Myth Vs Fact Helping Homeowners-Another Perspective

The looming mortgage crisis has affected almost everyone in all facets of life. When the homes will stop selling the builders stop building, the carpenters stop nailing, the painters stop painting, paint stores stop selling and Home Depot stock hits record lows. Vertical damage is universal in almost all aspects of retail, services and durable goods. Let's face it; America is a nation that is fueled by land development and salesmanship. Unfortunately, ingenuity, invention and production have taken a back seat to Americans selling products owned or built by other countries. For Goodness sake, GM is second in sales to Toyota now, who'd a thunk it?

The reason for this article is not to "bemoan today's economic footprint but to help people understand the most common myths that youhear about the housing and mortgage debacle. What you hear from our completely un-biased and non-partisan media auspiciously omits some of the important facts that might help the average American better understand exactly what we are up against.

Living in Atlanta, right around the corner from CNN, I originated my fair share of mortgages for reporters and correspondents, who will remain nameless. I can honestly attest that news reporters, anchors and correspondents have the exact same blank stare and vacant head nod as John q. Public does when loan officers dive into the details. However, now that we have a mortgage crisis they have mysteriously morphed into expert authors as they recite the Democratic talking points. If questioned, most reporters that write columns about themortgage industry have no clue as to the real-life ramifications of the political solutions they publicize and promote.

As evidence I have taken excerpts from an article by Andrew Jakabovics named "Myth vs. Fact: Helping Homeowners "and corrected some of the Democratic talking points he has recited. Mr. Jakabovics writes for americanprogress.org, an organization that resembles the aforementioned non-partisan press. My initial intention was to post this article as a rebuttal to his article on his company's website. However, after taking a glance at the website it would appear that any article that fails to blame President Bush for personally orchestrating the entire debacle will fall on deaf ears.

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The bill referred to in Mr. Jakabovics's article is the Federal Housing FinanceRegulatory Reform Act of 2008; a bill that will raise taxes on mortgages to the tune of $ 500 million per year. The bill is a part of a larger piece of legislation that will eventually transfer $ 300 billion dollars of "at risk" mortgages that have been hand-picked from our nation's lenders portfolios. These loans will carry a higher default rate that will cost the Federal Housing Administration dearly that will be made up by additional funding from Uncle Sam. Guess where Uncle Sam gets his money

Mr. Jakabovics Wrote:

1. Myth: "The bill offers a bailout to speculators."

or Mr. Jakabovics: "All legislation under consideration requires owners to live in the homes they want refinanced."

or Correct Answer: Agreed, however I do not know how much of a "myth" this is.Let's move on.

2. Myth: "The bill offers a bailout to lenders."

or Mr. Jakabovics: "To take advantage of an FHA loan guarantee, lenders and investors must take a" haircut "and pay closing costs plus an insurance premium up front."

or Correct Answer: The bill is linked to legislation that takes the worst loans from our nation's lenders portfolios and transfers them to the Federal Housing Administration which is Government funded. Am I missing something here?

Furthermore, "an insurance premium" SMES, MIP has always been on loans over 80% loan to value on ALL agency loans funded by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA. The insurance premium will not represent a change from the norm as the snap shots ™ add-on writer. I assume that the "haircut" refers to the fact that all loans will betrimmed to the actual appraised "value. This will still present FHA with an an "at risk" loan at 100% LTV.

3. Myth: "The bill offers a bailout to homeowners."

or Mr. Jakabovics: "Under the House's Home ownership Retention Mortgage program and the Senate's Hope for Homeowners program, each part of the legislation now before Congress, individual homeowners would have to pay an ongoing insurance premium to cover the costs of the FHA credit enhancement."

or Correct Answer: Ditto from above.

4. Myth: "There is no need for Congress to act. the private sector's Hope Now Alliance has been very successful in making necessary workouts. "

or Mr. Jakabovics: "Few borrowers have been offered substantive, long-term modifications to their loans. Moreover, a loan-by-loanapproach to the housing crisis simply can't address the scale of the need. "

or Correct Answer: I agree that Hope Now Alliance is inept. However it is the best response the Executive branch could muster with the Legislative branch bickering and fighting about which side of the aisle can claim credit for "solving" the mortgage crisis.

A loan by loan solution is exactly what is needed; sweeping legislation that regulates the banking industry over will stifle the flow of money. History has proven time and time again when the congress tell the banks who and how to loan their money they simply stop it uber hot babe.

The truth is, both sides deserve the blame here. In an election year neither Republicans nor Democrats are going to offer much in the way of concessions that until afterthe election. The only difference is that the Democrats have ABC, CBS, NBC and every production being produced from Hollywood cheer-leading their point of view. Admittedly, the Republicans have Fox and Talk radio, until the Dem's pass the "Fairness Doctrine."

5. Myth: "The housing crisis only affects irresponsible borrowers, so taxpayers who struggle to meet their obligations shouldn't pay for their mistakes."

or Mr. Jakabovics: "The housing crisis affects all homeowners and even renters."

or Correct Answer: Agreed, blaming homeowners for getting caught up in the mortgage fiasco is analogous to blaming kids in the 60 's for smoking pot. By in large most people caught up in that atmosphere have learned from the experience and moved on.

Myth Vs Fact Helping Homeowners-Another Perspective

Try To Remember The Good Times

Like most rumors, the latest from Russia, will no doubt pass without incident. On the other hand, there are specific details and events suggesting that this time, perhaps, things will be different. If correct, the bombing of Iran will begin no later than this coming Sunday, April 6, 2008. That day will mark the beginning of the end.

Exactly how the rumor started is unknown. The Russians, contrary to popular opinion, enjoy a greater freedom of information than that offered by the vaunted American so-called free press – which is anything but. The absolute control of our mainstream media, in fact, insures that Americans are among the most uninformed and misinformed people in the world.

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Regarding Iran, you are no doubt aware that Admiral William Fallon, the last realcommanding officer to stand up to Bush, was recently fired. Bush can now count on the sycophantic approval of General David Petraeus and others of similar ilk to approve any deranged plans that come to mind.

Those plans include the destruction of Iran's nuclear, governmental and military facilities. Civilian collateral damage is expected to be incredible but, as usual, of little concern to the warmongers in Washington.

What lends more than a little credence to this latest of cataclysmic rumors are Russian military reports indicating greatly increased U.S. military activity near the Iranian borders. That, and a new U.S. carrier group enroute to the area.

We are also sending Patriot anti-missile systems to the area and for the first time since our invasion of Iraqin March, 2003, our Navy has achieved the same numerical presence in the Persian Gulf.

I firmly believe that we'll be at war with Iran, if not by April 6th, then certainly sometime prior to the expiration of Bush's term. I think that specific dates of impending doom are floated, more often than not, as trial baloons meant to gauge public reaction.

So forget April 6 for now. We'll be at war or not, and there's not much you can do about it, or about the devastating effects of Iran's expected retaliation. I won't even mention the most obvious or the most likely. The most likely is the end of superpower Amerika-which, incidentally, is well under way, war or no war.

Consider just a few current events which have a direct and deadly bearing on your life. Consider, forexample, the prices of oil and gas. So what if gas goes up, you say. What's another buck or two? It's the thousand dollar cost in diesel fuel for truckers to load up their rigs, to deliver food to your local supermarket.

That cost is already causing a slowdown. It will soon put independent truckers out of business. Food prices are rising. Some foods will soon be rationed. Without remedial action, supermarket shelves will be empty and food riots will begin. When that happens, an agreement signed on Feb. 14 Texas will go into effect.

This is a bilateral Civil Assistance Plan between the military forces of the United States and Canada that allows the military from each nation to support the military of the other during times of civil emergencies. Canadian troops would patrolAmerican cities during times of civil unrest, and provide assistance to US Police in rounding up hungry, violent masses of Americans for arrest and incarceration.

One soldier just back from Iraq says that U.S. troops are being trained to confiscated guns and shoot American citizens, including members of their own families, as part of impending Martial Law.

Recent estimates project the Canadian armed forces in our cities as early as this summer. Food shortages being reported worldwide are expected to cause food riots in American cities at that time.

Your life might depend on the prices of oil and gas. And while you're at it, maybe it wouldn't hurt to urge your Congress Critter to publicly investigate why our mainstream media has the full powers of censorship andabsolute control over what the American sheeple are allowed to know about this, and many other subjects.

But maybe it's all a wild exaggeration April Fools Day. While you're driving to work, keeping an eye on the gas gauge and slowing down for unmarked patrol cars, and keeping your eyes peeled for Canadian tanks-you remember the subprime mortgage on your home. And April Fools Day is over.

We've seen some of the pictures on TV. Homes foreclosed. Furniture and personal possessions dumped unceremoniously on lawns. And there are 2 million plus homes to go! American dreams shattered on the altars of greed, big oil and proxy wars for Israel.

Some homeowners are returning their keys and walking away-devastated by thoughts of their continued obligation to repay theirextorted mortgage payments, whether in ownership of their homes or not. Wondering how they'll survive without shelter or income. Contemplating a new lifestyle in a homeless shelter or in a cardboard box under a bridge.

Some are trashing their homes before they walk away. An increasing numbers do they need? ("Welcome to Wal-Mart. How can I help you? ")

No other jobs left. Put your money in silver or gold or weapons of self defense. A good shotgun might come in handy. Or find a good supplier MRE-Meals Ready to Eat. I hear they're quite tasty now. Think survival.

If you're in the stock market, get out. Especially, get out of dollars. The American Dollar has begun its final slide to oblivion. Its value, sometime this year, should be close to zero. You might want to stock upon Chinese Renminbis, especially if you plan continued Wal-Mart purchases. And a nice stack of Euros would certainly help. Even now, countries all over the world are demanding payment in just about anything except the American dollar.

Another sign of the Good Times going Bye Bye is the Congressional Budget Office's projection that, as of the fiscal year beginning in October, 28 million U.S. citizens will be using foodstamps to buy essential food. A new symbol of poverty and obvious, disgraceful reminder that the richest country in the world is facing financial ruin.

Maybe we should hasten that day by starting another war in the Mid East. After all, Afghanistan and Iraq are costing us only 12 billion dollars a month. That's 12 billion dollars. Every month. I'm sure we could finda few more bucks by cutting back on benefits to wounded servicemen. By eliminating wasteful school programs or health benefits for disadvantaged kids, or repairing deteriorating infrastructure-or any number of other non-essentials.

Here's another little item of interest you might want to consider as you attempt to economize and survive the meltdown and destruction of almost everything. That used car you might be considering buying now comes with a catch. An unbelievable, Police State loss of freedom catch designed to manipulate and control another aspect of your life.

It's icing on the cake. Thought you lost everything? Here's something you could lose, on top of everything else. It's like visiting a loan shark, knowing you'll have 2 broken legs when you miss your promisedpayment. It's legitimized crime.

An estimated 7 million subprime borrowers are discovering used car a little box under their dashboards that forces them to make their payments on time. A light flashes and a beeper goes off when payment is due, usually every 2 weeks. When payment is made, the customer receives a six-digit code number to reset the box.

If payment is not made-for whatever reason-the vehicle won't start and a Repo man is notified. A recent innovation is connecting the device to a global positioning unit. The car automatically shuts off and a message goes out to the lender with its exact location-making repossession easier.

Can you picture the driver of such a car, who has just lost his home to foreclosure-who has just lost his job due to outsourcing-who has used up his allotment of food stamps-who is looking for a warm place to spend the night-any place-wondering about his prospects, his future, his next meal-when suddenly his car stops. Lights on his dashboard begin to blink. A buzzer goes off. Again and Again and again. How does he feel? What does he do?

Can you spell Road Rage? That doesn't begin to describe it. I know what I'd like to do if I found myself in that situation. And if I was the predatory finance company manager who made such loans, I think an investment in a good Kevlar vest would be mandatory.

But, of course, things could be worse. Really? Newsflash: Your government is your enemy. As Kris Kristofferson used to say, "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose. How much more are youprepared to lose? You are about to experience freedom-Kristofferson's version. Go back and reread Orwell's 1984. You might find yourself-and your chosen future.

Getting back to the impending war with Iran, here are a few more tidbits suggesting its actual possibility.

Saudi Arabian newspaper Okaz reporting on Dick Cheney's March 22 visit, said they were preparing to deal with any sudden nuclear and radioactive hazards that may affect the Kingdom following warnings of possible attacks on Iran's Bushehr nuclear reactor.

Vladimir Putin received an interesting presentation at the NATO summit in Romania this week. The Russians were advised to remain neutral in the scheduled attack against Iran's nuclear facilities. As usual, the American "diplomacy" consisted of bribes andthreats.

NATO would reject Ukraine and Georgia's memberships, and planning for a US Missle Shield in the Czech Republic and Poland would be terminated.

On the threat side, the Russians could expect American and European banks to collapse had deliberately the Western banking system and the U.s. Dollar--which would create the loss of almost $ 800 billion of Russian foreign reserves.

It will be interesting to examine the Russian response-especially in light of their recently published statement to the effect that an attack on Iran would be considered an attack on Russia.

Perhaps we should put our hopes in the statement last November by Yuri Baluyevsky, chief of Russia's general staff, that Russia is not "obliged to defend the world from the evil Americans."

WhatRussia will do-or China-is anyone's guess. Both are heavily invested in Iran. Saudi Arabia has ordered its people to prepare for nuclear war. Israel is also preparing and has scheduled a national emergency drill.

The Russians also reports that Israel is planning a simultaneous strike against Syria, which has raised its security alert and is preparing for imminent invasion. The Israeli strike against Syria will include another attack on Hisbullah, which has now rearmed with better, longer range missles, and is more than prepared to teach the brave Israelis another lesson.

What happens, happens. We'll find out soon enough. Maybe too soon. Maybe we should put all our hopes in one of the presidential candidates. Pick a warmonger of your choice. Then again, as usual, we don'treally have a choice. Do we? We had one. Ron Paul. We could have had it all. Instead, we choose destruction.

At this point, we can only hope that events will lead to war crime trials for Bush, Cheney and the republican administration. The International Red Cross has acquired a mountain of evidence in expectation of same. We desperately need another Nuremberg. To properly fix the blame and responsibility and to bring some semblance of justice to the horrors and evil perpetuated in our name.

Someone has to pay a price. If an indifferent American public can't be made to see that, then we will all pay a price-every last one of us. We are no different in any way from the 1930 's Germans who accepted Hitler's every lie. Now we have our own version, bent on conquering theworld-and if we can accept his lies, we share the guilt and blame.

Be prepared also to accept the justified retribution of an entire world-and beyond that, to divine retribution from which none of us will escape.

There's still a little time. Still a little hope. Try to remember the good times. They may be worth recapturing after all.

Try To Remember The Good Times

IRS Spouse Protection Through Injured and Innocent Spouse Relief

There are many innocent spouses who find themselves in a tax fixes because of the negligence or carelessness of their partners. A spouse may find that they owe taxes and penalties for incomes they were not aware of. However, the IRS now has two programs to protect such innocent spouses. The Innocent Spouse program seeks to protect a spouse from tax obligations and penalties from engagements that they were not aware of. On the other hand, the Injured Spouse program enables a spouse to claim their rightful share of a tax refund.

Injured Spouse Program

Mortgage Life Insurance Leads Programs

The Injured Spouse program is the more popular of the two among Americans, mainly because many are not aware of the Innocent Spouse program and the benefits it poses. The Injured Spouse program basically enables a spouse toclaim for a full portion of a tax refund for debts deductions that he or she shouldered alone. In case one of the spouses has a house or a life insurance policy and they are seeking a tax refund for the mortgage relief or the premiums paid for the life insurance, then normally, such tax refunds are paid to both spouses if the tax refund was done jointly.

However, under this program, the spouse who has a direct claim to these refunds can use the Form 8379 to have the full refund forwarded to him or her. The form enables one to show the allocation of various incomes, deductions, and tax liabilities for jointly submitted returns. Through this Form 8379, they can explain why they feel they are due for all the refund. The claim can also be for a larger proportion of the tax refund basedon the nature of the refund claims. Using the Form 8379 to show proportional deductions on a joint return is better than spouse filing separately as separate returns will mean losing out on a lot of tax deductions that are due to joint returns.

Innocent Spouse Relief

The Innocent Spouse Relief is a very beneficial spouse protection program, especially owing to the high rate of divorces in the U.S. In fact, Congress is currently looking into reviewing the 2-year rule on the program, which gives taxpayers a 2 year window to apply for the relief. The Innocent Spouse Relief program is filed by a spouse who claims to have no prior knowledge of a tax problem that leads to penalties and other tax liabilities. For example, a spouse may have gotten some income in a given year and hideit from his or her partner and did not indicate the income in the joint tax returns. If the IRS caught up with the couple, the innocent spouse can claim tax liability exemption through the Innocent Spouse Relief program.

However, the spouse needs to prove that he or she was not aware or involved in any way with the tax problem. Such an innocent spouse needs to Form 8857 files out and explain their innocence. Currently, for a spouse to use this Innocent Spouse Relief, they will need to have filed the joint returns not more than 2 years from such claims. Besides this, they need to either be divorced or separated legally to claim this program or the non-innocent spouse needs to have died by the time of filing the Form 8857. Furthermore, the couple must have been separated at least oneyear from time of filing the Innocent Spouse Relief claim.

Claiming these programs is not as straight forward as is the case with most other tax issues. You may need the help of a tax expert to go about such a claim.

IRS Spouse Protection Through Injured and Innocent Spouse Relief

What's With Seniors, Why They Are Afraid of a Reverse Mortgage?

Q: So Why is it that they still fear it?

A: Well the number one reason that I have found is they still lack the understanding of the safety of the mortgage. They listen to everyone in the media who says it's bad!

Mortgage Life Insurance Leads Programs

Q: So why does the media say it is a bad program?

A: The media always plays their stories to the bad side of everything this is a Fact. Listen or Read a Newspaper article or how many times you really get good news on the front page or as a lead story. Bad News Sells this is the facts. The other issue is in most cases the person who is doing the story is not a senior who is in trouble financially or has seen their life savings disappear.

Q: So what makes this Mortgage have a 97% satisfaction Rate over other programs?

A: Well let's look at theprogram and what it does for seniors that NO other mortgage or public program can do.

It allows a senior to use their number one asset and convert it into cash or credit line without having to qualify. Once they have a Reverse Mortgage they never have to make a mortgage payment ever again in life. They can remain in their home for the rest of their life; No one can ever take the home for failure to make their mortgage payment. Having money to pay for necessities such as medicines, healthcare, even trips or just going to the movies if they wish. In other words More Freedom

The only requirement that they have to make is what they must do in any mortgage, Pay Taxes, Pay Insurance, live in their home and keep the up keep going

Q: So how can seniors receive themoney?

A: This is the best part the senior can choose to receive the money in a multitude of ways that they can change over time.

1. Such as first they can take all of the money at once.

2. They choose to have a monthly income for life and this does mean life until the last person dies or moves out of the home.

3. They can setup a credit line that keeps growing and never adds to the loan balance until the money is actually used.

4. They can choose any one of the different ways to control the money it's up to the senior no one can tell them how or what to do with the money.

Q: What does it take to qualify for a Reverse Mortgage?

A: This is the easiest part for any senior! If a senior or couple they must be 62 years or older. They must hold titleto the home it does not have to be free and clear but it should have at least 50% equity.

Q: Can the Bank take my Home?

A: No Plain and Simple the bank does not take title to your home you remain the owner at all times.

Q: What about my children or heirs?

A: This is a question that many seniors ask and the easy way to answer this is simple If you needed money and not just five dollars to pay for medical, taxes, or other large expenses would your heirs or children send or be able to send you the money just because you asked? Here is the answer to the 64 Thousand dollar question they are in most cases suffering the same financial issues as you and in some cases even more the economy has not chosen who to hurt it affects everyone in different ways.

Here's myquestion to you the reader!

Q: Where is it written and who said that it is the responsibility of a parent to leave anything to their children or heirs? If you have this answer please post it so everyone can see that this is not nothing but a falsies. The only obligation that seniors have is to you; and to give yourself the life you worked their entire life for and not put a burden on anyone else financially. Now that does not mean they cannot ask or receive help from family for other issues if they take care of their financial lives and keep their heirs from incurring debt when you are gone. The Reverse Mortgage is the only NON_RECOURSE LOAN AVAILABLE

For more information on how a Reverse Mortgage can help go to the Reverse Mortgage GUIDE

What's With Seniors, Why They Are Afraid of a Reverse Mortgage?

If There is No Bread, Let Them Eat Cake

Nearly everyone has heard or read that famous quote, generally attributed to Queen Marie-Antoinette of France.

True or false, the quote is so pithy that it has survived both controversy and the passage of time. By now it has become the most common expression of the indifference of rulers to the plight of their subjects or citizens.

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It might well be given new life in our current circumstances.

Our economic situation is not unlike that of late eighteenth century France. For a generation or so the income gap between the elites and the bulk of the population has been widening. Government debt is heading for an all-time high and budgets are out of control. Trust in government competence is falling and its ability to face growing challenges is in question.

Inaddition there is a developing dichotomy in economic perception: for the political and economic elites the present economic crisis has been taken care of, while for the mass of the population it only appears to be getting worse.

Are we, like Marie-Antoinette's France, headed for an upheaval? We asked that question nearly four months ago, but on much more limited grounds. At the time we simply put in doubt the government's ability to manage massive new programs such as cap-and-trade and national health care.

Now, in addition to the above, one can question not only the state's administrative abilities, but its understanding of, and dedication to, the interests and welfare of the population.

The strongest reasons for such doubts are provided by the government effortsto establish the financial sector. This is the very sector which first bankrupted itself through speculation on mortgages and other assets, and then proceeded to hobble the rest of the economy through speculation in commodities, including fuel and food.

Both the last and current administrations have rewarded these gigantic failures with multiple trillions in bailout programs and interest-free money, all funded by the taxpayer. In return the taxpayer got a few months of extended unemployment insurance.

If the economy is truly on the mend as advertised such use of public funds might be tolerated. If on the contrary it is not, there will be an increasingly negative perception of the government's role, with much anger and .resentment thrown in.

In the past, free marketcountries have appeased public anger by taking a page out of the socialist definition of the provident state: social safety nets, public health programs, public works, and subsidies of all kinds.

This was effective in a society that was mainly capitalist. But socialist mission creep ultimately leads to stifling inefficiency. We have now reached the point where the cost of additional statistic programs outweighs their benefits, and where further increases of the deficit threaten to collapse the entire structure.

This situation raises the possibility of a deadlocked, us-versus-them stand-off with potentially uncontrollable outcomes. To avoid this we must channel our energy into constructive rather than adversarial channels, and establish grounds for cooperation rather thanantagonism.

Fortunately there is ample opportunity for this.

In our book, we have designated energy supply as the key challenge of this century. This challenge does and will demand governmental action. But we do not need to wait for this to happen. The field of energy supply is so vast that immediate action is possible in many sectors and at every level.

Energy efficiency can be improved by individual and small-group action, be it conservation, information, communal food production or the purchase of efficient hardware. Collective understanding and organization vastly increases the impact of such initiatives. Each individual has only one vote and limited material means, but an organized group of individuals equals to market as well as a voting bloc.

Markets motivatedcorporations, and voting blocs move politicians. Corporations have technical talent as well as financial means. Politicians are open to demands from their base.

However, under current circumstances, both politicians and the heads of corporations are still followers rather than leaders. Action must begin at the grass roots. This is not unlike what happened at other key periods of American history such as the Revolutionary and pre-Civil War times.

In the end it will be up to all of us.

If There is No Bread, Let Them Eat Cake

Replacing Our National Pride With a Victim Mentality

In the 1999 movie "Cider House Rules" based on John Irving's 1985 novel of the same title, one of the leading characters, Homer is asked to read a set of typewritten rules that are tacked to a post where the cider house workers sleep. The workers begin to laugh and ridicule the rules such as "no smoking in bed" or "no operating the cider press" after drinking alcohol. Finally, one of them tells him to stop reading. "They aren't our rules. We didn't write them. I don't see no reason to read them, "he says.

I still marvel at the effectiveness of open aviaries. They have a remarkable ability to keep birds captive with no glass or cage of any kind except the walls that exist in the imaginations of the birds themselves. Whether it is fear of the unknown or just the naturaltendency of birds to avoid venturing beyond their comfort zone, something within the birds ' inner being keeps them predictably in line. Yes, I know aviaries are pretty and cool and all of that. But they are also monuments to mankind's propensity to figure out how to capture, manage and control other creatures for its own advantage.

That is where government comes in. Unlike other animals, people have concepts such as ideals, morals, and ethics that can also be aquamaps data sources: GBIF to draw boundaries around their movement. A common pattern of those we often see on the domestic violence docket is the "blame it on the" victim "excuse. Batterers of their spouses or children often explain that it was the actions of the victim that "drove" them to be such dirt bags. For those seeking to control otherpeople, fear and shame can be very powerful tools.

Don't think for one second that this toolbox has been overlooked by politicians, clergy, bankers and others whose mission in life is to make sure you don't wander far from the aviary. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand how the country got into the hole we find ourselves trying to claw out of today.

Mortgage Life Insurance Leads Programs

Our country cannot seem to distinguish between the virtual world and the tangible one. We let our politicians get away with treating rhetoric the same as flesh and blood. Why wait for an actual attack? We can declare war on "poverty" (the human condition), or "drugs" (plants and chemical substances the government does not tax), or "terrorism" (a criminal tactic) and point to this "war" as an excuse to undermine basicfreedoms. Never mind the absurdity of failing to make these obvious distinctions. These phony wars are by definition impossible to "win". And if winning is not the goal, the only other possible function they can serve is to take away our civil liberties.

The national poverty rate may not have gone back to where some nineteen percent say it was when President Johnson declared a "war on poverty". But one in seven Americans are now at or below the poverty rate; and that number has been climbing steadily since 2000. The idea that we are making progress in the "war on drugs" is not taken seriously by any law enforcement agency. And who really believes we will ever capture, kill, or otherwise dominated "terrorism"?

This tendency of ours to blindly swallow the substitution offictitious concepts for the real world has made us the perfect victim. We have legally defined imaginary entities (corporations) as "persons" with all of the rights and virtually none of the responsibilities that are incumbent upon you and me. This places them at a remarkable advantage when they compete against us in the halls of congress and on the street. Legislators, our law makers, are openly bought by an unlimited quantity of these virtual persons that decide what the rules of our "democracy" will be. While deluding ourselves into thinking we are guided by morality and ethics, we have delegated rule-making to a small band of robots that were hand-picked, paid for, and placed in office by investors that don't even pretend to have any objective other than to increase the bottom linefor their shareholders.

More people are hurting. And foreclosures are at an all-time high. So we are told that this generation lacks the moral character of earlier generations. Look how many are walking away from their house rather than selling their fist-born to pay the mortgage. How could they do that to the poor defenseless bank (you know, the one that has been guaranteed protection from our government)? What is the difference? Well, for one thing, when your grandfather would have died before he stuck the banker with the debt for his house, it was another human being-the banker that he did not want to leave holding the bag. He got the loan by going in and talking to the banker who decided (sometimes largely on your grandfather's character) to take a chance on him and write themortgage. He did not write the loan for more than the house was worth. And because the banker was not a crook, "no one could have sold the house to your grandfather for substantially more than it was worth. Your grandfather could not have qualified for such a loan. In an honest world trust is mutual.

If the government (you can't blame either political party because Bush started the bail-outs and Obama carried the program forward without missing a beat), had not come rushing to the banks ' rescue, what would have happened? Some banks would have walked away from the debt they owed to their depositors. Most of those depositors would have been okay because the government had insured their accounts. Did that make them "too big to fail" for our sakes? Not hardly. If that had happened theFDIC would have had to bail out human beings. But until Mr. Geithner came along with the Bush-Obama Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), no one was there to bail out their rich colleagues. Those not covered by FDIC (mostly corporations) that had more than $ 250,000 in deposits would have lost big and declared bankruptcy. When was the last time you saw someone criticize a corporation for filing for bankruptcy? No one really blames them. It's business. They are not expected to follow our rules. We are not the aristocracy. We are the surfs, in this case the victims. Is it rational to blame the victims for not following a different set of rules than the batterers?

I fear that we are becoming a society that no longer understands the humans used to make distinctions. It's every man forhimself; and it's all about the money. After all, there are rules involved here.

Copyright 2010, Rick d. Massey, JD

Replacing Our National Pride With a Victim Mentality