Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

jerry/corpus christi texas — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 13:39:32 GMT

It amazes me when people do not read the contracts when they purchase a house and soon the roof caves in and they find out they cannot afford the house. I read the story in the Boston Globe, He is (was) a computer security consultant. That takes a pretty bright guy and yet he apparently did not read the contract on his house and now he wonders why he can't make his payments? The way property taxes are going up and with the current market, Hillary is going to have to shell out wayyyyyy more then a billion bucks for people that are either too stupid to read a contract and needs the government to bail them out, or people that re too lazy to chase the American dream thru hard work and dedication and demand that the government take care of them like a three year old that needs mommy and daddy.

Here is how you get yourself out of hock, for all you people who can't make your house payments:

1. rabbit ears on the television, no more cable.
2. once a month instead of three times a week at
Red Lobster.
3. grocery label instead of name brand at the store
4. take the bus to work.
5. cut up the credit cards
6. 13" TV's starting at 79 bucks
7. basic cell phone (10 calls a month)
8. either cell phone or house phone (not both)
9. garage sales
10. get rid of the new car and head to the corner used
car showroom and get aunt Edna's car for $500.

Follow those instructions for 2-3 years and you will be amazed how much money you can save.

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

Ed, Watertown, MA — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:12:32 GMT

Expanding Medicare, the most efficient, lowest-cost healthcare insurer in the US makes sense. Why reinvent the wheel? Let's just let more people use it. Richardson's plan seems like a good start.

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

Shadow, Hamden, CT — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:14:51 GMT

Jerry - Except when that $500 car breaks down two months later.

I agree with your overall point though that we live in a culture where millions do not bother to do simple math when it comes to budgeting, and it starts from the top, with years of a Republican President and Congress who ignored the ten billion dollar debt they were creating while gushing about how great Wall Street is doing; this despite the fact that almost half of Americans do not own stock, are earning stagnant wages and paying way more for everything.

I agree that we need fiscal responsibility that says you don't spend what you don't have, both as individual citizens, and as a society. I, as an independent voter, look at the campaign burn rates and see that Obama has the lowest burn rate by far for Democrats, and Paul the lowest for Republicans; this is a major clue as to who would actually be responsible with our government's money. The burn rate of all the Republican frontrunners as well as Democrats like Joe Biden are atrocious, and suggests they wouldn't do much better than Bush.

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

juan,ft lauderdale,fl — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:19:24 GMT

jerry you can continue to live in a trailor park and drink your Bubba beer;however; us in South Florida had to endure 4 hurricanes in 2005 which allowed scum bags insurance companies to increase exorbitantly along with taxes and guess who was governor....the Shrub's brother. A middle class 3/2 house 2,000 square ft should not cost 450 to 500.000 dollars as compared to say Dallas around 200.000. People are forced to pay 7,000 a year for taxes, mortgage and insurance and you wonder why people are drowning in debt. So Jerry get off your santamonius high horse and realize people are hurting. You Repugs love class warfare, talk about family/moral values and compassion....YEAH RIGHT! The Shrub's only support now are his base.....40-50 y/o white males who claim they are church going people and care about the less fortunate.....STICK FINGER DOWN THROAT AND VOMIT!

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

jjGA — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:39:26 GMT

Who got richer from this loan these people now can't pay back? Who got richer from this man's job that was outsourced? Certainly not working class AMERICA. True, Jerry, people must learn to live within their means - budgeting 101 - and quit trying to keep up with the Joneses who are just as bad off. I have little empathy for people who sign on to adjustable rate loans in ANY amount for ANY reason. If you can't afford a fixed rate - you CAN'T afford it. But -- those who made out like bandits on these ARM loans have long gone with the money and left the suckers holding the bag. The bottom line is that people have to take responsibility for the dotted line they sign their name onto. And if America is to survive, people must pay attention to what DC is doing to all of us. We have been sold out to the companies hiring illegal aliens cheap to keep our wages down and take our jobs, to the companies who have sent our jobs offshore so they can get the cheap labor and take our jobs away, to the companies who have located to China and now send us poison food and drugs, toxic toys for our children, and God only knows what else that can either kill us, make us sick or give our children brain damage. What a wonderful thing is this trade thing. Why are we not growing our own food and making our own drugs and toys - HERE - then we don't have to worry about inspecting those huge containers coming in to our ports bearing bad food, bad meds, toxic toys, bad toiletries. Who has benefited - not the consumer as we are SUPPOSED to believe with cheaper prices - no -- the corporate theives and the politicians who laugh all the way to the bank. The person who lost his home made a stupid move - he obviosly can READ - and so he will pay for his mistake. He had a choice there. The outsourcing of his job was out of his control and he had no choice - THAT is where our focus has to be -- none of us can feed our families and keep a roof over our heads when our jobs keep sailing across the ocean and giving the benefits that should be ours to the Chinese and Indians and every other nation on the globe except ours. Time to scream and scream loudly at the ballot box.

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

H P Boston — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:49:57 GMT

Sure jerry blame the victims.
Loan sharks out there running rampant, no licence no regulations.
Prey on the poor sell morgages like ice cream, sell that morgage, just want the fees they charge to the victims. Loan sharks in it for the fees, big fees.

They then turn around and sell that morgage to WALL STREET who bundle all the loans they buy and sell to Hedge funds. The loan sharks (morgage co) off the hook for failed loans. Made lots of money selling off the loans for big fees.
People do not even know who holds the morgage on their home. The rich get richer.
So jerry girl your budget is so fine and you are so freaking smarter than the poor slobs that become victims.

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

H P Boston — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:57:16 GMT

Medicare is only a partial payer of health care and it comes with a cost, monthly payments. You also need to buy private insurance to cover the true bulk of your health care costs. A lot of expanding needed
but a good idea for vets. Most pay about $500.00 a month for 2 seniors.

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

jerry/corpus christi texas — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 14:58:32 GMT

Is it my fault you have to live in Florida Juan? Is it my fault that people cannot read their insurance paperwork? Is it my fault that housing costs more in Florida? Is it my fault people don't know how to live their lives responsibly? Why should I have to pay for people that are just too stupid to even understand that you have to earn your money to get the I phones and liquid televisions. If you cannot afford it, don't get it. They have no one but themselves to blame for the mess they got themselves into.

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

HOT DAM — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:22:53 GMT

What kind of an american are you jeery?
Your king George said, GO SHOPPING, never said you needed money. Catch up boy!

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

juan,ft lauderdale,fl — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:42:43 GMT

Jerry-I hope you do not come down with a catatrophic illness that your hmo/ppo refuses to cover and are forced to max your credit cards to pay for it, hope you do not get flooded out in Corpus Christi and the insurance does not cover everything, guess you can not live anywhere where bridges are about to collapse and kill you, I guess we should not help out families who husband's/wife's are fighting in Iraq and can't afford their mortgage......IT IS NOT MY FAULT.....IT IS NOT MY FAULT....You sound like an teenager. You are a real class act. Finally, what does where you live have to do with the price of tea in China?

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

nuanced — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 15:49:54 GMT

Good hints jerry. Make it a weekly contribution and I'll stop reading Heloise. You forgot to say how to economize on housing; I am looking forward to that installment. Don't forget to include paying for college for the kids and how to get cut-rate medical care. I get a laugh when I see a trailer with a big satellite dish; what gives you a chuckle?

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

MK,MO — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 16:13:29 GMT

used to you contributed to a company and in return you were rewarded for the money you made the company while working with a pension, and health insurance when you became old enough to retire, that doesn't happen anymore because the company now keeps that money to pay the stockholders and when you can no longer work you receive nothing for your labors, the republican party has taken it upon themselves to remove these benefits while not making wage adjustments so the worker could put money back to offset the benefits stripped away, so now you have people who have worked all they're lives to make companies profit who become destitute when they can no longer work, millions of people through no fault of they're own have been forced into this position and they are not going to just disappear, the investmate class has become ridiculously wealthy off the backs of the guy who has got up and worked hard everyday, the money they have been making playing the stock market should have been going towards the workers retirement, no one can deny this fact, so now some adjustments are called for, john edwards has a plan to set the country back on a course where everyone that is willing to put in a good days work will be rewarded for it, the rich will still be rich, people who refuse to work will still be poor, but everyone willing will at least have a shot at the american dream, as it should be

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 16:37:18 GMT

Man, even this has to break down into the same stupid partisan trench warfare we've been subjected to for a decade and a half now?

HP is right in that not all people in trouble are out of their own lack of due diligence. If a family has a health crisis, for instance, even with insurance the costs can ruin finances and threaten its ability to keep making mortgage payments. And the loan industry has been qualifying people for loans above dollar figures it should, plus pushing those adjustable rates.

Jerry is right in that a lot of people in trouble with their mortgages - probably a majority of them - are in that position out of their own inability to function responsibility. I have three neighbors who I know declared bankruptcy (I know because for some reason they all tell me about it) - all of them have more "stuff" than you'll find in my house.

I don't have any interest in paying the mortgage for someone who took on a payment bigger than he can afford. I am more than happy to help pitch in for someone who has legitimate misfortune.

I think (don't know) most people share my view, and if so, how do we balance those two?

Government regulation requiring people to sign a disclaimor acknowledging risk before signing an adjustable rate loan is a good step. But the big one is income-mortgage ratio. The industry used to generally require 4-1 a long time ago (if you take on a $100 mortgage payment, you need to be making $400 a month). Then it dropped to 3-1. Today I'm hearing about traditional 30 year loans being offered at less than 2-1.

But to require them to roll back the clock means bucking the housing and banking lobbyists, plus Wall Street (because it would shock the housing market which would impact equities) and who knows who would actually do that.

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

Alan in Phx — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 16:54:01 GMT

For all of you out there moaning about paying for college Don't.

First college is an investment not a cost.

Next if your tykes pay attention and get decent grades, not top of the class there is money out there for them and not just gov. loans.

Last year over 2 Billion dollars of education money went UNUSED because nobody asked for it. Many firms, organisations, charities, foundations have money for college. Just do basic research and with the internet it is available in a flash. There is money for every ethnic group, hair color, left or right handed, veteran family of all branches, you name it it is there.

Have your student start midway through 11th grade and by the time they graduate the money will be there for them. Most start too late and complain that it is too hard.

Don't ask the government to do for you what you can do for yourself.

And yes people there are sharks in the water, but you do not have to feed them. The sharks feed on the uneducated so the answer is simple. Keep educating yourselves wheather in or out of school.

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

jerry/corpus christi texas — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 18:19:04 GMT

College??? LOL, I went to the school of hard life on the streets and graduated with honors. I don't understand people who go to collage, spend $100,000 or more to get a job that barely covers paying back all the money. Plus you learn nothing about life in general. 30 years after high school and I am still waiting for my employer to ask me biology questions LOL. AS far as H P and Hot dam go, they sound like the type of people that are stuck in the rut right now. Why should I care if my neighbor has to go into bankruptcy or not. AS long as he keeps his house clean and neat for the people that are going to take it over, I don't care what they do. Of course I have all sorts of insurance to cover everything from hurricanes to medical emergencies DUH! I don't think we will have a problem like Katrina, every year the city gathers up all the christmas trees, takes out to the beach and reenforces the sand dunes. In 2003, my wife and I went to Bay St. Louis Mississippi to go gambling. We are on the casino bus driving along the coast in Biloxi and I see a two foot seawall and for miles all you see is ocean. I thought to myself "A good size hrricane would compleatly destroy this place". Should have bet on that one, would be richer then Bill Gates. Juan, H P in Boston and Hot Dam, you go right ahead and bail out your neighbors when they have the problems when they were so stupid as to not read the fine print on the contracts for their houses, that they have to go running to Uncle Sam for help. Get a loan from the federal goverment, 10% isn't bad interest.

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

jerry/corpus christi texas — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 19:24:11 GMT

Amen Alan, I have done the research too. I told my boy you'd better stay on top of your grades, some of the free money I got for his college education requires him to keep at least a b average, I told him we will find him free money until everybody gets it, then we will go into his college fund.

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

Bruce, NV — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 22:29:13 GMT

Obviously a lot of drug use amongst the lefties on the board.

Medicare the most efficient!?? Oh, my.

Juan, my dear boy, a house costs 500,000 because that is what people are willing to pay. If you aren't willing to pay that you have two choices: rent or move. It's a free country.

I don't want my tax dollars going to bail out people who were greedy. The bank approved us for $750,000. We borrowed $200k, and put 100k down. Who needs to keep up with the joneses?.

Paul Miller: needn't worry about all that excess paperwork. Even people with good credit are having problems getting loans now.

MK,MO: the reason there are so few mfg jobs in this country anymore is because you and your union buddies demanded things like a fixed pension and health care for life. Did you ever give anything back to them when they went through tough times?

HP Boston: dont remember anyone ever forcing anyone to take a loan. If poor people wanted to buy a $500k house, and some one lent them the money, how is it "loansharking"? He's also upset because he has to pay for insurance.

Who in god's name told you people you were entitled to anything for free? Who told you life was fair? Hell, I've won and lost but never expected anyone to pay my debts when life beat me up. I worked harder and spent less.

Meanwhile, with last night's panderfest as an indication, these knucklehead dems would kill this freakin' economy with all the free handouts.

Oh-eight (D): Obama & the Latino vote

Maxine, Las Vegas NV — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 02:46:19 GMT

>> Who in god's name told you people you were entitled to anything for free? <<

First thing, these are libs we are talking about. Most don't believe in God. Second thing, these are libs we are talking about, it is their right to do anything they want because the government should be there to clean up their mess everytime they fail.