Horrible Housing News

We need a new President – one who is both truly intelligent and truly hard-working, one who even when times are tough, does not blame on people or things.

“He said the president had been briefed on the grim news of the existing home sales plummeting as the first time home buyers tax credit expired.” – ABC News
No surprise here. You take away the government propping up the market keeping it artificially high in hopes that the “Summer of Recovery” becomes more than a Biden Daydream and the market falls to the level it should have been at.
D’oh.
27 days left until “Wonder What Happened Fall” starts.

But we’ve got a mandatory healthcare bill. We just don’t have the prisons to hold all the folks who won’t be able to afford it if it ever kicks in.
Ignorance and incompetance of this caliber does not come naturally to anyone. It must be taught.

Well how bad is this? I mean, it used to be you didn’t have to spend more than a year’s salary to buy a home. Salaries and wages have not kept up with home prices, so if more people can afford a place to live (legitimately with no balloon payments) isn’t that a good thing?
Now if only rents would go down!

smartlillena: I guess the people in Martha’s Vineyard, don’t worry about housing or were the next paycheck is coming from, with the average home cost of 1.8 MILLION, but then the elite has NEVER worried about little items like that.

“We have tried spending money. We are spending more than we have ever spent before and it does not work. And I have just one interest, and if I am wrong…somebody else can have my job. I want to see this country prosperous. I want to see people get a job. I want to see people get enough to eat. We have never made good on our promises…I say after eight years of this administration we have just as much unemployment as when we started…And an enormous debt to boot!” U.S. Secretary Henry Morgenthau 1939

27 days left until “Wonder What Happened Fall” starts.
Posted by: Noz |
Hope you are right. Hope it’s not just called “The Fall”.

Well, we can all be thankful that the “Summer of Recovery” is almost over.
Most clueless administration in history.

“Hope you are right. Hope it’s not just called “The Fall”.” – Foghorn Leghorn
Well there’s Hope out there and it’s name is November.
If the Repubs can get control of the House and gain 5 or so Senators then we will finally have enough brakes to stop the Obama Folkswagon Socialist Mobile. At which point the economy will have a chance at some sort of recovery knowing there won’t be too much Washington Anti-Business Monkey Business going down. Still, NoBo will be President but with 2 years of gridlock we can survive that and maybe even prosper a little.

Fear is trumping hope.
—
Indeed. Now we know why Dems have been told not to mention a bill that was passed that was awesome when it was passed (and that nobody had read) when they campaign.

Not sure what you expect us to say…
Fear is trumping hope.
Posted by: dawn_marie |
I expect you to say that the republicans are worse. It is the predominant talking point for 2010 elections.
I expect you to NOT criticize anything any progressive has done since Barry was elected.
I expect you to say that republicans are racists and fear mongers who are anti-education and anti-poor.
I expect you NOT to say that maybe gov’t should get out of the housing markets.
Reality is trumping hope as it was always going to do.

I expect you to say that republicans are racists and fear mongers who are anti-education and anti-poor.
—-
Wow, you have a lot of preconceived ideas, all out of the Republican playbook.
lol.
very original.
but I’ll give you this much, with a few caveats.
I do think there is a racist element in the GOP base, and I think that’s why Republicans love to dogwhistle, but I tend to stick to xenophobic, which is different.
I agree on anti-education and anti-poor, and I’d add anti-science and anti-civil liberties.
And anti-workable solutions.
In addition to fearmongering I’d add fear-based and more concerned with cultural politics than solutions.
I note you didn’t mention any solid Republican solutions or ideas, which validates. Aware of any?
As I mentioned, and you exemplify, all Republicans are going to do is exploit the gloomy news– and once elected, if they are, then what? Repeal health care reform and financial regulation? Extend tax cuts to those the wealthiest Americans and pretend that’s going to fix everything?
Deregulate something and everything?
Didn’t we see how well that worked?
To have a full recovery in the housing sector we need a full recovery in the job market. Its about jobs. And we need to elect people with serious job creation ideas— but its not going to happen.
If you think it is, explain it. Walk us through it.
Personally, I see fear is trumping hope among independents. Or they are hoping Republicans have somehow changed or sending a message to Obama by voting for the GOP will somehow fix something.

“In addition to fearmongering I’d add fear-based and more concerned with cultural politics than solutions.”
Republican Senator Reid at it again!

This is what happens when you you have a bunch of “cool people” running things. The Hope and Change slogan, the Obama seal, the Greek pillars, Blackberrys, PowerPoint presentations, Summer of Recovery.
It’s all fluff that achieves nothing. The hard work is left for the grunts while the “cool people” float above the fray and come up with more useless ideas.

@dawn_marie
“I do think there is a racist element in the GOP base, and I think that’s why Republicans love to dogwhistle, but I tend to stick to xenophobic, which is different.”
Yeah. Huge difference. Racist, bigoted, xenophobic all born of tribalist ignorance. And in your world there is no such thing as a racist/bigoted/xenophoic progressive.
“I agree on anti-education and anti-poor, and I’d add anti-science and anti-civil liberties.”
The anti-education and anti-poor from a previous post of yours.
“And anti-workable solutions.”
Just because you don’t understand a solution does not make it unworkable.
“In addition to fearmongering I’d add fear-based and more concerned with cultural politics than solutions.”
Just another variation on the all-non-progressives-are-ignorant theme. I’m sure it plays real well with independents.
“I note you didn’t mention any solid Republican solutions or ideas, which validates. Aware of any?”
Noz was kind enough to prepare a list. I notice you didn’t respond to it.
“Deregulate something and everything?”
Are you capable of realizing that not all regulation is good?
“Didn’t we see how well that worked?”
Want to compare and contrast the deregulated airline industry with the heavily regulated financial, medical or housing industries?
Look at veterinary care. Highly unregulated and it works great. Does that last sentence create cognitive dissonance for you.
“To have a full recovery in the housing sector we need a full recovery in the job market. Its about jobs. And we need to elect people with serious job creation ideas— but its not going to happen.”
It sure didn’t happen in 2008. Do you have any idea why?
“If you think it is, explain it. Walk us through it.”
We agree on this.
“Personally, I see fear is trumping hope among independents. Or they are hoping Republicans have somehow changed or sending a message to Obama by voting for the GOP will somehow fix something.”
Independents. Too stupid to vote progressive. Good luck with that message.

dawn marie
“And we need to elect people with serious job creation ideas— but its not going to happen.”
I thought we did that in 2006 and 2008. You own all the expensive properties on the Monopoly game board. What’s the problem? Why aren’t you creating jobs? Let me guess: stimulus was too small.

stimulus was too small.
Posted by: MM | Aug 25, 2010 12:59:22 PM
Yes, and not focused enough on jobs.

“Why should Republicans have answers?”
Because they’re running for office?
————————
Oh boy, it doesn’t get any simpler than that. It just goes to show that Republicans think the very best an elected official can do is absolutely nothing. The fat-cats got us into this mess so it looks like only the fat-cats can get us out…or will they? I say let’s take them up on the challenge. Put the do nothing Republicans in again and after two years of replaying their empty headed corporate pandering shenanigans we’ll be looking good for 2012 and four more years.

Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn |
” And in your world there is no such thing as….”
..
Clearly, I don’t think you’ve managed to get outside your world enough to see into mine as that would be too scary. So let’s move on.
..
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn |
“Just because you don’t understand a solution does not make it unworkable. ”
..
Funny thing is I ask you to explain it, spell it out, provide more than one reference, walk me through it, and you never do, at least not with resorting to either free market mythology, austerity fables that I counter (and then you avoid the counter) or tax fables. You remain ever-aloof, making assertions without any backup.
..
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn |
“Just another variation on the all-non-progressives-are-ignorant theme.”
..
Not exactly, and actually, its most “conservatives”, and many Republicans, not all non-progressives. Not actual libertarians. Not true independents. Koch-bought “independents”, yes. Tea party “independents” who have stuck with it after realizing the movement had been taken over by the GOP, yes. Conservative intellectual elites, no; not necessarily. Moderates? No, not usually. I like Olympia Snowe and Claire McCaskill, for example. Don’t always agree with either, but I’m cool with them. And on many things, I’m cool with Ron Paul.
It actually depends on how ignorant they are. Willfully ignorant, actually.
..
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn |
“Highly unregulated and it works great.Does that last sentence create cognitive dissonance for you.”
..
No, why would it? I’d say read Will Wilkinson’s piece at the Democracy in America blog at The Economist called Swimming in America. I agree with his take on finding the right balance between regulation and freedom (after all, its not like veterinary medicine is completely unregulated. C’mon. I have four dogs and a cat, and the vet comes to our parties. And would you want human medicine to be as unregulated? Be honest.)
..
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn |
“Good luck with that message.”
Sometimes you have to call it like you see it. I care about the country, not a political party. I do think Republicans are worse than the Democrats, and I do think the independents who are going to vote Republican are in many instances making a huge mistake. If saying so, makes more independents vote Republican and drives them away from Dems, that’s pretty silly and kinda illustrates the point they’re not thinking clearly or taking the election very seriously.

It’s a perfect time to punt. The right-wing fear machine has everybody terrified of debt so the Republicans can’t spend or cut taxes very much without coming across as total hypocrites…they won’t be able to disguise the numbers like last time. They damaged the economy so severely and corporations won’t hire while the Democrats are in control so let’s make them fix it. If they do [which I think is incredibly unlikely] Obama is going to benefit from it greatly whether they like it or not, and if they don’t they’ll suffer a well deserved backlash. Come my little Republican friends…take as many of the pretty seats as you can!

“Clearly, I don’t think you’ve managed to get outside your world enough to see into mine as that would be too scary. So let’s move on.”
Really? Is there some nuance to calling republicans xenophobic, anti-poor, anti-education, anti-civil liberties, anti-science—to use your own words—that I am not getting here?
“Just because you don’t understand a solution does not make it unworkable. ”
..
“Funny thing is I ask you to explain it…”
What do you need explained?
“Not exactly, and actually, its most “conservatives”, and many Republicans, not all non-progressives. Not actual libertarians. Not true independents. Koch-bought “independents”, yes. Tea party “independents” who have stuck with it after realizing the movement had been taken over by the GOP, yes. Conservative intellectual elites, no; not necessarily. Moderates? No, not usually. I like Olympia Snowe and Claire McCaskill, for example. Don’t always agree with either, but I’m cool with them. And on many things, I’m cool with Ron Paul.”
I have nuance overload after reading that.
“It actually depends on how ignorant they are. Willfully ignorant, actually.”
The theme recurs. Ad nauseum.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn |
“No, why would it? I’d say read Will Wilkinson’s piece at the Democracy in America blog at The Economist called Swimming in America. I agree with his take on finding the right balance between regulation and freedom ”
As you are prone to beat the republicans over the head with the deregulation hammer it was a more than fair question. Can you give an example of something that is over-regulated?
“(after all, its not like veterinary medicine is completely unregulated. C’mon. I have four dogs and a cat, and the vet comes to our parties. And would you want human medicine to be as unregulated? Be honest.)”
In a heartbeat. (Wanna hear a heart warming story about a regulation that denied emergency medical care to a stray dog? It doesn’t have a happy ending.) You would prefer to subject your pets care to our heavily regulated medical industry? Or would you like to heavily regulate veterinary care? Ask your vet which he prefers.

What do you need explained?
What are the politically viable Republican solutions to our economic and fiscal problems? How will they draw down the deficit, cut taxes, create jobs and fix the housing market? Will they also decrease poverty and increase real wages? Will they result in the same thing all over again and if not, why not?

Without the stimulus, we’d be worse off. Read the CBO reports, Zandi’s analysis, etc, etc, etc.
Posted by: dawn_marie |
Now you are overstating. No serious person denies that the porkulus bill had a stimulative effect. The argument was always about how effective it was. The report by the left wingers Zandi and Blinder has been thoroughly disputed by many.
Your assertion that “we would be worse off” is at best unprovable and at worse completely wrong.

That is what I was responding to, a claim on your part to know my world. Obviously, since I think you’re a republican and xenophobic, anti-poor, anti-education, anti-civil liberties and anti-science, I don’t think you know a thing about my world.
You tend to make mind-reading and special knowledge claims a lot, special knowledge about the workings of others worlds and minds (while calling out others for labeling; its funny)
Posted by: dawn_marie |
I didn’t claim to know your world or read your mind. I do claim to read your words. If I lump you in with other progressives and get it wrong then I am sure you will correct me.
Which one of us is claiming that 1/3 of Americans are xenophobic, anti-poor, anti-education, anti-civil liberties and anti-science? Are you saying that you do that without the benefit of mind reading?

Foggy you never stated how happy you were that Prop 8 has been overturned.
I thought it was an issue you cared about?

“. Can you give an example of something that is over-regulated?”
Yep, and underregulated. Can you? Will you? Quid pro quo– you first– as we’ve played this game before and you never keep up your end of the bargain.
Posted by: dawn_marie |
Medical insurance is over regulated, especially under Obamacare.
Testing of toys is over regulated to the point of being an expensive entry barrier to small business while companies like Mattel are only slightly inconvenienced.
Housing is over regulated. It is quite literally impossible for a human being to understand all the paper work that goes in the buying a house.
Sarbannes-Oaxley is insane.
Under regulated? Well, I agree with Reagan that “there ought to be a law against saying there ought to be a law.” I’m sure there are things that need to be regulated more but I don’t have one for you now.

Republicans are more like 1/4 of Americans
—
So true. As a Democrat, I share many of the same issues with Kerry, Reid, Rangel and Dodd.

Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | Aug 25, 2010 2:45:27 PM
have to do a few things first (kids/pick up/school/homewor), but thanks for actually responding. My short answer is most industries for both as I think they’re overregulated in many ways, and underregulated in others. E.g. Banking/Wall Street– where’s Glass Steagall.
I’m also a “legalize pot” girl.

where’s Glass Steagall.
I’m also a “legalize pot” girl.
Posted by: dawn_marie |
100% agree.

Yet again you defend the insurance industry at the expense of a life….how consistent.
—-
Just take the pain pill.

Which one of us is claiming that 1/3 of Americans are xenophobic, anti-poor, anti-education, anti-civil liberties and anti-science? Are you saying that you do that without the benefit of mind reading?
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | Aug 25, 2010 2:28:15 PM
Well, I agree with Ryan C that Republicans are more like 1/4, and if I parse too much I get responses like “I have nuance overload after reading that” so I keep it simple and overgeneralize so the people I’m talking about can follow along. If I start making exceptions or leave any gray area, they seem to get confused or overwhelmed ;>)

“…some liberals now openly complaining that the program was actually more of a backdoor way to help banks, not homeowners.”
Wow, that’s never happened before!

“As much as regulators like to talk about protecting consumers, when you speak with them, it sometimes sounds more like they want more to protect corporate interests.”
Of course, if someone like me says what is the solution besides deregulate everything with a machete, the assumption will be that I must love regulation.
Posted by: dawn_marie |
Nice. And no hyper-hyperbole either.
As I believe Washington is ate up with crony capitalism the quote above speaks to me.
Now maybe sometime soon we can address your accusation that 1/4 of the country is anti-education. I sorta agree with you although I’m talking about a different 1/4. My opening salvo…50 years of federal intervention in public education and 50 years of declining results.

Fiat currency…
The Dollar is fiat currency…
What does that mean?
It means that the dollar no longer has any intrinsic value… its only value comes from the fact that you can pay your taxes with it, and the faith that the Government CAN and WILL tax the American people sufficiently to pay the Government’s debts…
To that extent… the Dollar is a faith-based currency…
As the Government’s debt soars out of control… the faith is being sorely tested… In short, the Government is now writing checks the American people cannot cash…
Fiat currency is a wonderful thing for the Government… whenever it needs more money, it can simply print it… since there is no requirement for any value backing… This makes it easy to finance out-of-control spending for wars and social programs to ensure the governments perpetuation… Of course each additional dollar printed devalues the dollars already in existence…
This causes inflation… the most cruel and regressive tax possible…
History is replete with the stories of fiat currencies… they always end badly… in default… and taking down the societies that created them…
Do you really think the US will end differently….???? The late great USA?

It will be years before the population catches up with all the homes we built over the last 15 yrs. The banks pushed mortgages on anybody who had a pulse.