a self marketing tool for you?
Am I understandingly correctly that your commenting " I surfed... and found this GREAT video"  is your clever way to drive traffic to your own work?
You owe people here a sincere considered apology if you ask me.

The government should help people out with their homes.
The feds pay off your mortgage, 100%. This will shut up the bankers, and we won't have to dole out any more money to them, since no one knows where it ends up.
This is then paid back over time or completely once the house is sold.  (Don't give it to Freddy or Fannie, it's obvious they can't control their own house.)  When the house is sold, the government gets it's money back, with interest based on the accrued equity of the house. This essentially becomes a long term loan, collects interest, and the money goes back into the american coffers, defraying the burden our kids are going to be strapped with, because we were the greedy "What's in it for me" generation.

free market is a lie. banks, insurance companies are revenue engines for govt, and there are way too many of both. also i think the american mcmansions are obscene. i truly hope this financial disaster drastically changes americas values. if it doesnt then future energy costs will..

Foreclosure is all about jobs, jobs that are being shipped offshore or taken by cheap labor imported by the corporate bosses that are looking to enhance their already greedy compensation packages. If American workers have a job, they can pay their mortgages, if they are dumped as they are by the millions, then they cannot make that monthly mortgage payment. This death spiral has to be attacked at the jobs front.

My relatives just had their house foreclosed on because they nwere unable to deal with the mortgage company to get refinancing. Our jobs are being sent overseas along with our factories so foreclosures are the result. I hope jobs will become available by eliminating the huge trade deficit with countries that are bent on the destruction of America. This includes buying oil from Muslim countries and free trade agreements. Under the Clinton/Bush presidencies, our nation was almost destroyed. I believe the Obama Admistration will straighten things out for us.

So, Melvin...You don't shop at Walmart? 

I didn't buy from Walmart, in fact... I'd never stepped inside a Walmart, until... I was at a local mercants shop, spending more monty to buy something than I'd ahve paid at Walmart.  There was a conversation between the person helping me & the owner of the store.  The owner was giving a party & needed some supplies.  My salesperson mentioned that Walmart had them at the best price.  The owner mentioned that she's stop by Walmart on the way home.  I mentioned that they were also available at a locally owned shop & they both laughed and said, "Walmart is cheaper!"  I stood up & told them that Walmart was cheaper for the product I was buying from them as well.  They looked shocked that I'd buy that particular thing at WM.  I told themthat I'd been willing to buy it from them because I supported buying local, but if they didn't care I didn't know why I should.  They couldn't understand how I could think that they shouldn't buy from WM or how I could not buy from them & buy from WM instead.  I held out until this same basic thing happend a few times.  Now, I shop at WM as well.  I go there a couple times a year.
Mostly I am self sufficient.  My neighbors look down on me for it, but I grow nearly all my own food.  I drive an old but reliable car & do my own repairs on my house.  I rarely hand out money for others to do what I can do.  I rent out all the rooms in my house to pay the mortgage.  I do, to get by, what others are not willing to do.  But, I've been able to keep my house, even tho I lost my job 9 months ago.

I think the people in this country need to look at the conduct of the citizens of Rome right before she fell.  We are spending the Capital that it took our country over 200 years to build.

what would really, going forward, make this all better?? Its actually pretty simple  1. get rid of the idiots that created these loans, that promoted them in fannie mae and freddie mac and go back to basics such as 2. no adjustable loans and require a minimum of 20% down and run careful credit checks etc. Greed of lenders and wall st and  stupidity and greed of buyers wanting way more house then they could afford and the idiots in wash dc not regulating and actually encouraging these type loans caused this mess. A lot of people should not be running cos or be in positions of power in dc -- get rid of them and go back to the basic fixed rate loan with minimum 20% down and check credit history.... DUH!! throwing money at this won't help if the underlying problems and people running things are not changed.

I too am an engineer, and I too use facts and rationality to make my decisions. Which is why I am renting out the main part of my property and living in the guest annex to afford the mortgage. BUT I think we need to help out those who are in danger of foreclosure. As one person said, there are many people who are in homes that they were able to afford and have suffered a lay off and need to refinance their home until the economy recovers so that they do not lose it in this downturn.  As more people lose there homes the economy continues to tank putting more people in danger of losing their homes etc - a downward spiral.

As to the "irresposnsible getting into loans they cannot afford etc". Thats a load of crap. Period. Many people were in subprime loans with the understanding that after paying on them a few years (and makiing their payments regularly) they would be able to refinance their loans at better rates. They made their payments on time and when refi time came the credit crunch hit, property values fell and they were unable to refinance.

The economic woes of this nation were not caused by poor people who wanted to become homeowners. They were caused by RICH people who lured them into loans that were bad all the way round. They were ripped off and trying to pin the blame of the economic crisis on the poor homeowner is BLAMING THE VICTIM! Follow the money...there you will find the criminals!

Were there speculators out there who took advantage? Sure, so what? I'm not in favor of letting those who acted in good faith suffer because someone who did not act in good faith MIGHT benefit. There are safeguards in place to prevent that anyway. Lets look at the big picture - we are ALL in this together - all of us, the engineers, the single Moms, the poor, the rich, we must all hang together or surely we will hang separately (to paraphrase a founding father - Franklin I think?)

And to all of you hating trolls out there - go back under your bridge before someone comes and forecloses on it!

Oh, one final note. There is a GLUT of property on the rental market, so finding good tenants is not as easy as you may think. I'm renting out my property below market value and cover the electric & water to keep my good tenants. So good luck on your landlord aspirations.

Really though, if you aren't interested in being part of the solution what are you doing here go back to TCOT.

I can find an 'expert' to tell you the moon is made of green cheese too.  Doesn't mean it's so.

I actually woke up thinking of this thread and the destructiveness of the resentment and blame, not to mention the complete absence of 'following the money' as you say Anne Marie. Astounding at first but in the end I find it a bit suspicious. We're thinking and working together here yes?

The last thing I come here for is to witness mutual holier than thou accusations and snide one liners because povs differ.

Foreclosures need to be unlawful in general as long as borrowers are diligent about trying to meet obligations.  Lenders should be required to negotiate rates and periods so that payments can be reduced.  Also, interest only payments could allow time to recover from cash flow problems.

I do think that everyone should be treated equally as far as re-valuation of property.  I do NOT think that re-valuation of property is acceptable as it pertains to existing mortgages unless refinancing.  It would be nigh impossible to administrate fairly.

If a property's value when a bank forecloses causes the bank financial problems, that is part of the original agreement.  It is currently necessary to support banks as long as they meet the basic criteria of responsible investing.  However, at that point it becomes a bank's moral obligation to help customers.  Why that last link is still missing might be considered profiteering.

I didn't have the time to read the entirety of every comment but find it interesting that I don't see mention of the fact that the American worker has not seen a real wage increase in 30 years. Then I lived in a $35000 two bedroom on an acre with two children, now in a $15000 mobile home on a rented lot. I usually make $10/hr and 20 years ago I decided that if I couldn't pay my help at least $10/hr the work didn't need to get done. The real ecomomy has been on the skids a long time, houses are just catching up. They need to devalue about 50%.

if we just get back to the basic economic principals, all of us, things will get better. And the basic truth is that not everyone should own a home. There is always the possibility that you lose your job etc Eventually the economy will recover, hopefully and I think necessairily led by the housing market. What I find disturbing is even in the face of the bailout or whatever we are now calling it, not much is changing in terms of those running things. I would like to see new leadership in the lending industry and those in Wash D.C. and how about a new SEC??? Why are the same people running the auto companies?? If we want "change" lets change the folks who got us into this mess and lets tell the American people how things are  different in exact particulars .. otherwise we will simply continue down the same path with the same results. 

You should live in my town.  In the last 5 yrs, we've had a 5% increase in population & a 34% increase in city workers, the city payroll has gone up by 50%.  We have 17 firefighters making over $200K a year.  Now, don't get me wrong... firefighters DO deserve to be well paid!  But, how many communities have all volunteer fire depts?  All new homes for the last 10 yrs have been required to have fire suppression systems.  The prime function of fire'fighters' in my community is as inspectors.  And... the more paper they push, the higher their pay.  Salaried managers in my city get overtime!  I'm working on the campaign of the former chief of PD who's running for city council to try to stop the madness!!!

Seems like the decision regarding diligent effort to meet legal agreements will be up to arbitration.  I don't think that renters and landlords are the subject.  Those problems have always existed, and there are legal means to deal with non-payment of rent.  Squatter's rights may have progressed to far, and landlord's relief is certainly too difficult.

Charity is not the subject either.  Renegotiation of terms is.  The basics of refinancing is all that are necessary.  Once a business requires financial assistance from taxpayer's, then it should be required to provide reduced cost services.  That is simply showing appreciation.

I would say that a single person living in a four bedroom house with problems paying the mortgage and choosing not to utilize resources to pay the mortgage was not diligent.  Arbitration and legal proceedings are a necessary part of contract disputes where parties disagree.  I use the term diligence in the sense that responsible effort to meet contractual obligations is being made.

Dear Peter,

You shall ever be in a cocoon of personal comfort as long as you believe that any politician might want what's best for you and your fellow American citizen.  They do not!  They want what's best for themselves, their own special interests, the people that donate money to them so that they can get reelected!  That is their constituency!  How big is your bank account?  That is all that matters to the poluticcians!

Believe me! The politician's solution will never be the solution that you believe is just!  Because, it does not put any money in their pockets, simple human nature!  Sorry for bursting your bubble!

I am 58 years old and have 40+ years of experience watching polutitions at work!  I commend and appreciate your noble proscriptions, but, the infamous but, I know that Democrats do not share your altruistic motives!  Get over it!  Throw your delusions away and get with the real world!  This is what democrat power brokers tell thier minions that finally perceive the truth!  Welcome to the democrat insanity!

Good try.  Get some onions.  Good luck with coping with life, in the real world!

Regards,
Tim


P.S.  You have a choice here.  Get in, or get out of the WAY!

I hope everyone in this thread has read this post:

http://uspoverty.change.org/blog/view/the_blame_game_irresponsible_homeowners_edition

Also, if we don't keep the personal insults to a minimum (e.g., telling one another to "wake up" etc.), I will have to close the thread.

I have read all the comments on this board, and while apparently telling someone to "Wake Up" is an insult there goes the 1st amendment..I have voted Democrat all my life almost exclusively I am not what they call a Yellow Dog Democrat, I am a Blue Dog Democrat which is why this election I could not vote for Obama, being from IL I know first hand how the Democrats here work.. I do not believe in a Robin Hood government.. nor did I believe Obama would bring change..I voted against Bush both times.. I did vote 3rd party for Chuck Baldwin.. That being said in one month I have be horrified at the so called Change Obama has implemented.. being one of the people that received no help from Bush nor will be helped by anything Obama has done under both I will pay since I already did the responsible thing and raised my kids, sacrificed what I wanted for what I need and lived with in my means I will get NO breaks so I can relax.. I believe the banks should be regulated but I also be the same should happen to the health care industry and drug companies when it comes to the pricing.. but that will never happen since they are the biggest contributors to our Politicians.. I also will admit I have a problem helping out those that got loans without even being citizens..If that bothers some I don't care being PC is so phony it's a joke.. I believe everyone should get a fair deal however, if you got a loan without proving income, being able to read any part of the loan because you couldn't be bothered to learn the language to bad.. the only ones that should be helped are the ones who bought within their means and lost a income or had a health care problem.. and then only for the original loan at a better interest rate.. I have been working since I was 16 and no one gave me anything.. what I have I earned.. I made bad choices and had to pay for them.. that's how you learn.. Acorn has a shadow over it from all those they signed up to vote that weren't qualified and believe me many Democrats are still mad about that and will not support their efforts.. even Democrats who did vote for Obama are upset by the things he's doing.. yes many were told they would be able to refinance, but even before the crash and with payments that were made on time the banks weren't refinancing..after saying there was a crash gave them an better excuse.. going after the banks we are already bailing out and forcing them to redo all those loans so they wouldn't reset would have been a better move.. I might ask here what does Acorn propose that if you have a house it's yours no one should lose a house for any reason.. I don't understand.. Why would anyone work?  Just give everyone a house cause everyone deserves one?  Ain't so

Dear Leigh,
I just popped in to spritz a lil guilt remover.
 After sufferin thru more of this obstructionsit blather from those so embittered by  doing the right thing, those truly deserving of the dream, those who never would have been atken in because trust is not in the lexicon ; I suppose I am a bit strained not to stoop to the same level. Why do I constantly feel like a pop-up ad for Ann coulter's new book is going to appear when I am reading this acid self righteousness.

I wish I had more to offer but I cam to learn, but I would ask this Leigh: if this thread/profile/message system offers a way to filter out the chaff and regroup for real discussion, please add me to what may evolve.
From what you said about cutting the thread I guess you must soldier on as part of your duties here.
I'd suggest reading the signatures first and save your energy for those adding something constructive. It's unfortunate that some will be swayed by those all too familiarly dispositioned in what I can only call 'boilerplate'.  But let us be honest about the time we have.
I can only believe their real intent is to cripple an exchange of ideas.

I want to thank everyone who adds to this growing list of fruitfull thinking- as well as everyone wise enough to see thru the repeated resolve to disrupt and ignore it altogether.

Onward! :)

one thing I think all of us have learned is that house values/prices do not just go up, they also go down and loans should not be given based on crystal ball predictions of future increases in property values --- houses are a place to live, and should be appraised  conservatively for loan purposes. We have become a country of people with fanciful ideas about rates of return, and maybe we should just go back to treasury bills, plain old savings accounts and view our homes as just that -- a home, a place to live not as an "investment". Back to basics. 

Dear David,

I choose to speak to you directly!

Do you realize how much you hurt the position, the integrity of your friend Leigh when you rant on about the ridiculus causes that she fights for?  I am not complaining!  You make my case!  I am just at a loss as to why she might still consider you to be a friend!  Maybe I shall come to realize the truth of matters when I have the opportunity to meet with her over dinner?

God's blessings to you, should you actually be a child of God!

Love,
Tim

OK Leigh,

You can bring David but I get to bring Helen to dinner with us!  What do you think Anne Marie will think?  Will she even want to attend?

Love,
Tim

OK!  Reality has set in!  How do I find Helen, let alone get her to dinner with us?

Leigh,
Please Help!

Tim

I was reading the posts from my email.. Thanks for the compliment.. I figure that I will wait for the rush of people marching to D.C. with pitch forks and join them.. It might not be as nice as dinner but more productive.. I figure with all the Dems I know that are upset by all this as well as I guess would be the Republicans and independents (which is what I guess you would call me since I will cross to vote for a good canidate or against a bad one).. I will have plenty of company for the walk..

I am sorry, but I cannot condone what most likely is encouraging illegal activity by staying in a home that is no longer yours. I sympathize, but this is absolutely the wsrong way to go about solving your problems. A large portion of our economic trouble is due to people being given mortgages who had no business getting one because they were being put in homes they knew they could not afford and so did the lenders. Thanks to them, other people are now having a hard time getting help starting their "American dream" of home ownership because many first-time buyers programs have been eliminated and higher down payments are expected. We need to get past this entitlement BS and realize we should not expect the taxpayers to support our bad decisions. Our tax dollars already pay for people who are too lazy to work along with some legitimate needs (but less than you would think). I resent my tax dollars being spent on things I don't believe in - especially supporting people who refuse to work for a living. We need to learn how to live within our means, not expect the government and tax payer money to make up the difference.

Since 'homeowners' have an investment in their property in the form of equity, need a place to live, and have chosen their homes for many reasons, what might be done to help reduce foreclosures is for banks to adopt the student loan forbearance system, which allows for unpaid mortgage payments to be added to the principal amount during times when borrowers have repayment problems. This type of forbearance process should work well for banks until the total equity is 'zero' at which point other terms could be negotiated, like having the 'homeowner' pay rent.  Another idea would be to adopt parts of the reverse mortgage process, which I think allows for cash-poor homeowners to stay in their homes without mortgage payments, consuming equity, or until the property is sold. The point is, there seems to be creative ways that banks could and should adopt to help homeowners to stay in their homes to the benefit of all.

Thanks Diane, These seem like very good alternatives to stripping those who invested of their only place to live. What good would it do strip them of their homes only to put more devalued homes on them market? No one wants to see more people on the street !
These possibilities are infinitely  more reasonable and deserve solid support- especially when considered against the duration of a 15-20-30 year mortgage (that was presented with no oversight or enforcement of diligence in the first place)!

Diane,  I mentioned your ideas when calling my representatives Nadler and Schumer to thank them for supporting the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. After thanking them I mentioned "I'd like to add I have signed up with Home Defenders etc etc" following with your ideas on yet more alternatives to stripping people of their homes- and was duly thanked.
 I intend to post a summary of my calls on mybarackobamas/stimulusthanks...Do you mind if I cut and paste your ideas? I would leave or edit your name as you prefer.
thanks again.

Tim,

You wanted some principles from the bible here  are a few 

 In the parable of the good Samaritan, wicked men had robbed and beaten a man, leaving him half dead. The men who did this were very evil. The priest and the Levite, who passed on the other side (Luke 10:31-32) were willing to let evil triumph by not doing anything. Only the Samaritan stood up for what was right.

Luke 6:35 - Do good, expecting nothing in return
Eph 2:10 - We were created to do good works
Tit 2:14 - Christ gave himself to gain a people zealous of good works

Ezek 3:18 - When one is silent before the evil, we become a partaker with them
Obadiah condemned the Edomites for doing nothing when evil befell their relatives, the Jews - Obad 11
When we do not do good, we are sinning - James 4:17

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing

I guess it is a matter of deciding if it is a good thing to help someone in foreclosure. You don't have to help everyone just find one person and do something. It could be as simple as giving them some part time work shovel the drive mow the lawn help them get an interview. This issue does effect everyone housing prices are dropping for most people. 401K's are losing value we need to fix this so that we can all prosper we can blame it on everyone else or take up the cause and follow me.

Dave

My Experience With Predatory Lending
I am a 58 year old housewife. We have become first time home owners in the last eight years. My husband became a marijuana prisoner after he couldn't keep up with 3 mortgages and 2 houses with one job. It was a wonder for us get one house as he was the only one employed and had provided for me for over 20 years. The mortgage broker submitted the paperwork in a timely manner so that the seller could lend us the down payment. The broker told my husband, "It's like robbing banks, but it's legal"! In a few years the value of the house soared and he talked my husband into buying a building permit on another house with the equity from the first. Then hurricane Wilma took a toll on the Keys. My husband's income from his taxi driver job declined along with the tourist trade. He used credit cards to float mortgage payments. We had 15 credit cards, some in my name even though I hadn't had a regular job since the 80s. July 2008 the bank auctioned off the new house and we still owe a second mortgage on it. The mortgages of each house were $100,000 more than their value. Thankfully I'm living in the first house. My husband should be eligible for release to a half way house in 9 months.

Since WHEN did housing become an inalienable RIGHT? This is absolutely entitlement thinking. It seems very convenient now for everyone to say that lenders took unfair advantage of the people who wanted to live beyond their means. I know how difficult it is to get loan approval as I have been in real estate for years. Getting a loan was not a walk in the park for us with all of the requirements that banks put up. So where is this coming from? Who forced anyone to buy a home? Who forced anyone to acquire a credit card or two? Who forced anyone to eat at McDonald's and then blame that chain for putting on pounds? This is not logical thinking and springs from a victim attitude. Who forced whom to buy a home and live beyond their means?

It's very humanitarian to help someone in need, but it's much more humane to show them how to help themselves. People need to EARN their keep and learn how to do that. Hard work and maintaining an ethical attitude in life is what makes an individual WIN. Handouts only create the need for more handouts.

Free enterprise is what made our country great. We can't go around regulating everything. We wouldn't want a society like that.

We've been struggling along with everyone else, but I'm not asking for a bailout. I got myself in the soup. I wanted to have a decent home to live in and own. I wanted all of those credit cards to charge beyond my ability to afford it. So is it the FAULT of the banks and lending institutions? No one forced me to borrow and it is MY responsibility to handle it now and to take the consequences of MY actions.

You are obviously a person of integrity, honesty and reality. Unfortunetly the barney franks and the other "entitles" of our government, feel they can construct loan policies based on a political agenda of yes ... entitlement ... rather than sound solid economic principals  to wit ... to get a loan you must be able to have at least a 20% down payment and an excellent credit history and clear documentation of ability to pay back the loan whether its employment info or savings etc .. all this went out the window in the face of political correctness which teaches us that everybody is the same, and everybody should own a house .... that did not turn out too well, did it???

I say to Barbara that nobody twisted your arm to sign the papers to purchase your homes. If you were seduced by the idea that you were entitled to own these properties, than it was YOUR decision. The bottom line which no one wants to look at or take responsibility for is that YOU decided to buy the home or homes regardless of any outside influences. YOU decided to buy and if you didn't do the required due diligence or research it takes to find out if it was affordable, then oh well and boo hoo!

Everyone can point a finger at Barney Franks or the president and CEO of Bank XYZ, but the BOTTOM line is that WE make the decision to do something and WE have to take our own responsibility for that choice regardless of who was standing by telling us that we can afford it or that we should just do it.

You knew you couldn't afford it and yet you went ahead and did it anyway. Now it's someone else's fault and your poor husband is a marijuana addict. That was also his choice. No scapegoats accepted here.

It's the bank's fault for giving you a loan? It's the credit card companies to blame for extending you credit? Please! It's the fault of McDonald's for making people fat? WHO chose to eat there? Who chose to get credit for frivolous extras?

One day we'll look back at this politically correct society that the liberals have created and be horrified that we went into agreement with the party lines that came out of that inane philosophy. Political correctness be damned and entitlement philosophy along with that! We are NOT entitled to whatever we want. We must EARN it by our persistent efforts. We have become a very spoiled society and a whiney one as well. We point the finger at others as the way out of owning up to our mistakes and taking responsibility. We resent the rich for all of their efforts and forget that they're the ones who employ all of us. Do people realize WHERE jobs come from? They don't just fall out of the sky. People form companies by their hard efforts and then they hire people to run these companies even if they were lucky enough to inherit their wealth. They did something right by virtue of getting born into families of wealth.

So you can all go around and blame everyone because YOU got the loans and the credit cards, but the truth is that YOU signed for all of it whether or not someone was standing there and cheering you on. YOU went ahead and made the decisions to do all of it and that is the bottom line and that is the absolute truth of the matter.

I have to say I find it pretty repugnant; the determined energy you two pump forth on your  tunnelvision blaming the people who are slowly finding themselves having to move into tent cities Rita and Rebecca. You write as tho you were in possession of all the facts of each failed investment. You generalize and spread blame in upper case self righteousnes and selfish panic. All the usual buzzwords of the pinched nasty faces of conservative obstructionistst.

Face it, we all have to dig in and help solve this, support the President and crawl out from under comfortable racist shieldsinto the present light of day. All your condemnation will not alter that fact. All you fingerpointing is just sad selfish strategy to keep more for yourselves and deny, deny , deny those you so comfortable judge.

I must say again, your useless negative energy is repugnant to anyone who is still capable of compassion.

Actually why I focus on two of you I dont know...theres a glomming on going on here to kill anything positive. I asked a few friends to check this thread and they were shocked at the level of senseless attack both towards those threatened with eviction, those looking to keep people off the streets and out of the growing tent cities, and personally, right here..inclusive of high school level threats.
Good luck expanding your self congratulatory club of naysayers.

what I know is that debts are to be paid --- these folks were not run over by cars, or hit by trucks, they signed up for debts they may or may not have understood fully but should have ... and lenders lent in an irresponsible way. None of it works for us as individuals or as a country. If you are going to bailout people who did not pay, then give the same to the ones that are still paying their bills every month even tho its hard -- hey we all would like some help ... I have one kid in an expensive college with no help and another in private high school cause california schools are collapsing .. and we keep paying that mortgage ... so don't talk to me about bills - we have them up the wazoo-  and we lost money too in retirement and our house value and we just keep plugging along paying our debts and helping pay for all this bailout .. be nice to the folks that are still paying cause if it werent for us, there would be nothin for nobody. what a mess!! 

This is an excellent article and fantastic campaign. The Bush regime only assisted the wealthiest and that did not benefit anyone else. It is time to make strong and effective measures. The weakening or gutting of the provisions must not be allowed to happen. Thank you for shining a spotlight on this. The people who have been calling for failure have no conscience. Voices need to continue to be loudly heard to correct all that was grossly wrong. Rev. Bookburn - Radio Volta

Dear Rita,
 I did not intend not to respond, i just missed the notice of your post to me until reading new posts last night.
Please accept my apologies.
Certainly my own emotions got the best of me.
I feel for your position, and yes I forgot it in trying to digest all that's posted here.
I wish you well and intend to learn to keep my own emotions in check as I learn to attempt to contribute within a public discourse.
Sincerely- Dave