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Where is the US economy headed?

 
 
okie
 
  0  
Reply Fri 16 Apr, 2010 08:43 pm
@ican711nm,
Excellent post, ican, but of course libs here will totally ignore it all and continue to declare the government, their bureaucrats, and their Democrat buddies in Congress like Dodd and Frank as totally innocent. No amount of evidence will ever sway them from their pre-conceived notions.
plainoldme
 
  -1  
Reply Fri 16 Apr, 2010 09:18 pm
@plainoldme,
Correction: Friedan's work was published while the BB was in high school, not college.
H2O MAN
 
  -2  
Reply Sat 17 Apr, 2010 08:27 am
@plainoldme,


Dial back the caffeine pom, you're recent replies are nonsensical at best.
H2O MAN
 
  -1  
Reply Sat 17 Apr, 2010 08:27 am
@okie,


Dodd and Frank need to be brought up on charges.
0 Replies
 
plainoldme
 
  1  
Reply Sat 17 Apr, 2010 09:05 am
@H2O MAN,
I will let you know when you are smart enough to understand.
H2O MAN
 
  -2  
Reply Sat 17 Apr, 2010 09:11 am
@plainoldme,


LOL!

I understand that you're unable to cope with the many deficiencies you suffer from.
Enjoy your last days above ground because Obamacare will soon judge your existence unnecessary.
0 Replies
 
H2O MAN
 
  -2  
Reply Sat 17 Apr, 2010 03:03 pm
@ican711nm,
Excellent Post! Nothing but the truth!

ican711nm wrote:

Congress was informed in advance about the pending decline of the USA's finance industry being caused by Fannie & Freddie.

1977
President Carter signs into law CRA (i.e., Community Investment Act) Carter.
Mandates banks invest in poor urban areas.

1991
Home Mortgage Disclosure Act is expanded to compares rejection rates by race.

1995
Clinton changes CRA to require banks provide mortgages to their poorer communities.

1998
Janet Reno declares that since inception of 1992 fair lending initiative, Justice Department has filed 13 major fair lending lawsuits.

2001
*04/…."Bush declares that the size of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is a potential large financial problem because financial trouble of a large "GSE (i.e., Government Sponsored Enterprise) could cause strong repercussions in financial markets."

2003
*01/22"Freddie Mac announces it must restate financial results for the previous 3 years due to earnings report errors.
*06/11"Freddie Mac is the subject of federal securities and criminal investigations.
*09/11"New York Times says, "Bush recommends the most significant regulatory overhaul in the housing finance industry since the savings and loan crisis a decade ago."
*09/25--Barney Frank responds, "Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do very good work, and they are not endangering the fiscal health of this country … I believe there has been more alarm raised about potential unsafety and unsoundness than, in fact, exists."
*10/29"Fannie Mae discloses $1.2 billion accounting error.

2004
*06/16"Samuel Bodman, Deputy Secretary of Treasury, repeats Bush Administration call "for a new, first class, regulatory supervisor for three housing GSEs (i.e., Government Sponsored Enterprises): Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banking System.
*10/06"Franklin Raines, Fannie Mae CEO, testifies before the House Financial Services Committee, "assets are so riskless that the capital for holding them should be under two percent. "

2006
*04/18"Freddie Mac pays a record $3.8 million Federal Election Commission fine.
*05/23"Fannie Mae’s regulator announces that Fannie Mae has for years overstated reported income and capital by $10.6 billion.

*05/25"Senator John McCain calls for GSE (i.e., Government Sponsored Enterprise) regulatory reform legislation, warning: "If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financial system and the economy as a whole.”
*11/07"Democrats win majorities in both houses of Congress. The U.S. economy is growing at about 3 percent, unemployment is at 4.5 percent, and inflation under 2 percent.

2007
*06/23"Two Bear Sterns hedge fund groups collapse due to their mortgage investments.
*08/09" President Bush requests Congress pass a reform package for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
*12/06" President Bush warns Congress of need to pass legislation reforming GSEs (i.e., Government Sponsored Enterprises).


2008
*03/14"J.P. Morgan and the Federal Reserve recognize extent of Bear’s toxic assets, including sub-prime mortgages, and credit default swaps, and interconnection with other banks.
*03/14"At Economic Club of New York, President Bush requests Congress take action and reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
*04/14"President Bush issues a plea to Congress to pass legislation reforming Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
*05/03"President Bush issues a plea to Congress to pass legislation reforming Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
*05/19"President Bush issues a plea to Congress to pass legislation reforming Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
*05/31"President Bush issues a plea to Congress to pass legislation reforming Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
*06/06"President Bush issues a plea to Congress to pass legislation reforming Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
*07/11"Senator Chris Dodd says: "There’s sort of a panic going on today, and that’s not what ought to be. The facts don’t warrant that reaction, in my opinion … Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were never bottom feeders in the residential mortgage market. People ought to feel comfortable about that. "

*07/13"Treasury Secretary Paulson asks Congress to grant him authority to take over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
*09/07"Paulson takes over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and offers them $200 billion, despite the fact their government credit line had been limited to $25 billion.
*09/15"Lehman Brothers officially collapses, the government does not intervene, and panic occurs, triggering a big Dow decline.
*09/16"Nancy Pelosi is asked if the Democrats bear some responsibility for the current crisis on Wall Street. Pelosi answers, "No. "
*09/17"Harry Reid regarding the economic collapse: "No one knows what to do."
*09/18"About 11:00 AM, the Federal Reserve noticed a tremendous drawdown of money market accounts in the United States within two hours, equal to about $550 billion. Treasury puts $105 billion in the system, but quickly realizes it cannot correct the problem.
*09/18"Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke ask Congress for the required funds"and unprecedented authority to bail out the entire financial system. They say failure to act means "we may not have an economy on Monday."
*09/23" Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke in Senate Banking Committee testimony outline the $700 billion asset relief program (TARP).
*09/29"That TARP version doesn’t pass the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives.
*10/03"Three days later TARP is passed after about $112 billion is added.
*11/05"The day after Barack Obama’s election, stocks plunge 500 points.
*11/12"Paulson changes the TARP rules from purchasing "troubled assets" to buying bank stocks to spur lending.
*11/23"Paulson gives Citibank a $308 billion bailout.
*12/06"Both houses of Congress agree to bail out the U.S. auto companies.
*12/18"President-elect Obama hints at an $800 billion to $1 trillion stimulus plan within his first month of office, and the Dow drops another 2.5 percent.

2009
*02/10"Treasury Secretary Tim Geitner unveils the Administration’s $2 trillion TARP II plan, and the Dow drops 382 points, or 4.6 percent
*02/17"President Obama signs a $787 billion bailout bill.
*02/18" President Obama reveals his mortgage bailout plan.
*02/19"Rick Santelli says in an impromptu speech on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange: "The government is promoting bad behavior … How many of you people want to pay for your neighbor’s mortgage? President Obama are you listening?" Santelli calls for a "Chicago Tea Party."
*02/20"The market falls as Chris Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee floats the idea of nationalizing the nation’s banks. The White House issues a denial, and the Dow ends down 100 points. The Dow is down now more than 800 points"nearly 10 percent"from the day before President Obama’s inauguration.
*02/21"Soros says, "The financial crisis marks end of a free-market model."

parados
 
  1  
Reply Sat 17 Apr, 2010 03:09 pm
@H2O MAN,
Quote:
*05/25"Senator John McCain calls for GSE (i.e., Government Sponsored Enterprise) regulatory reform legislation, warning: "If Congress does not act, American taxpayers will continue to be exposed to the enormous risk that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, the overall financial system and the economy as a whole.”
*11/07"Democrats win majorities in both houses of Congress.


That one is REALLY FUNNY....

Why didn't the GOP do something in 2006 when they controlled BOTH houses of Congress and the WH?
0 Replies
 
ican711nm
 
  -2  
Reply Sat 17 Apr, 2010 03:26 pm
Quote:
1977
President Carter signs into law CRA (i.e., Community Investment Act) Carter.
Mandates banks invest in poor urban areas.

It is the fault of President Carter and the rest of the DEMS, because they voted for and signed into law the Community Investment Act.

It is the fault of President Carter and the rest of the DEMS, because they did not repeal the Community Investment Act.

It is the fault of the GOP because Reagan did not ask Congress to repeal the Community Investment Act.

It is the fault of President Bush, because he did not convince Congress to repeal the Community Investment Act.

It is the fault of the DEM Congressional majority because they did not repeal the Community Investment Act.

It is the fault of the Obamademocrats because they did not repeal the Community Investment Act.

parados
 
  2  
Reply Sat 17 Apr, 2010 03:28 pm
@ican711nm,
You forgot to ADD..

It is the fault of ican because he voted for those politician he listed as being at fault.

Gee thanks for taking responsibility. We now know we can blame you personally for all the problems in the US.
0 Replies
 
Pemerson
 
  1  
Reply Sat 17 Apr, 2010 03:59 pm
According to a news article on Yahoo yesterday the pensions of UAW and other auto companies are in serious trouble. There was a hint that any retirees' pension could be less than they expect to receive, or are receiving now. What next?
0 Replies
 
H2O MAN
 
  -2  
Reply Sat 17 Apr, 2010 05:15 pm

I have not seen a single move by Obama or his administration that indicates either give
a flying fornication about stopping & reversing this countries downward economic spiral.
realjohnboy
 
  1  
Reply Sat 17 Apr, 2010 07:04 pm
@H2O MAN,
H2O MAN wrote:


I have not seen a single move by Obama or his administration that indicates either give
a flying fornication about stopping & reversing this countries downward economic spiral.


H2O man does have a way with words, doesn't he?

Good evening. I was reading today an article about the "American dream of owning a home." The author is Felix Salmon, a Brit, who long ago moved to the U.S.
We have talked about this before on this or some other thread. The notion of buying a home took off, I think, after WW2. No more renting from evil landlords. The tax code was adjusted to allow a deduction for mortgage interest and the suburbs sprawled.
President Bush, in 2002, spoke of home ownership as being the American dream for people wishing to control their own destiny. He was not the 1st nor last champion of this. And the governments under Dems and Repubs made it easier and easier to buy into that dream. Invest in buying a house. Get a good tax break. Cash out when you get old.
Obviously, the **** hit the fan a few years ago and many people (not, I would contend, just poor folks who never should have gotten loans) are underwater.

Felix Salmon argues that the notion of home ownership was oversold from the beginning. Yes, a homeowner escapes from the landlord but turns his fate over to Bank of America for 20 or 30 years. Is that better?

And he raises another point which goes something like this. Our economy in the U.S. shifts from region to region. Detroit to Silicon Valley to someplace else. Mobility is perhaps important. Home ownership can be an albatross, he says.

I am not saying I totally agree with Salmon. But I come close.

I hope yall have a fine rest of the weekend.
We can, if you wish, return to the normally scheduled drivel instead of my drivel.
H2O MAN
 
  0  
Reply Sat 17 Apr, 2010 07:13 pm
@realjohnboy,


Does this Salmon guy own a bunch of rental property?
realjohnboy
 
  2  
Reply Sat 17 Apr, 2010 07:42 pm
@H2O MAN,
I thought the same thing.
Full disclosure: I own 5 rental townhouses.
But I do believe his argument is pretty much on target. Is there some part of it you have issues with?
0 Replies
 
plainoldme
 
  0  
Reply Sat 17 Apr, 2010 09:10 pm
@H2O MAN,
The too large type face is a turn off.
plainoldme
 
  0  
Reply Sat 17 Apr, 2010 09:12 pm
@H2O MAN,
Maybe if you used a more normally sized type face, your vision would improve.
plainoldme
 
  0  
Reply Sat 17 Apr, 2010 09:24 pm
@realjohnboy,
Back in the early 1980s, George Goodman, aka Adam Smith, wrote a book he called Paper Money which he framed with a scene from Death of A Salesman. Linda Loman, widow of Willie the salesman, visits his grave and tells him that she paid off the mortgage.

Goodman/Smith uses that scene to launch a description of how our attitude toward housing has changed. I wrote my analysis of some (note: not all) of the reasons why the price of domicile increased dramatically after the Baby Boom came of age, inspired by having read Goodman's book when it was new.

Nothing happens in a vacuum and nothing happens overnight. I think I will read Felix Salmon and, hopefully, add his insights to Goodman's.
0 Replies
 
H2O MAN
 
  -1  
Reply Sun 18 Apr, 2010 05:28 am
@plainoldme,
I'm sure you are accustomed to small things and the large ones scare the hell out of you.

0 Replies
 
H2O MAN
 
  -1  
Reply Sun 18 Apr, 2010 05:29 am
@plainoldme,
It's not my intention to turn you on.
0 Replies
 
 

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