Thursday 9th May
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Optimism Lost, and by Optimism, I mean Ben Bernanke and the NYT
Written on 19 Oct, 2011 at 8:54
I think the nice folks at the New York Times have been spending too much time at Zabars? Because I’m pretty sure it’s not a confidence deficiency… I think it’s money we’re missing… as in income, and the lack... (Continue reading)
CA’s Democrats in Congress Wake Up to Need to Address Foreclosures
Written on 16 Oct, 2011 at 22:39
Apparently, this past week, the sound of the economy’s ship going down must have awoken the majority of House Democrats from California who then just jumped all over the Obama Administration for “failing to deliver on promises to curb foreclosures.”... (Continue reading)
Inside the Obama Administration with Ezra Klein … and Mandelman
Written on 15 Oct, 2011 at 6:43
Klein seems to think that it’s important to understand how the administration got it so wrong… but I could care less. I think the salient point is that they knew they had gotten it wrong soon enough, and yet... (Continue reading)
The Recession is Over! Long Live the Recession!
Written on 11 Oct, 2011 at 12:33
Look people… don’t get bummed out about this study, because a few years from now the NBER is probably going to refer to today as having been a peak. ... (Continue reading)
AM I DREAMING ALL OF THIS? (If you can read this, please let me know.)
Written on 23 Sep, 2011 at 20:21
Is it possible that I’m only dreaming all of this? Like, maybe I don’t really blog about the financial and foreclosure crises… maybe it’s all just part of a reoccurring, and incomprehensibly maddening dream? ... (Continue reading)
Mandelman’s Monthly Museletter – Version 15.0
Written on 20 Sep, 2011 at 9:30
1. Obama Administration Leaps Into Action on the Foreclosure Crisis. 2. Nation's poverty rate climbs to 15.1%, highest in 18 years. 3. Obama Says Government to Help More People Refinance… Again. 4. Mortgage Defaults Skyrocket 33% Nationwide in... (Continue reading)
Obama Says Post Office Should Cut One Day of Mail Delivery… Now there’s change we can believe in.
Written on 20 Sep, 2011 at 2:53
Obviously, Obama has been hard at work on this very important subject, and I think we have to give credit where credit is due. And he’s got more ideas than just cutting a day of mail delivery, oh yes... (Continue reading)
Bringing Up the REAR: House Speaker Rep. John Boehner
Written on 19 Sep, 2011 at 19:46
Look, I’ve been an “employer” for some 20 years, and I’d just like to assure everyone that breaking the collective back of our nation’s middle class is precisely what is stopping America’s employers from spending the massive amounts of cash... (Continue reading)
Mandelman’s Reluctant Analysis of Obama’s Speech – The American Jobs Act
Written on 10 Sep, 2011 at 22:21
I didn’t want to do this. I was perfectly content ignoring his idiotic drivel as I’ve been doing pretty successfully for over a year. Or, maybe it’s because he hasn’t said anything in over a year, I’m not... (Continue reading)
If Your Economic Forecasts are Wrong All the Time, Aren’t You Just Guessing?
Written on 8 Aug, 2011 at 14:31
Mark Zandi is not only misleading the American public, but he’s also misleading the American government, because he appears to have become the favorite economist of the Federal Reserve, the Treasury Department and the Senate and House Budget and Finance... (Continue reading)
How does stuff like this still happen in this country?
Written on 25 Jul, 2011 at 15:36
For my part… and yours, if you feel like I do about this… I’m going to be sending emails to my elected representatives and to the White House expressing my disgust at a government that would do this. You... (Continue reading)
HAMP, HARP, HOP, HOOP… Like Watching Someone Spend $10 Trying to Fly to the Moon
Written on 19 Jul, 2011 at 5:06
Boy, that sure is a relief, wouldn’t you say? Because, see… I had been under the impression that he had actually been trying to do something big and important and was putting his best foot forward, as it were.... (Continue reading)
Well, Now Isn’t That Interesting… All the News That Fits, We Print
Written on 9 Jul, 2011 at 7:44
1. FDIC is suing former IndyMac CEO for a lot of dough. 2. Obama admits failure on foreclosure crisis. 3. What was the tru cost of the bank bailouts?... (Continue reading)
Mandelman SHOCKS Online Community, Says: “I don’t care about my readers anymore.”
Written on 9 Jul, 2011 at 0:54
And the best part of the whole thing is that even if you’re weren’t a DOER this time around… even if until now you’ve just been a “reader,” it doesn’t matter… ANYONE CAN BECOME A DOER AT ANY MOMENT. ... (Continue reading)
Mandelman’s Monthly Museletter – Version 14.0
Written on 2 Jul, 2011 at 7:28
Happy Independence Day! 1. Bank of America... The wrong house AGAIN? 2. Let's call it: Bernankeconomics. 3. Fifty Million for 7,000 Short Sales, Cash for Sunkers? 4. The OCC says fewer than 5,000 principal reductions in... (Continue reading)
Civil Beat Reporter in Hawaii Interviews Mandelman on Fannie Mae Decision to Foreclose Judicially
Written on 15 Jun, 2011 at 18:28
"The people of Hawaii today are very proud of their Legislature for (Act 48)," Andleman said. "It was a grassroots movement, they felt like they had a real success on a national scale. I mean it was a big deal.... (Continue reading)
The Definition of Dichotomy
Written on 15 Jun, 2011 at 3:25
So, now the Attorneys General from New York and Delaware are investigating in order to find out whether trillions of dollars in loans were seriously mishandled and therefore are not in the trusts, as the banksters said they were. ... (Continue reading)
NBC/MSNBC.com Try to Cover the Foreclosures Crisis
Written on 10 Jun, 2011 at 6:34
No matter, at least you're understanding that today the people falling into foreclosure did nothing to cause their fate. It's now happening at every socio-economic level of our society, and you may be assured that it will spread and... (Continue reading)
Please Call the White House Today for Elizabeth Warren… Here’s the Number and a Script. Please Call.
Written on 9 Jun, 2011 at 14:06
I had the privilege of meeting Elizabeth Warren about a month ago when she was in San Diego and here are a few of the things she said to me... I wrote them down at the time so I'd have... (Continue reading)
Dear Banking & Government People Who Are Reading This…
Written on 8 Jun, 2011 at 5:47
You guys all now know that this thing had about as much to do with sub-prime borrowers as World War II. Unless you can point out a sub-prime borrower who was selling synthetic CDOs in Iceland, I think we're... (Continue reading)
Hey Everybody… It’s “Pretend You’re Surprised About the Economy Day!”
Written on 1 Jun, 2011 at 9:51
Falling Home Prices, the Next Financial Crisis is Near, Defaulters Aren't Deadbeats After All, the Economy with Gwen Ifill and MERS has No Clothes.... (Continue reading)
Today’s New… “But, You Didn’t Make Your Payment” Exemption to the Law
Written on 29 May, 2011 at 19:20
Don't make this more complicated than it need be. If you came and repossessed my car but were NOT the person or entity holding my pink slip, then we had a phrase to describe that occurrence as well ...... (Continue reading)
Elizabeth Warren Battles With GOP Over CFPB
Written on 26 May, 2011 at 7:29
How can ANYONE support today's Republicans in the House of Representatives or United States Senate? How can they think anyone will after seeing their behavior related to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB")? ... (Continue reading)
Guest Post: Max Gardner on Rep. McHenry’s Shameful Treatment of Elizabeth Warren
Written on 26 May, 2011 at 5:11
And now we have Brother Patrick McHenry attacking in an outrageous fashion the one and only person in America who is trying to stand up for consumers and to protect us from the Banksters who singleâ€handedly brought about the biggest... (Continue reading)
GAO Study Published May 5th Discovers Illegal Foreclosures
Written on 8 May, 2011 at 6:49
Personally, I’m holding out for the U.S. Post Office’s study of mortgage servicer performance, which I hear is going to be followed up by a scathing report being issued by the Bureau of Land Management in conjunction with the Department... (Continue reading)
Please Stop Bernanke’s Transparency – He’s Frightening the Children
Written on 30 Apr, 2011 at 7:55
Okay, that’s it… I’m convinced… Ben has never actually been to a “troubled community.” Would someone in Washington D.C please take him on a tour of pretty much anywhere Southeast will do… Minnesota Avenue, Lincoln Heights, I’m sure Anacostia... (Continue reading)
AZ Rep. Seel Drops Amendment Requiring Pre-Foreclosure Chain of Title, 2 Days After Servicer Grants Principal Reduction
Written on 29 Apr, 2011 at 19:24
As a result of that close involvement, Darrell says he personally saw the paperwork indicating both the trustee sale was being cancelled and that the significant principal reduction was being granted as part of Seel’s loan modification. He... (Continue reading)
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the AZ House of Representatives… After passing the Senate 28-2… S.B. 1259 Completely Disappeared
Written on 21 Apr, 2011 at 3:40
This is not about chain of title issues, even though it is as well. This is about our country… our republic… our representative democracy… the land of opportunity… where there are no castes from which one is relegated to... (Continue reading)
Ex-Asst. Treasury Secretary Herb Allison Back at Beautiful Connecticut Home
Written on 18 Mar, 2011 at 12:04
See, because in the old days public servants, those that worked for the government, seemed to make less money than Phil Donahue or Marlo Thomas. They didn't used to have 7,379-sq.ft. 1911 wood and stucco $25 million Greens... (Continue reading)
Ice, Ice Baby – Iceland’s people give cold shoulder to paying for acts of reckless bankers.
Written on 21 Feb, 2011 at 8:21
Now, the British and Dutch governments want their money back, but Iceland’s people are saying, well… no, not to put too fine a point on it. You might even say that the Icelanders are saying: “Hell no!” ... (Continue reading)
Sen. Whitehouse Questions Expose a Kinder, Gentler and possibly more Frightened Tim Geithner
Written on 19 Feb, 2011 at 6:56
They've finally realized it... do you think? They thought other things would have happened by now as a result of pumping trillions into banks and the economy overall... and they haven't. And housing is in a free fall,... (Continue reading)
Republicans Preparing to Play Politics With HAMP
Written on 31 Jan, 2011 at 7:17
So, just curious… who woke up the House Republicans, a group who have otherwise been fast asleep these last two-plus years, at least as far as the foreclosure crisis is concerned. In point of fact, over the last two... (Continue reading)
$160 Million to DEFEND Fannie & Freddie? Now, if I could only find that damn rabbit hole I must have slid down…
Written on 24 Jan, 2011 at 10:42
So, we the taxpayers have spent $160 Million DEFENDING them? Defending them? Gretchen… I think you must have a typo there, right? Shouldn’t the question be, how much are we spending to PROSECUTE them? I mean,... (Continue reading)
Last person out, turn off the lights, and bring the flag…
Written on 13 Jan, 2011 at 15:13
The overriding theme was that this country missed the opportunity “to rein in (our) largest financial institutions,” and they are now driving our national bus. Even in light of what’s transpired over the last few years, we’ve allowed them... (Continue reading)
BRINGING UP THE REAR: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
Written on 12 Jan, 2011 at 20:40
He went from being a man of the people, to being the best friend Wall Street could ever have hoped for, and for that the Republicans accuse him of being a socialist, while the left accuses him of being too... (Continue reading)
Obama to Cut $100 Million from Federal Budget! Yahoo!
Written on 12 Jan, 2011 at 8:49
So, I was sent this short video done by wimp.com, and I thought it was well worth sharing with everyone... ... (Continue reading)
Strategic Defaults Don’t Really Exist… Who would have thought that? Oh, that’s right… ME.
Written on 12 Jan, 2011 at 8:29
I don’t like to do this, but I’ve been trying to point this nonsense out for so many months now, I can’t even keep track. I didn’t need a study to know this, I come up with my conclusions... (Continue reading)
A Heavy Summons: The tragic shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords
Written on 10 Jan, 2011 at 0:10
Now, we are watching as the media attempts to garner viewership by covering the background of the assassin, and although no one knows the answer to why this happened, hypothesizing as to what could have motivated him to commit the... (Continue reading)
I Have Several Questions for Mortgage and Real Estate Experts…
Written on 5 Jan, 2011 at 19:35
There is no “market,” right? We really don’t know how low prices have already gone down to, because if the foreclosures were on the market or if banks were actually kicking all the people out that haven’t made payments... (Continue reading)
Geithner Won’t Quit in Battle Over Elizabeth Warren – WE NEED YOU NOW!
Written on 1 Jan, 2011 at 12:49
I didn’t realize it was liberal to want to see someone put a stop to the kind of abusive lending behavior that has stripped the middle class of just about everything they had. I guess conservatives are now the... (Continue reading)
Watch Which Words You Use With Republicans – They Could Take Their Toys and Go Home
Written on 18 Dec, 2010 at 7:52
The Republican’s version of the report is said to be a whopping 13 pages long, and is expected to place the blame for the crisis squarely on the shoulders of poor people who wanted to buy houses, and how some... (Continue reading)
Oh, Stop It! Obama-GOP Deal to Extend Bush Tax Cuts Won’t “Create” 3.1 Million Jobs.
Written on 12 Dec, 2010 at 11:49
I realize that Obama was ready to allow the tax cuts to expire now, but he’s also okay with allowing another 4-5 million homes be lost to foreclosure next year, and the same number the year after that. And... (Continue reading)
Legal Aid for Homeowners: Perhaps the only thing on the planet for which TARP funds CANNOT be used.
Written on 11 Dec, 2010 at 22:32
For some strange reason I also had it in my mind that he was the one who wouldn’t tell us what the banks did with the TARP funds… like we had no right to know what the bankers did with... (Continue reading)
The Fed Releases: The Beige Book, December 1, 2010, Summary of Economic Conditions. And I don’t know what we’d do without them.
Written on 2 Dec, 2010 at 6:33
The Beige Book, as it’s commonly known, is a report published eight times each year. Each of the 12 Federal Reserve Banks, which are located throughout the country, “gathers anecdotal information on current economic conditions in its District through reports... (Continue reading)
Where Are Our Religious Leaders?
Written on 17 Nov, 2010 at 1:53
Pardon me, but we’ve got someone in this country in charge of something called a “FOOD INSECURITY REPORT?” And Dick Fuld got $500,000,000 for bankrupting Lehman Bros. Holy Mother of God. And that brings me to the... (Continue reading)
QE2 Leaves Port, Bernanke Takes Leave of Senses
Written on 15 Nov, 2010 at 13:59
I want to go on record as saying that Bernanke’s QE2 has no chance of working, in the sense that it will do nothing positive in the long run, and won’t even do much in the short run to help... (Continue reading)
Well, Would You Look at That: Elizabeth Warren Might Be Replaced by a Bank Lobbyist
Written on 11 Nov, 2010 at 5:35
So, take a few minutes and write to your elected representative about this. No one else, unless you feel like it, just your person in Congress. Tell them this line of thought is unacceptable, that we want Elizabeth... (Continue reading)
ANOTHER THUMPIN’. And, damn if he doesn’t have me hoping for change again.
Written on 5 Nov, 2010 at 16:10
It’s worth considering, for example, that in the extreme crisis of the last two years, we might have dutifully followed a president if he would have just read us a bedtime story about a rabbit and a mule a couple... (Continue reading)
This country has changed. And it hasn’t. The power of the people remains intact.
Written on 3 Nov, 2010 at 5:21
Join me now for the stories of three such Americans. May their stories remind you of the power we all posses to serve our country and help it grow and prosper, so that our government of the people, by... (Continue reading)
House Dems Tell Justice Dept, the Fed, and Comptroller of Currency: “It is time that are held accountable for their practices.”
Written on 6 Oct, 2010 at 23:08
With the election now less than a month away, House Democrats have requested a formal investigation into the highly questionable foreclosure practices by the banks and servicers. According to the Times story, Speaker Pelosi said that “the excuses we... (Continue reading)
Bringing Up the Rear: Treasury Secretary Tim “Transparency” Geithner and his Band of Banking Sadists
Written on 27 Sep, 2010 at 5:49
But Treasury officials told the bloggers that they knew all along that it wouldn’t work, that homeowners would be foreclosed on left and right, but, they explained, that was okay with them. In fact, it was a good thing.... (Continue reading)
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – Our Tax Dollars at Work
Written on 26 Sep, 2010 at 0:31
How many homes could we have saved with $111 MILLION, Wendy? How many people could we have fed… or trained to be able to get a new job one day? We’re talking about $111 MILLION, damn it. ... (Continue reading)
Bringing Up the Rear: Senator Christopher J. Dodd
Written on 19 Sep, 2010 at 17:20
Now that Elizabeth Warren has been appointed to the post, albeit temporarily, support her with whatever support you can offer, Senator Dodd. Let the ones that oppose Elizabeth Warren stand naked in the light. And the American consumer….... (Continue reading)
Obama Administration in a Scramble to Do Something Right for Housing Market
Written on 13 Sep, 2010 at 7:54
Most of the suits allege that the trial modification plans are contracts, and that Bank of America and every other servicer broke them by not granting permanent modifications to homeowners who made their trial payments on time and provided the... (Continue reading)
Short Sale Lease-Backs Make Total Sense – Fannie, Freddie and Servicers Are the Problem
Written on 8 Sep, 2010 at 17:30
So, what’s not to love? Banks win by getting more for the property than would otherwise be the case. Investors win through earning a return that averages 15% on their investment. Banks win by getting more for the... (Continue reading)
AMERICA LOST: Treasury’s meetings with bloggers tells a story that I didn’t want to hear.
Written on 30 Aug, 2010 at 10:34
It made me sad to know what Treasury Department officials had said about the foreclosure crisis and HAMP… very, very sad. In fact, I can’t think of another time in history when my government acted as these guys have... (Continue reading)
Care to Guess How Many NEW Homes Sold Over $750,000 in June and July?
Written on 29 Aug, 2010 at 0:50
The biggest question I have about the real estate market is… why are we all pretending that there’s a real estate market at all. There’s no real estate market in this country, hasn’t been one since July 10, 2007,... (Continue reading)
GM, GMAC & the US Government… Have You No Shame?
Written on 3 Aug, 2010 at 12:23
The workers at the NUMMI plant were quite familiar with GMAC, because the mortgage lender was the only mortgage lender given access to the plant employees to sell them on refinancing their homes. "Put your cars, your credit cards... everything... (Continue reading)
The Federal Reserve Made a Record $47.4 Billion HELPING Housing Market in 2009?
Written on 27 Jul, 2010 at 20:05
The Federal Reserve, by the way, doesn’t exist to make a profit like the commercial banks. Until 2009, the Fed paid no interest on the bank reserves and other monies it holds, and it earns interest on the Treasury... (Continue reading)
Apparently Europeans Handle Bad News Better Than We Do
Written on 26 Jul, 2010 at 17:49
Because, believe it or not, not everyone agrees with our Treasury Secretary, or our President for that matter, when they say that our economy is “on track”. In fact, many think that quite the opposite is the case, and... (Continue reading)
Barofsky’s Report: Taxpayer Support for Financial Sector Now $3.7 Trillion
Written on 24 Jul, 2010 at 5:47
Taxpayer support for the financial system grew by $700 billion last year, and has now reached roughly $3.7 trillion, including TARP, Federal Reserve programs, asset guarantees and federal bank deposit insurance, among other commitments. ... (Continue reading)
Elizabeth Warren’s Appointment In Jeopardy-We Have to Act Now
Written on 23 Jul, 2010 at 5:37
Elizabeth Warren’s appointment to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the agency she conceived of and has lobbied for since 2007, is by no means assured, and in fact, sources on The Hill say they don’t think Warren will get the... (Continue reading)
Elizabeth Warren or Bust, I’m Drawing the Line
Written on 18 Jul, 2010 at 5:11
Ms. Warren should unquestionably be asked to head up this new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, bribed, begged and/or pleaded with, if need be. Without her philosophy and leadership setting the standards and tone of this new bureau as it... (Continue reading)
House Hearings to Answer Question: Are Loan Servicers Honoring Their Commitments to Help Preserve Homeownership?
Written on 6 Jul, 2010 at 11:06
Everything’s going just fine. There are no real problems with HAMP or with the servicers who are implementing HAMP. Oh sure, there have been a few challenges, but most of them have been caused by the borrowers who... (Continue reading)
Vote for South Carolina’s Alvin Greene for U.S. Senate!
Written on 16 Jun, 2010 at 17:55
Apparently, Greene was arrested in November 2009, charged with showing a pornographic Internet site to an 18-year-old female University of South Carolina student. I realize that, traditionally, senators wait until they’ve been elected to rack up their first felony... (Continue reading)
Optimism is Hard Thing of Which to Let Go – The Car Sales Recovery Surprise
Written on 13 Jun, 2010 at 20:27
Tell you what WSJ people… next time feel free to call me on stuff like that. I don’t depend on automakers breaking things out, I actually have functioning eyes and ears and I use them pretty much all the... (Continue reading)
I Guess Nobody Wants to Read Bad News: Fed Chair Ben Bernanke’s Testimony to Congress
Written on 12 Jun, 2010 at 22:50
People… we have to stop the foreclosures. They breed more foreclosures. They reduce spending and lower tax receipts. They cause increased unemployment. They cause more bonds to default. They make our banks insolvent. They... (Continue reading)
California’s SB 1275, What’s Not to Like?
Written on 8 Jun, 2010 at 7:37
“The confusion and errors that cost Californians their homes, are devastating to the state’s housing market, but are avoidable and we need this measure to stop further deterioration of the California housing market.” Center for Responsible Lending ... (Continue reading)
FHA-HAMP Helped 171 Homeowners Nationwide in April
Written on 22 May, 2010 at 18:31
The HUD Neighborhood Watch Website shows 171 FHA-HAMP modifications for the month of April 2010. What? Did they have to win a drawing?... (Continue reading)
Short Sale Power Hour Does Mandelman Matters Live!
Written on 17 May, 2010 at 18:19
So... there's a site called ShortSalePowerHour.com that's seriously into Mandelman Matters. They're a couple of very funny real estate types that specialize in helping real estate agents with the whole short sale thing. ... (Continue reading)
Mandelman Matters Presents: ARE YOU READING THIS STUFF?
Written on 17 May, 2010 at 8:45
Tweet Mandelman Matters Presents: ARE YOU READING THIS STUFF? What am I supposed to do? I read constantly and it’s painful. I figured that maybe by sharing it with you, I would know I wasn’t alone, and it would stop... (Continue reading)
Why Can’t We Answer the Question About HAMP That Could Save Taxpayers Tens of Billions?
Written on 13 May, 2010 at 5:06
How about if we all write letters to our elected representatives demanding to know the answer to this question, because the answer has the very definite potential to save many billions in unnecessary taxpayer funded expenditures associated with the current... (Continue reading)
The FTC Needs a More Reasoned Approach to Stop Loan Mod Scams
Written on 10 May, 2010 at 11:19
Yes, I’ve walked through this steaming pile of freshness so many times and in so many ways, that I’ve come to consider the idea that there’s something in the water that’s causing otherwise intelligent people to lose their capacity for... (Continue reading)
SO, HAMP ISN’T GREAT. WE KNOW. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
Written on 4 May, 2010 at 3:01
Why the banking lobby starts to look downright puny next to millions of American homeowners all shouting at the same time… “Congress better take note! We intend to use our VOTE!” Yep, after that the foreclosure crisis would... (Continue reading)
The CA State Bar’s Task Force, the OC District Attorney’s Office, Storm Trooper Tactics and Loan Modifications
Written on 23 Apr, 2010 at 5:12
Look… I don’t know Christopher Diener, I’ve never met him, and I don’t know anyone who has hired his firm to help with a loan modification. But here’s what I do know… if he’s guilty of some crime, then... (Continue reading)
Obama Asks for Help from Public to Reform Housing Finance System?
Written on 15 Apr, 2010 at 1:14
Do you suppose that next week he's going to ask if we have any thoughts on Afghanistan? Oh my God! I'm taking an Adivan. Who did he ask about health care reform? Oh my God! ... (Continue reading)
Judge Dismisses 110 of the Felony Counts Against Southern California Attorney Accused of Loan Modification Scam
Written on 12 Apr, 2010 at 17:05
You mean to say that the District Attorney prosecuting the case, who presumably had reviewed the evidence, made the decision to file the charges, had Mr. Diener arrested and then argued for a seven-figure bail amount, suggesting that he was... (Continue reading)
Did I say HELP? I didn’t mean help. I meant OFFER to HELP. Or talk about helping. It depends on your definition of HELP.
Written on 24 Mar, 2010 at 23:53
When Obama introduced Making Home Affordable he claimed that the program would help 3-4 million homeowners, but as it turns out, the program has at best helped… and I use the term "helped" very loosely… about 170,000 homeowners to-date. ... (Continue reading)
Bringing Up the Rear: President Barack Obama
Written on 23 Jan, 2010 at 2:52
Guys… we have problems, big problems… problems that President Obama hasn’t even commented on publicly since last February! Not even a comment, Mr. President? What are you thinking? And please don’t say “health care reform,’ because I... (Continue reading)
CONGRESS: It’s Not About Right and Left Anymore… It’s About Right and Wrong.
Written on 12 Dec, 2009 at 10:20
I looked up Ms. Bean… it was easy, like falling off a blog. Melissa received at least $515,438 from banks and other financial institutions, including most notably JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America. That’s a half... (Continue reading)
Obama’s Plan to Create Jobs – I’m sorry, what am I missing here?
Written on 11 Dec, 2009 at 6:25
He also said that he and congressional Democrats took "a series of difficult steps" to try to stabilize the financial system and pull the economy out of a deep recession, and I guess that it probably was difficult to do... (Continue reading)
AP Reports: Government Overstated Jobs Created by Stimulus by Many Thousands
Written on 29 Oct, 2009 at 8:09
And I most definitely want the $28.3 million that the administration was about to piss away on a company offering to staff a call center with a handful of underachievers that will answer questions like: “How do I find the... (Continue reading)
TARP Chief Elizabeth Warren Says We’ll Never Know Where TARP Funds Went
Written on 20 Oct, 2009 at 13:20
Elizabeth... damn it. That doesn't make any sense and you have to know that. First of all, I would argue that you don't have to ask in advance where your $700 billion will be going because IT's $700... (Continue reading)
Bringing Up the Rear – Ex-NAR Chief Economist David Lerah
Written on 14 Oct, 2009 at 21:56
He says he's retired, but can you retire from lying? Can you be a retired liar? How would anyone know for sure when you retired? ... (Continue reading)
Hyper-Hype Over Hyperinflation
Written on 7 Sep, 2009 at 0:58
What I find most worth noticing is that this past week, the National Association for Business Economics reported that almost half the economists surveyed believed the Fed’s policy to be inflationary. Yet the fact is, not only is the... (Continue reading)
Cash-for-Clunker Kitchen Appliances?
Written on 27 Aug, 2009 at 9:56
What's the deal Obama? I don't need this kind of charity. If you're intent on continuing this sort of thing, I'm going to start writing articles in support. ... (Continue reading)
Obama’s Figured Out What’s Missing in Our Economy…
Written on 4 Aug, 2009 at 12:39
What we’re apparently missing is the “spirit of innovation” and according to the president, we have to recapture it. I knew this was going to end up being our fault somehow. Okay, who was supposed to be watching... (Continue reading)
$23.7 TRILLION
Written on 22 Jul, 2009 at 0:29
It occurs to me that transparency is not something you should need to provide. As long as you don’t add any opacity, you’ll have transparency, no? ... (Continue reading)
The Crowd Laughed…
Written on 20 Jul, 2009 at 8:13
Geithner went on to say: "We have the deepest and most liquid markets for risk-free assets in the world. We're committed to bring our fiscal deficits down over time to a sustainable level. We believe in a strong dollar ... and... (Continue reading)
Democrats Supporting a Bill Allowing NO DOWN PAYMENT on FHA Mortgages?
Written on 18 Jul, 2009 at 14:18
HR600 is about "Seller Assisted Down Payments," which is a euphemism for a scheme that enables people who cannot save enough money to make a down payment, to qualify for FHA insured mortgages. ... (Continue reading)
The Employer No Choice Act
Written on 18 Jul, 2009 at 13:57
The new legislation essentially gets rid of the secret ballot election that in the past, has always been held to determine the outcome of a unionization drive. But that isn't really that bad, is it? I don't know what all... (Continue reading)
Excuse Me… Secretary Geithner? Secretary Donovan? With All Due Respect…
Written on 10 Jul, 2009 at 20:01
Is it just me? Am I really the only one who wants to push these clowns around the playground after school? Really? Come on… you kneel down behind them and I push them over… then we can... (Continue reading)
July’s Issue of The Niche Report… Bringing Up the Rear: FDIC Chair Sheila Bair
Written on 9 Jul, 2009 at 15:42
Tweet In case you don’t already know, I wrote the cover story for the May issue of The Niche Report magazine, titled “Pigs, Puppets & People in Peril – The Administration’s Curious Case Against Loan Modification Firms”. Â And it was... (Continue reading)
Gov. Schwarzenegger Move Will Deprive Homeowners of Legal Representation When Negotiating Loan Modifications
Written on 5 Jul, 2009 at 9:34
The only group this provision helps is the bankers, and with the hundreds of billions of bailout dollars WE'VE GIVEN THEM, don't you think they've have enough going for them? Homeowners NEED help. Don't deprive them of their... (Continue reading)
A Gangster Government: Is that what we’ve come to?
Written on 1 Jul, 2009 at 12:26
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) speaking on the House floor: Now weve moved into the realm of gangster government.... (Continue reading)
WATCH THIS! And then tell me why we can’t hit our politicians with sticks.
Written on 21 Jun, 2009 at 23:10
Because there's no reason to talk about what went on there. None whatsoever. If you're the Inspector General of the Federal Reserve and you know that $9 trillion has been spent... and you leave the office on the day you... (Continue reading)
101 Pages of Barackracy: Obama’s Regulatory Reforms
Written on 19 Jun, 2009 at 20:42
Tweet It’s been over a week since President Obama presented his plans to reform the regulatory structure of our financial markets. As someone who writes about such things, I knew many of my readers would expect me to watch the... (Continue reading)
FTC is Seeking Consumers’ Advice on Mortgage Practices: Here’s Your Chance!
Written on 8 Jun, 2009 at 23:42
2. And if you’re someone who works in or owns a private sector loan modification firm, whether real estate licensed or a law firm, now is the time to talk to your clients whose homes you’ve helped save about sharing... (Continue reading)
FTC Testifies on Loan Modification “Scams”
Written on 7 Jun, 2009 at 2:10
A Ms. Peggy Twohig, the Associate Director of the Division of Financial Practices at the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) was called before the committee to discuss the FTC’s efforts to protect consumers from foreclosure rescue and loan modification scams. ... (Continue reading)
Stop Blowing Sunshine Up My Skirt – Recovery, My Aunt Petunia
Written on 31 May, 2009 at 5:30
Tweet It has occurred to me over the last several weeks, that there are many people that simply want… and perhaps need… the news to be good, regardless of what the news actually is. When the news is not good,... (Continue reading)
