<p>Now this is how we all should play together…I know who you are voting for…just don’t expect me to pull the same lever ;)</p>
<p>Anything good at the backe sale…I am in the mood for rice krispy treats!</p>
<p>Now that we’ve all had some time to catch our breath, sing “coom-by-ahh”, and break from the group hug (You know, I feel just a touch Ver-klempt! Talk amongst yourselves! 
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<p>Has anyone else felt just a little better heading into November. I really think we are lucky. Two candidates that I think can make a difference, and I think we can get back on track with either one in office. Granted, both have minor faults and stances both sides may not agree with, but who does? But, and most importantly, both have characteristics that we can admire. I feel we’re in for something better come January</p>
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<p>Goes back to me calling him ANAL…I actually say to him quite often, through my laughter…you are such an a**hole!</p>
<p>No rice crispy treats, but a decadent array of brownies, cookies, cakes, and pies. …</p>
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<p>Amen to that! I’m a big Obama-ite (in more ways than one, after eating half the baked goods on the table yesterday!). But I don’t kid myself–despite my disagreements with McCain, he’s a much better man than our current prez … in my humble opinion.</p>
<p>Careful Hindoo…some of the less sensible might turn on you for admitting McCain is the devil part 2…</p>
<p>And Hindoo, you know I’m leaning towards Mccain, exclusively becuase I’m closer to him on most of my most important issues. BUT, I would be almost as happy to have Obama in the office representing my country world-wide. It would be nice for a change to have a leader whose speech inpires versus makes you wince.</p>
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<p>Supposed to be “isn’t”…sorry.</p>
<p>Tomorrow through Thursday I will be with a client that is purchasing her 2nd property with me in the last 6 mos. She said to me a couple of weeks ago, I know you disagree with me, but I wanted you to know I am going to the DNC and casting my vote for Obama, and she hoped I was okay with that. I told her I thought what she was doing was phenomenal(sp?) and I was jealous. The only time I am not okay with anyone is when they criticize, and do not vote. Her S-I-L was an officer in the Army, and he agreed with me. We have this amazing right to vote, and yet very few choose to exercise it, however many more choose to condemn who ever is in office. </p>
<p>I am naive, I willl support who ever is in the position, they deserve it. That doesn’t mean I agree, but I will acknowledge that no matter what someone will criticize them, the President can never make every American happy, but at least he guarantees they have the right to call him out!</p>
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<p>That’s absolutely right. I can’t even imagine why someone who could vote would choose not to. I’ve voted in every single election since I was 18 (about two or three years ago… ok, maybe more). The thrill of pulling that lever or pushing that button just never gets old. Yet some pathetically huge percentage of our voting-age population just doesn’t care. It’s sickening. </p>
<p>I have a lovely, very conservative 86-year-old neighbor lady who I drive to the polls each election. We stroll into the polling place together and every single time, we cancel out each other’s vote. I’m still trying to bring her to her senses, but no luck yet!</p>
<p>Good for you! </p>
<p>I couldn’t care less if you vote for McCain or Obama…I only remember in the last election Paris Hilton and P. Diddy doing the get out and vote campaign, to only find out neither were registered! That drove me insane.</p>
<p>Do not sit on Oprah’s couch and say you need to register and vote, it only takes a few minutes, knowing you have not done it.</p>
<p>I didn’t know that about P. Diddy. How disappointing.</p>
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<p>That’s one way of looking at the situation. Some people, however, blame conservative free market ideologists–who have been extremely influential since the Reagan era–for the mortgage crisis. These free-market proponents believe government regulation of private business is the problem and not the solution. Rep. Barney Frank went so far as to say that the recent subprime lending phenomenon was a “natural experiment testing the theories of those who favor radical deregulation of financial markets.”</p>
<p>I agree who pmrlcomm, who likened the subprime crisis to a perfect storm of events. There’s enough blame to go around everywhere:</p>
<p>-Congress, which ignored warnings about the need for increased regulation of mortgage markets</p>
<p>-The Fed, which kept interest rates too low (below the inflation rate) for too long</p>
<p>-Alan Greenspan, who ignored warnings from other Federal Reserve Board members about the dangers of subprime mortgages and predatory lending practices</p>
<p>-Sleazy mortgage bankers and brokers, who lobbied extensively at both the state and federal levels to keep government regulators off their backs</p>
<p>-Naive borrowers</p>
<p>Back in the early 90s, I was a mortgage originator for a S&L that went belly-up in the S&L fiasco. I thought we had learned a good lesson then. Boy, was I ever wrong.</p>
<p>The only correction I have to your list, mapesy, is that the majority of the borrowers I saw weren’t naive, they were greedy and/or ignorant. Naive is giving them a free pass. </p>
<p>When you sit across from a couple who have the GFE you prepared and one from another broker. You put them side-by-side and yours is higher because you actually, heaven forbid!, disclosed all of the fees and charges, and they point that out. Then you point out that the other one doesn’t have title insurance, pre-paid interest, etc… They thank you as they tell you they appreciate your honesty and will call you after they think about it. You call them back in a day or two and they signed with the other guy.</p>
<p>A month later you get a panicked phone call from them saying “I think we made a mistake”. You ask them what happened and you get “when we went to the closing the fees were a lot more than they were originally…yours would have been a better deal (higher rate, adjustable rate not fixed, etc… Pick your bait and switch”. Did you get up and walk out? “No, we signed the papers.” When? “A week ago.” What you want to say is “Sorry about your luck you greedy dumba**.”</p>
<p>I can’t tell you how many times that happened in one form or another. Like voters, they didn’t want to hear the truth and went where they liked what they heard and then were too stupid to stop before they made a mistake. This isn’t all of the borrowers but enough that it contributed greatly to the current problems. I don’t absolve the lenders or brokers a bit but I don’t feel sorry for nor do I have compassion for the ones that put themselves into these situations (not everyone is being forclosed on because of their stupidity or greed). Whew, glad I got that off my chest!</p>
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<p>I have been very confused about this myself. When person B makes a valid response to person A, then I look to see how person A counters that, and he doesn’t. He just keeps coming up with more stuff, and it doesn’t matter if it’s true or not, because he won’t acknowledge it if his stuff is proven wrong.</p>
<p>Therefore, I think we should post a response of agreement when someone effectively counters another’s argument.</p>
<p>You’re absolutely right about the greed of some borrowers, pmrlcomm. For what it’s worth, I chose the term “naive” because I don’t like the word “stupid.” “Ignorant” is probably a better description. Can I revise that last point to “ignorant and/or greedy borrowers”?</p>
<p>Also, I forgot this one (relevant to some localities):</p>
<p>-Speculators (flippers)</p>
<p>Yeah. The flippers were a special group. That took coordinated efforts by just about every segment of the industry. I’ve seen numerous places have the FBI roll in and cart everything out. </p>
<p>I’m amazed we actually agreed on something…LOL There’s a commonality somewhere for everyone (except maybe bedhead and kluge j/k!).</p>