Some Musing on a Sunday Morning

Sub-prime mortgage crisis – Why foreclose?

I know the fiasco is very complex and convoluted but let’s not make it even worse. Foreclosures result in empty houses, empty houses degrade neighborhoods, degraded neighborhoods lower property values, etc etc. So, wouldn’t it make sense for lenders to try to work something out with folks (primary residents) to keep them in their homes?

As for speculative buyers, that is a different. Flip this house? No, just flip this…. And how about the institutions that fueled this insanity? Methinks we are headed for another “savings and loan” type of bailout. And there will be little accountability to the “robber barons” who profited.

There are many causes for this crisis, all rooted in greed. Interesting to look at these “bubbles” and note that they seem to burst when the “common man” gets involved. When every Joe or Jane thinks they can make a quick fortune you are headed for trouble. I can’t remember where I read this but one a the big financiers who survived the stock market crash said he knew it was time to get out of the market when he started getting stock tips from his shoe shine boy.

Impeachment

From my viewpoint we need impeachment but not to “get” George W. We need it to restore the constitution. So much has gone wrong in the last seven years because the constitution was trampled. Not only the President has been at fault but Congress essentially abdicated.

Oil prices

Most folks I talk to like to blame the oil exporters, the growth of the Chinese or Indian marketplace or government regulation for the oil situation. I wonder if most folks have paid attention to the growth of investment fund into the speculative oil marketplace? The info I have seen that there has been a growth of this type of “oil trading” of one to two orders of magnitude. By the way, who has investments in these funds? Probably all of us, especially in pension funds and 401’s. So next time you fill up instead of thinks of the cost, consider the growth of your investment!

Democratic Primary

Well thank heavens we will finally have some say in the race for the White House. When was the last time this happened? I only regret is that the race is turning nasty. Why do Dems have the need to devour their own? The race is close because the candidates are very similar in their positions. So why not talk about their approaches to solving the problems. As we know there are many routes to a solution some of which may not work. So how will these candidates “get there”? By the way, how much experience did Bill Clinton have when he took office? What a bogus issue. The candidates need to differentiate themselves without going negative. They also need to begin the run for November by showing that they will s