Quick comment on subprime lending. Today, the NYTimes ran a report describing the ruling in bankruptcy court that denied Bear Stearns (based in the Caymans) bankruptcy.
I've heard about every story on who's to blame-- some people say it's all Bear Stearns, others say it's the people who took out the loans in the first place, others still say it was the people who agreed to take the mortgages as collateral in securities transactions, borrowers began defaulting as interest rates rose, the securities bombed and the collateral was worthless. Which leads back to Bear Stearns. Then, somebody I know tried to goat the government for it because they tried to create more opportunities for lower-income families to take out loans. When in doubt blame Uncle Sam.
This whole mess is more or less on Bear Stearns. I have to hold them responsible for making risky loans to folks without the means to keep making payments once rates rise and monthly payments double. They knew what they were doing, if anyone did. The borrowers screwed up, but they weren't motivated by greed. And now the judge is making them pay their own debts. Good.
The problem with right wing ideologues and their reflexive anti-government stupidity is that they get in the way of figuring out the right answers. Since when is creating opportunity for poor people a bad thing? I guess these days it is ok for the so called "Christian" right wing to bash the less fortunate (they must have done something to piss God off -- or why would they be poor!). What was that in the Bible about a camel going through the eye of a needle again?
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