Seriously... he's effing nuts, right?

OlafTheBent: Seriously... he's effing nuts, right?

Yes, he is.

The sad thing is that there was a time, around 10 years ago or so, that I'd have supported McCain in just about anything. He's become an absolute caricature, though, and is going to be an embarrassment to both himself and the country in this election.

McCain should shut his flapjack hole.

what's the worst for this is the conservatives will reject the idea (as well they should, it disagrees with their world view) while the liberals and independents he is trying to court will realize that his is kinda like obama's plan, if you want to half-ass it and not really solve anything.

It's kind of funny, as a recent homebuyer, I kind of agreed with him before. Well, more to the point, I would have agreed with him if he had been saying it years ago when all this shenanigans started. Now, with the economy in the crapper and my stocks and home value going down the old swirly hole, even though I am very responsible with my finances, I would like the government to step in and slap the investment banks and shady lenders and fix the problem - by making sure it doesn't happen again.

Oh, and I've said it a million times, but there was a time when I would've happily voted for McCain. 2000 definitely. 2004 if he had run, because I liked him much more than Bush or Kerry. I was one of those dreamers very excited about a Kerry/McCain ticket. But now he's either sold out or lost his mind, because everything I once admired in him is gone. Discarded like litter all for a chance to be the nominee.

FTFA:
As the New York Times noted(In an opinion piece) shortly after the speech, "The real core of his speech was his argument against government action to help dig distressed homeowners - or the country - out of the mortgage mess.... His suggestion that federal aid might wrongly reward 'undeserving' homeowners sounded both mean-spirited and economically naive.

What McCain actually said:

I will not play election year politics with the housing crisis. I will evaluate everything in terms of whether it might be harmful or helpful to our effort to deal with the crisis we face now.

I have always been committed to the principle that it is not the duty of government to bail out and reward those who act irresponsibly, whether they are big banks or small borrowers. Government assistance to the banking system should be based solely on preventing systemic risk that would endanger the entire financial system and the economy.

In our effort to help deserving homeowners, no assistance should be given to speculators. Any assistance for borrowers should be focused solely on homeowners, not people who bought houses for speculative purposes, to rent or as second homes. Any assistance must be temporary and must not reward people who were irresponsible at the expense of those who weren't. I will consider any and all proposals based on their cost and benefits. In this crisis, as in all I may face in the future, I will not allow dogma to override common sense.

You guys make of it what you want.

muck4doo: You guys make of it what you want.

what i make of that is that he didn't have a plan. i get what you're saying, that he didn't actually say "screw you all".

i still think obama's line "better late than never" rings true, and i still think mccain's new idea is democrat lite, which might alienate his base and probably won't pull any independents in.

He's just covering all the options.

Good plan. Zone defense. After the Democratic Convention he can run a box-and-one.

There is a simple way to prevent future housing bubbles that would also fund government services, but it's political kryptonite.

burndtdan: muck4doo: You guys make of it what you want.

what i make of that is that he didn't have a plan. i get what you're saying, that he didn't actually say "screw you all".

i still think obama's line "better late than never" rings true, and i still think mccain's new idea is democrat lite, which might alienate his base and probably won't pull any independents in.

Fair enough. It didn't sound like he really had a plan at the time. I'll agree with Obama on that. I agree with him though that homeowners need to be the focus, and the money shouldn't be going to helping people with their 2nd and 3rd homes or their rentals they purchased for speculation purposes.

burndtdan: and probably won't pull any independents in.

He has enough other bad positions that I don't see how a lot of independents could support him.

Unless they happen to be Iraq war supporters... which, from what I understand, are extremely rare.

I'm an independent voter who used to like McCain (about 8 years ago). But during that time he has consistently gone downhill in my opinion. As far as I'm concerned, he hit the "would never vote for this guy" point when he gave Bush a hug, embraced the horrid policies of the Bush admin. Had he not jumped on the Bush bandwagon, I don't think I would have nearly as low an opinion of him as I do.

I should also note that no amount of him backpedaling will convince me that he is worthy to take office. He's lost my vote forever.

The freepers are having a meltdown over this.

Link (new window)

I'm taking my mortgage money and buying bubble gum and beer.

/Fark it, I'll just let McCain and you sucker taxpayers clean up the mess for me down the road

CDP: Link (new window)

Eeeww.


I think a little freepjuice leaked out of that link.

Skleenar: CDP: Link (new window)

Eeeww.


I think a little freepjuice leaked out of that link.

I like how at the top it says "Freepathon." I think I might steal that.

CDP: The freepers are having a meltdown over this.

Link (new window)

Meltdown seems to be the default state for freepers.

CDP: The freepers are having a meltdown over this.

Link (new window)


As if they need a reason to meltdown.

CDP: The freepers are having a meltdown over this.

Link (new window)

They have a problem seeing the bigger picture, don't they?

CDP: The freepers are having a meltdown over this.

Link (new window)

haha, case in point about alienating his base i suppose.

JohnnyC: I'm an independent voter who used to like McCain (about 8 years ago).

same here. i was really excited that he might win the nomination this time, until he opened his mouth.

News flash for subby

Capitalism is not faultless.

Anyone who blames the borrowers in this trainwreck is wrong.

Borrowers have very little to do with this problem.

Blues_X: CDP: The freepers are having a meltdown over this.

As if they need a reason to meltdown.

Exactly. Is there anything they don't meltdown about?

Rev.K Borrowers have very little to do with this problem.

Eh. I'd say if you're going to play the Blame Game, both parties deserve a paddlin'. Neither side acted totally without foreseeable consequence.

pizen: Exactly. Is there anything they don't meltdown about?

I'm pretty sure they wouldn't freak out if we started burning atheists, anti-war folks, and anyone with a tan at the stake. In fact, I'm pretty sure they would be trampling each other to be the one to drop the torch on the pyre.

Rev.K: Anyone who blames the borrowers in this trainwreck is wrong.

So-called bystanders feel better blaming borrowers, nevermind that this disaster isn't going to leave anyone unharmed.

What are the chances of *all* of the front-runners embarrassing themselves so much they just slink away to hide for the rest of their miserable, petty lives?!



Oh. That bad, eh?



Tartar sauce.

Capitalism is not faultless.

Anyone who blames the borrowers in this trainwreck is wrong.

Borrowers have very little to do with this problem.


Lenders and borrowers are both equally to blame.

Don't bail out either one.

Scarmig, I believe I'll end every post I make with tartar sauce from here on.

Rev.K: Anyone who blames the borrowers in this trainwreck is wrong.

Of course. Why would anybody blame somebody for borrowing what they can't afford? What are we trying to be, adults?

It's not "flip-flopping", it's listening to his advisors and being open to changing his position when the situation warrents it.

Oh wait, that's Barrack. Never mind...

advisers...warrants...

Uggg. One of those days.

I remember thinking "You gotta be effing kidding me." When I saw McCain talk about this on TV.

The man self-admittedly doesn't know jack shiat about the economy. Then he goes from a total hands-off approach to this other BS he's doing. If he wants to really be a good president in this matter he'll do two things:

A:) Highly encourage the Fed to stop dropping it's pants like a cheap hooker on Saturday night, and quit hacking away at rates and killing our dollar.

B:) Bring back Glass-Stegall. If that act was still in place, this mess would still exist but be contained and not indirectly affect the masses. Unlike now.

muck4doo: CDP: The freepers are having a meltdown over this.

Link (new window)

They have a problem seeing the bigger picture, don't they?

When you only concern yourself with yourself and no one else, yeah.

Now we can only pray that he wakes up and sees that his free market solution to healthcare is equally as farked. Seriously, cutting the employer incentive to offer healthcare so there is more of an individual free market might be the stupidest idea evar. He could win. We need to hope he is not this farking crazy. Fortune Magazine is egging him on.

I imagine McCain's internal summation would be: "I've advanced my career at every step so that I could be President, and I'll say whatever I think the crowd wants to hear, and play what ever back-room games other politicians entice me into, just to get closer to it."

Don't trust anything he says.


This 'mortgage crisis' isn't about the 2% of homes that might be foreclosed upon, but about the leverage those mortgages serve as the basis for. The investment bankers that are running into debt in their scheming to make money with other people's money because the monthly mortgage payments are starting to come up short that are the real problem.

If People, homeowners, are running into arrears in their obligation to the a bank, there have been, and will be, appropriate methods to manage that.

What we're doing now is creating another level of hidden complexity to obscure the inflationary power of the fed - so that the potential hyperinflation that should be resultant of inter-bank interest rates will have to go through another round of dampening before the effect is felt by the proletariat.

I would vote for McCain if I could only nail him down on his positions. He is worse than Hillary at going with the polls.

I least I know where Obama stands. I just love his way-cool website.

Pocket Ninja

The sad thing is that there was a time, around 10 years ago or so, that I'd have supported McCain in just about anything. He's become an absolute caricature, though, and is going to be an embarrassment to both himself and the country in this election.

Yes. He's a slightly tougher Mr. Magoo at this point.

Spanky_McFarksalot: It's not "flip-flopping", it's listening to his advisors and being open to changing his position when the situation warrents it.

Oh wait, that's Barrack. Never mind...

Gosh.

Whosoever was it that was making a big issue out of the opposing party's candidate 'flip-flopping'?

When did 'flip-flopping' become a campaign issue?

Huh. I just can't seem to remember where this particular attack may have originated to appreciate the possible irony that might be at play here.

I am going to get a loan to buy some stock next week. Perhaps McCain will guarantee that loan for me

Spanky_McFarksalot: advisers...warrants...

Uggg. One of those days.

Not to mention I didn't realize that a military housing building was running for office. Who is this Barrack candidate? Is there an outhouse candidate? Perhaps a meal hall candidate? I could really get behind that one - a shiat on every shingle!

Hang On Voltaire: Perhaps McCain will guarantee that loan for me

He could.

What's your collateral?

Tastes Like Chicken: Who is this Barrack candidate?

That's it, I give up. I'll be back when brain...work...more gooder...

Tastes Like Chicken: Who is this Barrack candidate?

Skleenar:

He could.

What's your collateral?

I don't need collateral. I have the US Government backing my loan

Hang On Voltaire: I don't need collateral. I have the US Government backing my loan

I have a question. If you gave a guy you knew made $5 a week your car on the promise that he would pay you $10, who is the bigger dumbass?

Hang On Voltaire: I don't need collateral. I have the US Government backing my loan




You hurt my logic circuits.

JohnnyC: pizen: Exactly. Is there anything they don't meltdown about?

I'm pretty sure they wouldn't freak out if we started burning atheists, anti-war folks, and anyone with a tan at the stake. In fact, I'm pretty sure they would be trampling each other to be the one to drop the torch on the pyre.

Oooh! Me! Me! Me first! Outta the way!

flaEsq: Rev.K: Anyone who blames the borrowers in this trainwreck is wrong.

So-called bystanders feel better blaming borrowers, nevermind that this disaster isn't going to leave anyone unharmed.

Mortgage lenders are indeed to blame for this, but does anyone know how to read the damn contract anymore? Seriously, predatory lenders preyed on the fiscally irresponsible and the terminally stupid, and it came back to bite them in the butts in spades. I'd say there's more than enough blame to go around. It's time people and businesses alike started taking responsibility for their part in this debacle, and not ask the government for a handout it can't afford to give.

DaSwankOne:

I have a question. If you gave a guy you knew made $5 a week your car on the promise that he would pay you $10, who is the bigger dumbass?

Reread your question and try again