Finally: the 'trickle-up' theory

Michael Ferguson, your letter makes it seem like you have a totally inverted concept of what the sub-prime (no collateral) loans have precipitated. I'm guessing you vote Democrat.

I have to ask you, pat, do you really think that the banks and Congress and the President were totally altruistic through this idiocy? This was a Democrat conspiracy to bring down the economy, right? Those stupid people should have known not to listen to all those TOTALLY honest bankers. George and Congress haven't taken any credit by saying "more people own houses than ever before ". The fact is that it was allowed by those in control of the economy from the Fed all the way to Georgey Porgey and the Congress because it allowed them to fool the American sheeple into believing the economy was sound. All we have heard from Bush and his economists was the economy is sound, there's no recession. Even that dummy McCain in the MIDDLE of multiple failures echoed his mentor in saying the same thing. Get real, put the blame soundly where it belongs and admit this is the responsibility of the present administration and those who seek to continue it, McCain. They gambled and we are to pay.

GaCopperhead, stop listening to PBS and MSNBC. All of those assumptions you've made from my simple comment are way too full of spin. The unprotected debt of the investment banks was a top heavy pinnacle that was easily tipped(not enough regulation). The "sub-prime" loans (no collateral required)(too much regulation) was an attempt at "leveling the playing field through affirmative action" and was very risky. It was a program designed to fail and leave the taxpayer holding the bill since Fannie and Freddie owned most of the "unsupported mortgages". The economy was good enough to keep going and investment banks started getting into the "sub-prime" business, while continuing with their other investments. When the dominoes finally started to fall, as they were designed to, many more were caught then expected. The Democrats and Republicans in congress knew what to expect and only a few spoke out, thanks to strong lobbying. Many congressmen made money, many Americans lost money. Many "sub-prime" borrowers are living in houses paid for by taxpayers. Even that dummy Obama voted to make this happen and received over half a million for his effort.

GAhd, I'll agree that there is blame enough for everyone, including the greedy idiots who spent themselves into this mess buying half million dollar homes when they could only make quarter million dollar home payments. As usual, you throw your liberal poison without showing a single amount of respect to John McCain, a man who was serving this country and protecting whiners like you for a long time. He's advocating lowering corporate taxes and enticing more corporations, foreign and domestic, to invest here. Don't believe that will work? Ask Ireland, who lowered their corporate tax rate down to 16% and has now a booming economy because of it. Your inexperienced lapdog, Owbama, wants to raise corporate taxes. Yeah, that'll really make corporations want to come here, or even stay here. Take your eyes off your idol Keith Olberman and look at the real economy. Maybe we've been through a lot, but this economy has shown again and again that it can survive and come back stronger than ever. This storm is no different, but if Owbama gets into office and rams his economy wrecking ideas down our throats, we will be another third world country. God help us.

Talk about spin.....The one fact I agree on is that Congress(both parties) let the American people down. McCain voted for the deregulation bill in 99, and i have no doubt that Obama would have, too. While some of my ideologies have changes with age and a drastically dwindling paycheck earned with ever increasing hours spent at work, I still hold both parties responsible for the economic mess the country is in. I absolutely believe it's government BY the government, OF the government and FOR the government. How does one decide who to vote for? I, personally, have to look at what kind of financial shape I and other Americans like me have been in during different administrations, look at the policies that benefit me and the country as a whole(partly because I believe there are more people like me, earning under 40K a year) and look at what the policies of the present administration have done to me and the Constitution and the country.

The present administration has ignored and subverted the Constitution, horribly abused the separation of powers, and hurt the mainstay of the economy(the American middle class) with increased spending while lowering the taxes of those who can MOST afford to pay them. I look at how much of my DISPOSABLE income I pay in taxes. Obama wants to raise corporate taxes on companies that SEND WORK OVERSEAS and give CREDITS to those who bring jobs home. Tell me, CH, do you take the same drugs as Rush? or are you just unwilling to look with an unbiased eye at the platforms of the candidates. John McCain's platform is largely similar to Bush's and will continue to harm this country. McCain's service to the country is magnificent, but I wouldn't elect him if he was a Medal of Honor recipient, because it STILL wouldn't change his policies, which would drive this country to bankruptcy. You can't INCREASE spending while LOWERING taxes!

Also, George Bush has tacitly acknowledged that the American middle class is the backbone of the economy, who were the major recipients of the "stimulus" package? It was a subterfuge, because the American sheeple don't care where the money came from, or the FACT that they will have to pay it BACK WITH INTEREST! The best thing for this country would be for the people to QUIT spending, START saving and use LESS CREDIT. Just45 years ago, I remember that my parents had one credit card, It was a department store card, used rarely and paid off immediately. They didn't buy a new car until A: the old one was paid off and B: they had a sizable down payment. Credit is an evil necessity, and has become the crutch of the American people and the Government, brought on by the constant need for the economy to grow, so that our government (both parties) can continue to spend irresponsibly. Globalization has hurt the working man while increasing the wealth of those who already have it.

Well, GAhd, I see like most liberals, you won't let a little thing like facts get into your way. How about the fact that Congress, not the President, controls the money spent in this contry. Fact, Congress was controlled by your Democratic Party for 40 years, 1953 to 1993
and now for the past 2 years. Fact, these out of control spending policies, including the loaded pork bills going to good old boys like Robert Byrd and Harry Reid, aren't even challenged anymore. Fact, your inexperienced lapdog, Owbama, votes for these bills along with the rest, then claims to be fiscally responsible. GAHd, I guess you're taking a drag on the same joint that Bill Clinton said he didn't inhale when he was in office. Put it down, dude, you're frying your brain. I want to around. You're idiotic rants give me a good laugh!

Hmmmm, CH, so for 40 years the economy was stable, relatively, and people prospered. That means it only took 13 years for the Republican Congress to run it into the ground. That's QUITE an accomplishment! Cudos to you all! You folks prove one point absolutely. The Republican party is for GREED and big money. I'd be willing to bet that not one of you McPAIN supporters have ever gone hungry....not from a diet, but from I CAN'T AFFORD to buy food hungry. If you have, then I suggest to you that you try to remember what it was like. I believe in working for what I have. I work HARD, take pride in what I am doing and believe in living up to my responsibilities. I don't have ONE credit card, I only spend what I make. I have seen the Republican party give tax breaks to the wealthy and large corporations, while ignoring those who carry the burden in this country. I see my ability to feed myself, let alone increase my standard of living VANISH, thanks to Republican policies. I say NO MORE! and as you will see after the election, so do the rest of Americans like me. If YOU don't like it.......LEAVE!

And by the way, I don't believe in getting ahead from hand-me-outs, but from hard work. When's the last time you put in a 60 hour work week? Republican's haven't done ONE thing to reward my hard work, instead the give 10 billion dollars a month toward a pointless war while leaving the one that matters to stagnate and turn against us, they have painted a rosy picture for the benefit of the stupid for the past 8 years that the economy was great, and now that theirpolicies have proven themselves, they will walk away with a tidy profit and leave US holding the bag. Do you REALLY want to continue? Don't spout the Gospel according to Rush to me....I recognised him for the idiot he was LONG before I left the Republican Party.

Now we have one idiot in the W.H.....Bush and a cutthroat VP, Cheney. God help us if we have two idiots McCain and cutthroat idiot Palin. At least Cheney is smart even if he only uses his intelligence to fill his bank accounts. The Palin/McCain's (as Palin put it) will only be figureheads..someone else will be running the show. Probably Todd Palin will run the Congress. He runs the show in Alaska already. And y'all were worried about Hillary appointing Bill to a post if she got in. Gosh, wake up and smell the ego and corruption!

If John McCain had maintained his integrity and continued many of the policies he stood for(with the exception of immigration) and not caved to the corruption of the Republican elite, I probably would have voted for him. He has turned into a member of the Republican Borg. "You will be assimilated....resistance is futile " he wasn't the original choice of the Party, I'm sure, and believe that in order to get the Party's support had to become like the rest of them.

The Dems are afraid all right. We are afraid that if McCain died in office Palin would run the economy all the way into the ground, and get us into a world war that would make 9/11 look like a day in the park. Anyone up for a foreign occupation of this country? Palin can see the Soviet Union from Alaska. How quaint! McCain as prez would be iffy at best. But Palin as prez? Now that is really scary! Instead of a "chicken in every pot", it'll be a "tanning bed in every home"! Condie Rice or other well qualified GOP women would have been a better choice. Heck, my long since passed Grandmother would have been a better choice.

Republicans are never responsible for anything. Blame Clinton or blame the democrates is what they always say.The Sarah Palin pick is an insult to the American people, listen to this woman answer a question. Whatch the VP debat so the world can see she has no clue on world affairs.

I think her true nature and ignorance will come out as soon as she's confronted. I don't believe for a second that she's anything more than a vindictive, ill-informed spouter of Republican mantra. She will lose her composure after just a few minutes of being confronted with that fact. I can't WAIT to see her fold.....

McCain has been too busy being "married to a rich girl" to be in touch with the real needs of the American middle class. He does not know nor does he wish to find out what is really happening in our lives. And, he has no experience of it! He does not know how to "make do" or "tough it out". Palin doesn't remember where she came from. Her looks have opened doors for her...she uses people to her advantage. Disagree with her and you get fired. It's her way or the highway. We need an administration who will be willing to listen to us. We don't need a monarchy. Democracy means- rule of the people. We are in dire straits and the GOP is saying, "Let them eat cake".

The dims complain about the McCain/Palin ticket ad say they aren't qualified to be POTUS/VP. And NObama picks NObiden as his most qualified. You gotta love this. We thank you for your concern and nice words. We are very pleased with McCain/Palin and know they will do a good job. Guess you haven't watched the interviews of Sarah. Yes gibson tried to trick Sarah with every question and was very condescending. Several news people said they didn't know what the Bush doctrine was. She didn't need a teleprompter and didn't say uh, uh, uh, every time she was asked something. If I were nobiden, I'd be very afraid.

Since they'll have MY vote, I'd say I'm not at all. Anything would be better than a vindictive, uninformed person like Palin with her hand on the button....and since Obama's Juris Doctor is in CONSTITUIONAL LAW, maybe we'll have someone in office that RESPECTS and OBEYS the Constitution, instead of being King and "DECIDER-in-Chief" like Bush and his cronies.

GACopperhead.... it'll all come out in the wash! And I hope Biden takes the gloves off. She is playing with the big dogs now, and it seems like the GOP acts like big daddy and wants everyone to treat her like some pretty little spoiled girl who no one should upset or question. They never played nice with Hillary. Palin is shrewd but not that bright. She is just not well versed enough in economic and world affairs to be a Vp let alone the Prez. She won't be able to side step and double talk her way around the questions like she did in the abc interview. Anyone who says they are qualified for the top two positions in this country should have been able to answer each and every one of Gibson's questions without "feeling" tricked. A real politician would have given precise answers and not try to bs the American people with some double talk. We could see right through her inability to give an answer.

She didn't say a dang thing in the ABC interview. She spouted out what her handlers instructed her to say, and when pressed, didn't give a single original idea. She's a nobody, with a BA in Journalism, who probably isn't even qualified to COVER the election, let alone be IN it.

I'd say that any one of US on either side of the debate is more qualified, as we at least do research on our own. "You can see Russia from one of our islands...." BAH!!!!!

lol well said!

just in....The bailout for the Republican's mishandling of the banking system is 700 BILLION dollars. Thanks pat, CH, GA et al!

Just remember what dims walked off with up to $100million in payouts and NObama is right in the middle of that. Thank you for continuing to show us just who the followers of NObama are. We'll take McCain/Palin any day over the unqualified NObama and the loose cannon NObiden who has a brother and son that are lobbyists being indicted. We do appreciate all your concern and kind words but if I were you, I'd be more concerned about your candidates NObama/NObiden.

Interviews, you mean Sean Hannity"s please!

Is socialism your answer GaCopperhead? It's a big part of Obama's. That one issue alone is enough to tell me he's no friend of Americans.

wire.jacksonville.com/pstories/20080920/334610010.shtml

Nothing has changed in this country.

The only reason we have this FM/FM problem is that , under Clintons reign, the Dems in charge of FM/FM started giving out No Down, unqualified loans to peole who could not afford them. Just to secure their votes, for his second term. If you dont know what you are getting into dont do it. You may have to wait until you are older and more financially established before buying a house. Usually around late thirties. It is not the PUBLICS responsibility, don't renig on Your bills. Bush and Mccain both brought up the need for regulation with these two companies, and Barney Frank assured them it did not. There are bad people on both sides of the aisle who prospered from FM/FM, but it truly was controlled by the DEMS. And Sen. DODD and SEN. OBAMA are smack in the middle, so if he wants to fix whats wrong with America why didnt he do something? I will tell you why. The Dems were waiting for this election to come up, and make our economy look as badly strained as possible. And now when all those peope who have these balloon payments due, they know a bailout is around the corner, so they choose to not pay their mortgage, and wait for the bailout. Very similar to the Katrina victims, HELP ME!

Republicans are never responsible for anything. Blame Clinton or blame the democrats is what they always say.