Posted on 10/02/2008 7:51:09 AM PDT by SmithL
Who do I blame for this financial disaster? Let me count the villains.
Start with President Bush and Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson. By their own actions, they have shown that they believe that markets have become too vulnerable under their watch.
The Bushies have mishandled the $700 billion bailout at every juncture. They pulled a too-large number out of the hat, then asked Congress to write a blank check. Paulson even rejected limits on the compensation of the geniuses who bought bad mortgage paper with other people's money. No way was Congress going to go along with that scheme.
Like many Americans, I am angry and have strong doubts as to whether the bailout is necessary. Having proposed it, however, Paulson probably made it necessary. If there is a 10 percent risk of an economic collapse without a bailout, Washington probably has to pass something.
I blame Democrats, who pushed to give government-supported mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac more flexibility to buy dicey home loans, despite their accounting irregularities. It was Senate Banking Committee Democrats who blocked GOP-backed reforms of Fannie and Freddie in 2003 and 2006 - but that doesn't stop them from disowning any role in this fiasco now.
I blame Democratic leaders for larding the Senate version of the bailout bill with what the national political news Web site Politico.com described as a landmark provision that would require that "insurance companies provide coverage for mental-health treatment - such as hospitalization - on parity with physical illnesses."
This bill is in trouble, and the Democratic leaders decide to add $100 billion to the total tab - as well as make a new enemy, insurance companies. And they think Bush is dumb.
I blame congressional Republicans for being addicted to pork-barrel projects and driving federal spending...
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
No, blame YOUR psychotic democrats who CAUSED this problem in the first place.
This author hasn’t a clue.
Barf! Listen, if McCain doesn’t grow some nads, forget it, folks, game over. He better fight hard. I think he will. But he better get ferocious soon. I also predict a few surprises in the next month that will help McCain. Because we keep forgetting...2012 belongs to Hillary.
Don’t preach to the choir. Send this to every democrat you can find. They won’t want their people to see this but some will get through. Maybe they’ll pay attention to it. I would like to know how Obama and biden feel about communism. http://www.dailymotion.com/video/k6KUDv1wzraWhwlBt1
Whenever liberals talk about “sharing the blame”, this means that they know the blame is entirely theirs.
Stop “asking” McCain to get tough on Obama..........TELL him to get tough on him or he will loose our votes. McCain is a fighter pilot. He has to set Obama up for the kill and be vicious about it. Obama is this countrys worst enemy right now and must be taken down.
this is a prime example of the left’s use of moral equivalence. those who make mistakes trying to resolve the cises are just as bad as those who’s greed or incompetence CAUSED the crises.
***Having proposed it, however, Paulson probably made it necessary. If there is a 10 percent risk of an economic collapse without a bailout, Washington probably has to pass something.***
Oh politics. If they do nothing and we enter a recession/depression it’s going to be all about the failures of the free market and how government must swoop in to save the day. Joy.
Good article.
Exactly! And send it back to the paper this post came from, too. We need to get the word out, not just talk among ourselves here FR.
This scandal is THEIRS.
*************
In a place called Washington, DC....
at the intersection of Congress and Fannie Mae ....you will find......the DEMron Scandal.
The author is basically right, although Greenspan belongs at the top of the list. Second is Paulson and his buddies who invented the securities house of cards and have no clue how to undo it. They did indeed ask for a blank check and presented zero details that would show they have an understanding about bank balance sheets. Third place are the Dems, just along for the ride. In terms of dollars the socialism for the rich will far outpace the socialism for the deadbeats.
Not to worry. We can safely rely on the toy wooden arrows industry to pull our economy out of the abyss.
Coincidentally, that ties in with the increase in the Minimum wage about a year ago.
Minimum wage - 2006 - $5.15
Minimum wage - 2007 - $5.85
Minimum wage - 2008 - $6.55
Minimum wage - 2009 - $7.25
Unemployment was low, under Bush, until Democrats took over both houses of Congress.
The Bushies...
Vitriol starting off with the first sentence. No mention of Demorats until more than 60% through the article, and very mild, general criticism.
Liberalism, as adhered to by this author, is a mental disorder.
bought bad mortgage paper with other people’s money
no word from barneee frank yet.
“I blame Democrats, who pushed to give government-supported mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac more flexibility to buy dicey home loans, despite their accounting irregularities.”
This may sound nitpicky, but I’d like more than one sentence, albeit one long sentence, to cover what “Childe Jimmy” Carter, “Puck Bill” Clinton, “Ogre Chris” Dodd, and especially Barney Frank, whose proper appellations would nauseate the sensitive among us, collectively wrought in an unbroken string of outrageous acts from 1977 through 2006.
Some say that looking back keeps us from looking forward. Well, I don’t want to look forward to a wholly Dem dominated federal government that will rewrite history to offload all blame on Reagan, Bush, and Bush. Let’s by all means fix the problem, but record that liberalism caused it.
Having proposed it, however, Paulson probably made it necessary.
Yeah. I read it. The issue here is that this problem is PRIMARILY a result of Liberal policies and politicians.
PRIMARY. Not just a majority or a greater part. PRIMARY.
I personally am not happy with his handling of this issue, or his government spending in general. His adviser in this, Paulson is stained with liberal corruption as well even though his political affiliation is not public information, and probably was intrumental in getting President Bush to sign on with his wholehearted support. Paulson is a devotee of global warming and the companies he has worked with and headed are bastions of liberalism, in my opinion. I fault him for having someone like Paulson to advise him.
But the main point is the cause of this should be the main focus of ANYTHING relating to the bailout, ESPECIALLY causes and effects.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.