A costly queer relationship

There's no reason to investigate Frank though. Right?

Not according to Frank. He say's it all the campaign finance laws fault.

Aaron wrote:Not according to Frank. He say's it all the campaign finance laws fault.

Again you misrepresent what I said. Of the investigations, I said bring 'em on.

I know you did, Ziggy. It's Sherm. He keeps saying that Congress has no authority over Fannie or Freddie or anything else but themselves. He said it again in another thread.

Stephanie wrote:I know you did, Ziggy. It's Sherm. He keeps saying that Congress has no authority over Fannie or Freddie or anything else but themselves. He said it again in another thread.

Another mis-statement or misunderstanding Stephanie.

They have authority to pass laws and promulgate regs.

But they have no executive authority to enforce those laws.

They can investigate all they want.

Is that concept really so hard to grasp?

When a Congressional committe holds hearings, investigating an industry, or an agency, and they review the reports of regulators and take sworn testimony, they are obligated to turn over to law enforcement any evidence of wrong doing. Yet that failed to happen.
When the chairmen of a committee is provided evidence of criminal activity occuring in an entity they have an obligation to hold hearings and conduct an investigation. Yet that failed to happen.

You can cover for their sorry asses all you want to. That doesn't change the fact that Barney Frank and Chris Dodd didn't fulfill their obligations as elected officials. These men took an oath to uphold the laws of this nation and they chose to do otherwise. They are not alone. They should be thoroughly investigated and if there is evidence of criminal wrong doing on their part, or on the part of any member of congress or any appointed official, they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

To sit over there in east bumchuck West Virginia and repeatedly deny that Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Maxine Waters, Gregory Meeks, and a host of other men and women elected to the House and Senate are not responsible for what has gone down with the financial industry in this country is an outrage. They had plenty of information before them. They were told by regulators that the books were being cooked over at Fannie and Freddie years ago but instead of handing that information over to the Attorney General, or the FBI, or any other law enforcement agency or official, they deliberately lied to the American people. They chose to berate the regulators. They chose to ignore the evidence. They chose to defend the likes of Franklin Delano Raines and Jamie Gorelick and a league of other criminals.

When other members of congress called for tougher regulations, or more oversight, these individuals balked. They raised a stink to the heavens insisting there was nothing amiss, but instead the Republicans wanted to make home ownership less available to minorities. It didn't happen once, it didn't happen twice. It happend for years.

You know, I am so frustrated with you because you act like everyone in this forum who disagrees with you was born with a silver spoon in their mouth. My parents weren't able to purchase their own home until I was 13 years old. They worked and saved for 14 years to be able to build that house and then spent the next 20 years paying it off.

They never collected food stamps, we didn't get free hot lunch when I was a kid and when one of us got sick, my parents paid the doctor bill. I didn't have health insurance until after I was married and a mother. My exhusband and I paid the doctor, hospital, and lab fees for the birth of my first child in installments, just as my parents did when my brothers and I were born. It took me almost 5 years......longer than my first marriage.

Geezus a chicken in every pot isn't enough. Now everybody needs a little pink house with a white picket fence. Only those little pink houses aren't good enough in the 21st century. Gone are the days when a 3 bedroom cape or ranch will suffice. We need family rooms and offices and playrooms and we want the government to guarantee our no down payment mortgage and we need help with the closing costs too by golly because we can't save for anything. We want our house and we want it now. We don't know about delaying gratification in this country any more.

We don't even have layaway in this country any longer. Remember layaway? Back when my other children were little, I would put all of their toys for Christmas on layaway at a store in RI called Benny's. I'd do this just about this time of year. I'd put down whatever I could possibly afford and then pay for the rest over the next 10 weeks or so. Benny's, man I miss that store. They'd hold the stuff for you until Christmas Eve. I never even had to hide the shit.

No more. Now even Wally World won't do a layaway. (Although when I left RI Benny's still was) Who needs a free layaway? Can't afford all those toys? Move over Betty & Wilma we're gonna CHARGE IT!!! Yeah, that's right.

This country has gone to hell in a handbasket and a big part of the reason why is folks who think that we are all entitled to everything. We're all entitled to healthcare and housing and hot lunch and free breakfasts.

I've got a newsflash for you. You're not entitled to those things. You're entitled to your life. You're entitled to your own opinions, thoughts and ideas. You're entitled (or at least you should be) to keep the fruits of your labor. Pretty much everything else you have to earn.

They can investigate all they want.

Yes. Apparently Barney doesn't want to investigate. He's shielded Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from all criticism and insisted they were both "sound" when all indications were that they were both on the brink of catastrophic failure. His actions appear criminal. Why is that so difficult to admit?

The beauty in all of this is that the work of Frank and Dodd is largely going to the end of electing Barack Obama. Machiavelli would be so proud. Appearance has trumped reality, and the party that gave us Fannie and Freddie's evils will now profit from them.

My only question is, when 2010 rolls around and our country's economy and culture is even further down the toilet, if it will still Bush's fault.

The only thing I'll say is that this is not a partisan issue and the problems didn't start 2 years ago when Democrats re-took control of Congress. There are Republican lawmakers that should answer the same questions that Barney Frank and Chris Dodd are faced with.

Stephanie wrote:To sit over there in east bumchuck West Virginia and repeatedly deny that Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Maxine Waters, Gregory Meeks, and a host of other men and women elected to the House and Senate are not responsible for what has gone down with the financial industry in this country is an outrage. .

Same thing with his buddy Fred Zane ........

Stephanie wrote:I've got a newsflash for you. You're not entitled to those things. You're entitled to your life. You're entitled to your own opinions, thoughts and ideas. You're entitled (or at least you should be) to keep the fruits of your labor. Pretty much everything else you have to earn.

You will play hell trying to convince a State or County employee of that fact, ...... especially a retired one.



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I agree that there is plenty of blame to go around, but at the same time the Dems are getting the political capital out of this.

Given how the markets are acting today, I say that it is clear that Wall St. needs to clean up Wall St's mess. It doesn't work when the government tries to.