Freddie and Fannie Fucked - The end of the American dream???????

[NCbear]

Buy gold, jewels, liquor, and cigars. They'll become more valuable as the dollar depreciates.

NCbear (who's ready to invest in a wine [and brandy] cellar)

 

[PussyWellington]

Silver is the way to go. It's undervalued and I'm sure it will be easier to get change for that loaf of bread you're buying.

 

[JustAsking]

....Some people on here are such an anti-Republicans, they'll twist anything to make it look like everything is their fault. They are partially to blame, the democrats are partially to blame but the public itself is at major fault. The power to hold the government accountable is in the public's hands. All they have to do is contact their congressmen, and senators in large numbers, the peeps will vote the way you want. Their number one goal is to be in office. They don't vote the way you want, put them out.

Except this falls down because most things that people vote on are beyond their understanding. They are left susceptible to irresponsible politicians who manipulate the understanding of the electorate with framing terms.

For example, another term for taking all protective regulations off of an industry is called "Free Market". A free market is a market that has no regulation. It is lately a Republican platform plank and even Republican moderate McCain invokes the phrase as often as he can.

It is "free market" policies that allow lending institutions to make $B of bad loans to unsuspecting people. If you want this, and you want your jobs to go overseas, and you want food to be uninspected, drugs to be unsafe, vote for a free market.

 

[Principessa]

Without getting into the political brouhaha, I'd like to address the title of this thread.
A) I am not surprised that Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are in danger of going under. Anyone that watches the news even once a week should know that the US banks and mortgage lenders have been playing a shell game with the American public since the late 1980's.
B) IMHO the American Dream has been dead a long time. I'm tempted to say it died the day the music died along with the Big Bopper, but that seems a bit melodramatic.

 

[vince]

What is the "American Dream"?

 

[D_Fiona_Farvel]

It's looking more like 1929 all over again. It's my opinion the road going to get bumper before it gets better.

Agreed.
I see hyperinflation and a currency devaluation in the future, hopefully bringing the deep issues with the U.S. financial system to the fore, prompting a serious overhaul. Then moving on to the issues in employment - even though I'm not sensing that any of our current leaders have the ability to ideate New Deal-esque programs.

What is the "American Dream"?

Delusion?
Famous quote by Barbara Jordan is 'People want an America as good as its promise', I'm probably paraphrasing, but the dream was achieved by very few, yet the legend of it remained and grew, as NJ mentioned, in the 50s and 60s... It is like a pyramid scheme.

 

[mista geechee]

The "American Dream" is simply one of many constituites of the excessively contrived rhetoric of polititians and shady companies (Bear Sterns...Enron...).

Is this really a suprise ? Our economy has been going down the drain for months. If you take a dollar to one of the countries of the European Union , you would only have 63 cents. Yet there are still jackasses thinking (and saying) that the US is the greatest, most successful, smartest lmao and richest country in the world. Even politicians want to convince us that the "recession" in only in our minds. And one of the people who actually think that is a economic advisor for one of the presidential nominees........a nominee that explicitly said " I don't understand the economy ".

 

[Phil Ayesho]

Some people on here are such an anti-Republicans, they'll twist anything to make it look like everything is their fault. They are partially to blame, the democrats are partially to blame but the public itself is at major fault. The power to hold the government accountable is in the public's hands. All they have to do is contact their congressmen, and senators in large numbers, the peeps will vote the way you want. Their number one goal is to be in office. They don't vote the way you want, put them out.

Look... I never used to be anti-republican..... I actually do believe in smaller government...
But I would never in a million years put any "party" ahead of my country.

I have watched as republicans have gained in power... only to be astonished at how they turn their backs on every aspect of the their platform except for their anti-abortion stance.... and the love of Free market greed.


Every Republican president since Ford has GROWN the size of government and increased US debt.
Every single one.

When you look at the old Republican touchstones of fiscal responsibility and eliminating the welfare state, you would have to count Bill Clinton as the best republican president ever.... the only one who actually shrank government, balanced a budget and put the reins on welfare.

I am not a fan of the democrats, either... but at this point the fact that the democrats couldn't coordinate a tea party, much less a political party is actually their only saving grace.


The Republicans have become very adept at demonizing democrats, demonizing liberals, and because it is a party that appeals to people who fear change and want everybody to think alike... they have been very good at coordinating the actions of LOTS of people to serve their purposes...

The Republican party has been taken over by people who have used its conservative message to turn government into a form of corporate welfare... allowing corporations anything they want.
Fer christ's sakes, Are you even aware that the republican controlled congress allowed LOBBYISTS to WRITE legislation affecting their industries?


I realize nobody likes looking the fool... nobody likes to admit they've been had and nobody wants to be wrong...

But no amount of republican ZEAL for the propaganda can cover for being totally unaware of what the republican party is actually DOING.


They keep using the term "free market" because it sounds kinda Jeffersonian... like Liberty....

But their actions show clearly that what they mean by a free market is that corporations should be free to buy congress and write their own laws enabling them to rake in more at the expense of the sector of the population that DOESN'T own their own jets.

We TRIED a "free market" once before... it was a period in US economics referred to as the Robber-Baron period.
IT was not until the Crash of 29 and a decade of economic depression that the US government finally started to seriously REGULATE industry.

All the glory of the US economic engine during WWII and the fifites, sixties and even 70s was the result of strongly regulated markets.



A 'free market' is a social darwinian idea... but in reality it is JUST like a Free Range.
Do you have any idea what Wolves do to sheep on a free range?

That's you and me... and , sure... the WOLVES are ALWAYS gonna be in favor of a free range.


The Founders gave the federal government TWO specific charges... to provide for the common defense... and to REGULATE commerce.

ITs time WE the PEOPLE held them to their oaths and made them do their fucking jobs.



Anyone who is pro-republican, at THIS point, is either a total rube... or is in on the con.


The great shame of the evangelical Christian faith is their refusal to publicly condemn acts of religious violence... like killing abortion doctors...

The great shame of the Muslim community is their failure to loudly denounce suicide bombings and amateur beheadings.....

The great shame of Republicans voters is their failure to recognize and denounce the excesses of their own party.