A: A good start.

I’m wondering when someone, anyone is going to come up with one shred of proof that any of this bullshit is true. This lie has been spread all over. I remember calling one guy on it. Show me one iota of proof , one shred of evidence that bankers were forced to make loans . Nadda.

But then the next post came up “I’m a banker and no ever forced me to make loans like that”.

I think one area that isn’t being discussed is the latest bailout of bankers via the bankruptcy legislation that featured cram downs by bankruptcy judges on mortgages. The ABA fought this tooth and nail. I mean their lobbyists came in decked out in 1000 dollar bills ready to battle with anyone that would vote for those “lazy ass homeowners”.

How quickly we forgot that FASB passed a rule that pretty much ditched mark to market, so banks could value their assets. The timing was perfect to. Right before Q1 results were announced and despite a 6% contraction in GDP, bankers had huge profits who were basket cases only three months earlier. Hmmm. How’d that happen?

We reward the bankers by politically interfering with FASB so they could lie about the value of their assets? Say it ain’t so…

The problem with this bankruptcy bill was it could really screw up this terrific scam they bought and paid for by judges having a house independently appraised. Oh Nooo

Then the public auditors and regulators would be forced to look at like assets that somehow were worth far more. Could be a big hit to capital. Couldn’t let that scam get blown out of the water. So they pissed on their constiuents again.

The best line was from Senator Tester when asked why he voted against giving judges that authority. ” just think a deal’s a deal. I have a lot of empathy for folks who tend to get led astray, but I just think it’s going to create some problems – pretty obvious, actually. I don’t have to list them. I’m generally opposed. I don’t think it works well.”.

Must have left his talking points in the Sauna.
Hey Sen. You’ve only collected 850 grand from the bankers. WTF is wrong with you?. Don’t give me that “I’ve only been here 2 year” excuse. I wanna see some serious contributions for this man of the people.

Let’s face it, it’s a small jump from “populism” to “democracy” as it’s currently practiced in it’s American form. The will of the big dumb mass is how we determine elections, Hollywood fortunes, and winners on American Idol. Populism is who we are. Or maybe who we should be. If more policy were, as you note Matt, directed toward the “common man,” or it were understood that this big dumb mass — let’s call it the middle class — is a barometer of the health of our society, well, then we wouldn’t find ourselves in the position of lending these over-leveraged pricks billions of our “common man” tax dollars so they don’t foreclose on their beach home in the Hamptons.

Substitute the words “populist anger” for “accountability” and I think the conversation moves closer to what we’re really talking about here.

I’d like to take a shot at the media here, too, in my populist rage, but it’s self-defeating to throw myself in with the crowd that thinks “the media” is one thing. The “reporters” you called out deserved a calling out, and I’ve been pissy enough on this same issue to know you’re working off a truncated list. The entire enterprise is simply disappointing. Watching the hoard of reporters so eager to come to the defense of robber barons you’d think we were on the cusp of a full-fledged revolution. And while populist anger simmers, somewhere in New York the best minds of CNN try to understand the problem by creating a giant hologram for Wolf Blitzer to talk to on the nightly newscast.

I just wish people could understand that when you make lots and lots of money you become responsible for more than just yourself.

We like to think wealth is a reward, but it’s not that simple. Wealth is responsibility… so grow up you rich bastards! We, on the lower end of the pay-scale, are not your toys. We are your assets: treat us with a little respect.

Oh no the bullshit about the CRA again. Most of the subprime loans weren’t even covered by the CRA.

You right-wing dimwits don’t understand anything, do you? This isn’t all about us trying to help out desperate poor people. You’re really reaching if that’s what you think.