What Matt Damon is not Smart Enough to Understand

At the MIT Commencement, Matt Damon, actor (not economist) stated that it was the banks and Wall Street that caused the economic collapse, further stating they committed theft and fraud.

I'll get to the specifics that show Mr Damon's ignorance shortly, but for now I will state unequivically (and will prove) that it was not the banks and Wall Street (though they may, indeed, be corrupt). The only theft and fraud was when the government, ruled by a Democrat majority, bailed them out, and when Obama stole the money from GM stockholders and gave it to his donor buddies in the unions. THAT was the theft and fraud. The banks and Wall Street were mere beneficiaries of Democrats giving away taxpayer money to their cronies and donors.

So, just exactly what DID cause the crash? Would you beleive it was 60 years of Democrat bills? And Mr Obama, himself? Did you know it was Obama, as a lawyer in the 80's, who sued to force banks to issue bad mortgages to people who could not afford them? And that forced banks, in order to protect their depositors, to reduce the risks by "bundling" those sub-prime mortgages, creating the derivatives that brought down Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac?

All economic experts and studies agree on a couple of points - the meltdown was triggered (not caused by) the selling of "derivatives" and the foolishness and mismanagement of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which in turn caused the housing industry to fold up like a cheap suit. This resulted in foreclosures, bankruptcies and further resulted in products not being purchased, as people are not furnishing or remodeling homes, or they simply do not have the money, as their recent home equity loans put them under water. Like the ripples when you toss a stone into a pond, the devastation spread outward, touching even the furthest shore.

So, why did this happen? The answer is complex, but I will attempt to simplify it a bit.

The infamous derivatives, the main trigger, are nothing more than a bunch of risky mortgages bundled together, then shares of that bundle are sold off to investors - because of the risk, most were purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. So the question now is, "Why were there so many risky mortgages? It sounds like the banks are responsible, just as the Democrats say. Those nasty banks made bad loans, which were bundled by that greedy Wall Street  bunch, and sold off to the mismanaged Fannie & Freddie. Right?"

Not quite. It LOOKS that way, and that is what Democrats want you to believe - they need to have voters hate all the appropriate "straw men". And, since the trigger was pulled while Bush was in office, they claim it is therefore "Bush's fault."

But things are rarely as they appear. Let's dig a bit deeper.

Barney Frank (D) and Chris Dodd (D) were the guys who were supposed to be overseeing Fannie Mae. When George Bush and John McCain saw problems arising in 2003-04, they attempted to push through a bill that would regulate them better. Frank & Dodd killed the bill, convincing Congress that "Fannie Mae is fine - there are no problems."

So, in the final stages, it was Democrats who not only fell asleep at the wheel, but convinced Congress not to take action. Now we go deeper.

Why were derivatives even necessary? Why were those risky mortgages being created? And this is where it begins to get meaty. It actually starts back in the '70's, under Jimmy Carter (D). Democrats believed that every American - even the poor - should be able to own their own home. But banks did not want to make such risky loans in areas known as "redline districts" - areas that were in decline and/or populated by the poor. In other words, since banks are in the business of making money, not losing it, they were reluctant to loan money to people who could not repay.

In come the Democrats, led by "community organizing" groups like ACORN. Together they pass a law in Congress known as CRA - the Community Reinvestment Act. This bill REQUIRED banks to make the risky loans. Banks were no longer permitted to use "redlining" to refuse mortgage applications. This was the beginning for what would later force the creation of derivatives.

Banks could still refuse mortgages to those who could not qualify based on income and credit history, however, so the problem at this point was relatively minor. But then along comes ACORN again. ACORN sued the banks through their attorney, community organizer Barack Obama (D)*. The lawsuit forced stronger changes to the CRA. Under Bill Clinton (D), the Bliley bill was passed which strengthened the CRA of the '70's and literally forced banks to make even riskier loans. And the bubble of risky notes grows out of control.

Under the Clinton administration, federal regulators began using the act to combat “red-lining,” a practice by which banks loaned money to some communities but not to others, based on economic status. “No loan is exempt, no bank is immune,” warned then-Attorney General Janet Reno. “For those who thumb their nose at us, I promise vigorous enforcement.”

The Clinton-Reno threat of “vigorous enforcement” pushed banks to make the now infamous loans that many blame for the current meltdown. “Banks, in order to not get in trouble with the regulators, had to make loans to people who shouldn’t have been getting mortgage loans.”

Now, as I said, banks have to make, not lose, money. Otherwise they would not survive. So it became necessary for them to "spread the risk" by bundling the risky notes - if a few defaulted, the rest would cover the losses. This bundling was the creation of derivatives. Banks were forced into this by the CRA and the Bliley bill, both signed into law by Democrats.

So now we have Fannie Mae under Frank (D) and Dodd (D) buying up risky notes that the Bliley Bill and CRA required banks to make, under Carter (D) and Clinton (D), and forced by Obama (D).

As you can see, Bush had nothing to do with all this - in fact, this mess is what HE "inherited" from Clinton. But it actually goes back further.

In the 1930's, FDR (D) created Fannie Mae. And in the '60's, Lyndon Johnson (D) privatized Fannie Mae, giving it the ability to grow out of control, nearly unrestricted.

Everyone involved in the creation of the meltdown was a liberal Democrat - FDR, Johnson, ACORN, Carter, Obama, Clinton, Frank, Dodd.

One more thing to consider - the meltdown began in July 2007. Democrats controlled Congress since January 2007. Since it is Congress that makes law, they bear some responsibility.

I have been posting this true history for almost 5 years. Still, liberals like Damon, Whoopie, Sarandon, Sanders, Clinton & Obama are still blaming Bush, banks and Wall Street, and Republicans are just too stupid to dispute them by using these facts taken from government agencies and the Congressional Record.

If more people were less ignorant and more willing to at least check out the facts, Democrats would not get a single vote come November. It they and their cronies who are responsible for bringing America to its knees.

*
Buycks-Roberson v. Citibank Fed. Sav. Bank Fair Housing/Lending/Insurance

Docket / Court 94 C 4094 ( N.D. Ill. ) FH-IL-0011

State/Territory Illinois

Obama's $12 Billion "Hidden" Tax On Us

President Obama just passed an executive order requiring businesses to push up the salary cap for overtime to over $45,000. In other words, salaried employees earning more than $27,000 and less than $45,000 per year (about 4.2 million) will be able to collect overtime pay in addition to their salary. Sounds reasonable, eh?

Not so much. This move will cost businesses $12 BILLION per year. And since businesses (unlike the government) cannot print money, they must increase the cost of their products and services. This means that all consumers, rich or poor, you and I, will be paying that $12 billion. This amounts to a back-door tax on all of us - even the poor.

So, assuming Mr Obama is not a complete idiot, why would he hit us with such a tax just before a critical election?

Remember that 4.2 million people who will GET that $12 billion? They are VOTERS. And many will remember this boon come election day, while the rest of us who are getting soaked will not, simply because most people do not realize that the $12 billion is coming from their pockets.

Ever the corrupt, partisan liberal politician, Obama has struck another blow against democracy by buying another 4 million votes to keep the corrupt politicians in power, and sending us the bill!

The New American Slavery

Yes, I know - Lincoln (a Republican, by the way) freed the slaves 150 years ago. But slavery exists once again in America, though it is in a different form.

One hundred years after Abe set forth the Emancipation Proclamation that effectively made all slavery in America unlawful, a Republican congress enacted the Civil Rights act, despite Democrats who opposed and even filibustered against it. Then President Lyndon Baines Johnson, a democrat, put forth the so-called "war on poverty" with the emphasais on public welfare programs - giving hand-outs instead of a hand up. On the surface, it sounds pretty good - level the playing field by giving free benefits to the poor, which are primarily black Americans. But that was not the true intent, nor the actual result.

Before proceeding, please note that I speak from experience here. In 1989 I became homeless after a rough divorce. Destitute, with no assets from which to get a new start, I ended up living from homeless shelter to homeless shelter, eating in soup kitchens and getting food stamps. A proud, independent person, that really tortured my very soul at first, but out of necessity I grew accustomed to living off the good graces of others. I became addicted to a life that was a life devoid of any real worth, but also devoid of any responsibility. Life was difficult, yet incredibly simple. Until one day when I looked in a mirror and asked myself, "Billy boy, what the HELL are you DOING? You only get one life, and when it's gone, there's no do-overs. Get your ass in gear and take back your life!" I did. As a real estate investor I now earn enough to pay $89,000 in income taxes each year! So I firmly believe in getting off the dole and doing for oneself. And that is the back story.

When the government starts providing for people, the people become dependent, and therefore, vulnerable. The government can then control the people by giving or taking benefits. Welfare is like a drug, but even more addictive as it becomes a matter of survival. We now have 4th and 5th generation welfare families who know no other way to survive. They have been successfully stripped of any sense of independence and self-reliance which are necessary for success in a world where everyone must compete or fail. Along with the loss of independence goes any sense of personal responsibility - oh, how much easier it is to just not worry about survival when the government pays all your bills. Take a nap in the park, then go to the soup kitchen, then sack out in the shelter.

Now think about this - slaves had no personal responsibility, and certainly no chance for independence. They lived by the good graces of their masters. They did as they were told, simply because they would not be fed, clothed or housed otherwise (not to mention beaten). That is slavery. And now I ask you, how is that any different from a black American who has been stripped of responsibility and independence, and does as the government tells him or he will lose his food stamps, section 8 housing and other welfare benefits?

Thanks to the democrats' "war on poverty" and insistence that welfare be expanded rather than actually helping the poor to rise up to a better life, the poor - again, primarily black Americans - are once again slaves. The only difference is who the master is - the government.

Statistics over the last 50 years prove beyond any doubt that welfare harms more than it helps. Everyone knows this. So why would any political party intentionally continue with ever increasing entitlements? In a word, CONTROL. If they can control your access to food, clothing, housing, health care etc., they control you. But it goes further than that - they also control how those people vote, simply by telling them that if they vote for anyone but Democrats, they will lose their precious entitlements. Threats of losing the only way of life they know is frightening. And this is how Democrats retain power - and keep their slaves.

And it is 100% intentional.

If black Americans want to end slavery once and for all; if they want to beat down the racism that keeps them under someone's thumb; if they want to ever have the so-called "priviledge" that whites supposedly have - then they need to get smart and realise that the Democrats are actually harming them, not helping.

When Republicans passed welfare reform in the 90's, for the first time in 40 years records show the black community began to prosper. But that was short-lived as Democrats soon took over congress and have since undone welfare reform and the prosperity that it brought.

If you are white, understand that your "white priviledge" is provided by the democrats, as they use their power to keep black Americans in poverty. If you are black, understand that to democrat politicians, your "black lives don't matter" beyond your ability and willingness to keep Democrats in office. They promise much, but deliver nothing.

You know it's true. You know the black community has never gained any ground under democrats. They still do not get school choice. They still do not have decent jobs. They still do not get respect.

White or black, think about that when you go to the polls.

As with most conservative  Republicans, here is what I would like to see done:

1) Offer school choice, particularly to the disadvantaged and less fortunate, that they may get an education that will serve them well

2) Instead of permanent handouts that debilitate, give them a hand up, with education, training, mentoring and temporary welfare to keep them afloat until they can manage on their own. Instead of giving them a fish that feeds them for a day, teach them how to fish, so they can feed themselves for a lifetime.

3) Remove regulations that prevent the growth of businesses, that there would be jobs available

4) Make it unacceptable, as it once was, for any individual or group to foster racism via race-baiting, or to use race as a weapon against those with whom one disagrees

These simple things would go a long way toward reducing poverty and providing a level playing field for all. Unfortunately, democrat politicians have continuously opposed all of them.

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Putting Putin in His Place - Hard

If I were President I would order the military to shoot down any non-ally aircraft that violates the Rules of Engagement. I would then get Putin on the "hotline" and say, "The United States of America will no longer tolerate your belligerence or provocative activities. Take note that ANY Russian military vehicle that comes too close to America ships, planes or personnel, or those of our allies, that Russian vehicle will be destroyed immediately and without warning.

"We have not ignored you out of fear. We have ignored you up until now because you, Mr Putin, and not necessarily your nation, are of little consequence. You are akin to an ankle-biting dog.

"If you continue to try and get under our skin, it is an itch we will scratch, and scratch HARD! There will be no further warning nor discussion - keep clear of American assets, or pay the penalty for your indiscretions.You decide how many more planes you want to lose."


"Have a nice day, Vlad."

How To Get Mexico To Pay For The Wall

Donald Trump likes to tell anyone who will listen that he will "build a great, beautiful wall", and "make Mexico pay for it." Today, he outlined how he would get Mexico to pay up - by withholding wire transfers from illegals to their families in Mexico.

Sounds good on the surface, but like many ideas from the Donald, not practical. Imagine the cost, trying to track and halt millions of transfers each month. Nope. Bad idea. But there IS a simple way.

The United States gives Mexico $757.7 MILLION in foreign aid. Simply tell Mexico that we will withhold all foreign aid until they pony up for the wall. Simply explain that it is Mexico's unwillingness to stem the tide of illegals (because they want the extra billion a year in wire transfers), so the cost of the preventive measures should be borne by Mexico.

This would cost us nothing to implement, and would not require hiring tens of thousands of government employees to track and withhold wire transfers.

Mexico NEEDS the foreign aid, desperately, because their government is corrupt, keeping their population in poverty. They will find a way to pay for the wall, or we will pay for it from the foreign aid we withhold.

Simple. Cheap. Gets it done.

As a side note, I think both countries should equally share the cost.

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Will the GOP Destroy More Than The Party?

Mark my words - if the GOP tries for a contested convention, and nominates anyone who does not have the most delegates, the GOP will effectively, and with that single stroke, accomplish what liberals have been trying to do for a hundred years - destroy America. And this is not an idle statement.

If the GOP nominates someone other than the winner of the primaries, millions of Republicans will, out of disgust and anger, stay home in November. Their votes will already have been disregarded, so why bother? And that would easily hand the White House over to Hillary Clinton. But that is not the worst part...

During her tenure as POTUS, she will be able to nominate between one and three justices to the Supreme Court, and while all would be liberal, her first nominee would be the most liberal - and dangerous - ideologue of all: Barak Obama.

Out goes the right to bear arms. Out goes religious liberty. Out goes any constraints on the power and growth of the government. In other words, out goes the American way of life, liberty and independence.

Mark my words...

Believe it or Not, the Zombie Apocalyse is Here

Liberals - and especially Bernie Sanders - are trying to sell socialism to the American people, and most particularly to our youth - those who know nothing about the consequences of socialism. Ask anyone who has ever lived under socialism and they will tell you it is the pits.

In a capitalist society, there are winners and losers. Some will grow very rich by creating Apple, or Microsoft. And others will end up in poverty, with the majority somewhere in between. This is simply because there is no meaningful innovation (like Apple) if there is no reason to create it - if the creator is not going to get rich, there is no point in investing your life and resources into the gamble. Because all innovation is a gamble - maybe it will sell (Apple), and maybe it won't (choose any bankrupt business attempt). Income inequality is normal and necessary in a capitalist society, because innovation creates both winners and losers.

In a socialist society, no one is a winner. Everyone make the same money, has the same everything. No trophies for any superior effort. No wealth for those who work harder and smarter. The incentive to try harder, or invent something is missing. If you cannot win, even if you come in first, what is the point in running the race? Ergo, under socialism, if there are no winners, that makes everyone a loser. Mediocrity for all. And without innovation, that mediocrity will grow weaker and weaker until society crumbles, because no one is pushing society forward with innovation. Want an example? Look at North Korea, or the now defunct USSR. Look at a night shot from space of North and South Korea - the south is all lit up. The north is dark - only the elitists in PyongYang have electricity.

Our youth, for the most part, do not understand that, because the liberal school system, liberal college professors and liberal media do not teach these things. They only teach one side - "income inequality", for example. They prey on the ignorance they have created in our children in order to push their liberal agenda. As Saul Alinski stated in "Rules for Radicals", these people are nothing more than "useful pawns" that help the powerful to achieve greater power.

By allowing our educational system and the media to be hijacked by far-left liberals, we have created the monster that can - and likely will - destroy America. They are intentionally breeding mindless zombies who will help the elitists push forth their evil - yes, EVIL - agenda. Make no mistake - the "Zombie Apocalypse" is upon us

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