In December, one in ten privately owned homes is in foreclosure. That’s about eight million homes. Eight million times $380,000.00, the median price of homes in the U.S. … doing the math … WOW! That’s $3,040,000,000,000 in loans going bad. That’s $3.04 quadrillion if you’re wondering.
And Republicans in Congress are bitching about the one trillion-dollar stimulus package President-Elect Obama is proposing. After voting for a trillion dollars for their pals in the banking business.
So it breaks down like this: a trillion for their banking buddies — without any strings attached — but nothing, not even the paltry $25 billion, for the U.S. auto industry because they don’t like the union — the workers. Now, the Republicans want to deny any stimulus to average Americans who might be struggling under individual financial problems.
It really didn’t need to be restated here. The Republicans haven’t been pro-American, certainly not in my lifetime. They’ve been pro-business, which some say is pro-American because, in their fantasy world, business stimulates the economy.
Well, during the Bush Administration, when government was effectively controlled by the Republican Party, business was rewarded with removal of restrictions, regulations and of course enforcement of what few regulations remain, not to mention tax breaks like no private, individual taxpayer making under $250,000.00 per year saw, including tax breaks to companies who closed their U.S. operations, putting millions out of work, to open up sweat shops in foreign countries.
Not to mention the taxpayer financed auto plants opened for foreign carmakers in the states represented by the most vociferous opponents of the auto industry bailout.
That doesn’t sound pro-American to me, that’s downright UN[American. For the contemporary Republican Party, “patriotism” is defined by A) your party affiliation, B) how much of a screwing you’re willing to take so the wealthiest can accumulate more wealth and C) Are you willing to serve, or encourage your children to serve, in the Armed Forces so the Republicans can start their wars of convenience.
Of course “C” doesn’t apply to them, although a few have served and even one I dislike a lot, Duncan Hunter, has kids serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, so on that point, they not only talk the talk, they walk the walk.
There are a couple of Republicans who don’t fit that entire description of course. Senator Chuck Hagel comes to mind. Too bad he is retiring once this Congress is officially over. He served in the military as well.
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Here’s an interesting opportunity, if you’re looking to buy a house on the cheap. You’d have to move to Maryland if you don’t live there already, if you’re buying it as a residence, as opposed to turning around and selling it.
A company is holding a raffle to give away a house. Buy-in is $50.00 per raffle ticket, buy as many as you want. Apparently, it’s an old historical home on the verge of going into foreclosure so the owners have decided to raise a little money buy holding a raffle. Actually, they want to raise about 2 million.
A brief description: it’s a 6000 square-foot custom home with 6 bedrooms, 4 ½ baths and 2 kitchens on a level, grassy 2 acre parcel just outside of Annapolis, MD, a short drive from Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC.
Over 21,000 entries have been paid, that’s … doing the math … that’s just over a million dollars and they would like to have another 29,000 entries.
“The winner will receive the home free of any mortgages or liens, and will not be required to pay any closing costs!” The web site says. But you’ll have to pay the taxes and depending on what the property is assessed at, that could be considerable.
The group holding the raffle is the
We Care and Friends, a group dedicated to helping those in the Baltimore area addicted to alcohol and drugs. That’s a non-profit I could get behind.
Gotta wonder, if this works for them, will others try to raffle off their homes in similar fashion? These are crazy days we live in and I haven’t even mentioned Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich who just appointed Roland Burris, the former Illinois Attorney General, to take over Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat.
Gotta hand it to the governor; appointing a well-respected African-American to fill the seat after the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, vowed he would not seat anyone appointed by Blagojevich.
The balls’s in your court, Harry … and let’s start fixing the economy already.
TheForkesReport