Well They Finally Got Bin Laden...

And you'd think that the politicians would all be happy.

Nahhhhhh....

I must have had a moment of extreme obliviousness to think that.

The Republican idiot of the decade, Sarah Palin gave credit to the President, but couldn't even say President Obama, and then went on to praise former President Bush. Bush? WTF did BUSH have to do with this? Yeah, some intelligence that led us in the wrong direction for a decade.

As for Palin, say what? She couldn't even give credit where credit is due?

And she's just the tip of the iceberg.

Freaking idiots.

Partisan politics over the overwhelming sense of relief that the instigator of terrorism is dead? Are you kidding me?

Oh my freaking goodness.

Borrowing Against Our Future -- AGAIN

OK, great. The Feds are going to give Bush a boatload of money to "bail out" the country.

What's wrong with this picture?

Ummm, guys, isn't this the very thing that everyone is ragging on homeowners about? We borrowed our way out of (and into) debt?

It doesn't work.

You can't borrow money to pay off debt, thereby making more debt that will sink your future.

What we NEED to do is finish our business in Iraq. Yes, I don't think we should abandon the Iraqi peoples, but we need to finish up and get out of their way. At this point, we may well be making things worse, not better.

Once we're out of there, we need to redistribute the monies spent on the war effort. (BTW: the war has been over a LONG time, this is a mopping up/police action.) We need to refurbish our Social Security system, pay down debt, assist families and homeowners with crushing debt, whether it's due to medical bills or fraudulent loans, assist them with proper loans with fixed rates so their lives are back in balance.

We need to assist with childcare costs, so people can afford to work, and childcare providers can afford to stay in business.

We need to do a lot of things in this country.

But borrowing against our future isn't the way to go.

Sorry Bush, you're just perpetuating the problem.

It's not going to work...

Gas Prices Are Dropping

Yes, prices are dropping, fairly rapidly.

Like I'm surprised?

As soon as Bush gave his speech and dropped the Presidential ban on offshore drilling, prices started coming down.

I'm not a bit surprised. This whole gas thing is killing my budget. And I've known all along that it IS all about the money.

Yes, we have been used and abused again. Just like Enron. Just like New Century. Just like IndyMac. Just like a whole lot of other big business that sees a way to gouge more money out of the American public.

Nothing new here.

There is NO reason why gas is so high, except for speculation on the oil market and the oil companies making the maximum amount of money off the backs of the American consumers. Yes, record profits. Just like Enron.

Now, don't get me wrong.

I still think that the speed limits should be lowered to 60 and that those limits should be enforced. Or at least enforce the 65mph speed limits we already have in place.

We should still continue to explore and promote solar, wind and nuclear power. Every little bit counts.

I still want a Mercedes 240D converted to veggie oil. (A diesel Rabbit or Volvo will also do nicely. Or an old diesel Datsun/Nissan. I'm not into looks, I'm into economy!!)

Just because prices are dropping, doesn't mean that we shouldn't anticipate the next big jump in prices. They will come.

Gas prices are dropping. But for how long, and how low will they go?

And will the US government look into the monopoly of the oil companies?

No, no they won't.

So the American consumer, like always, will carry the load.

Bush may give us the incentive rebates, but we will continue to pay so many hidden taxes in the goods, oil, food that we buy, it really won't make a bit of difference in the long run.

Honesty is the best policy?

Not in politics.

Trust me, gas prices are dropping, but we will continue to pay. And pay. And pay.

After all, this is America. Land of the free. Home of the brave. The land of "tax them until they drop" and then baffle them with BS. Repeat as needed.

Yes, gas prices are dropping.

And we're still going to get screwed...

Banks, Banks and More Banks

Two more banks, 1st National Bank of Nevada and First Heritage Bank, in Nevada, Arizona and California, were taken over by the FDIC on Friday. Luckily for their customers, the banks will reopen on Monday as Mutual of Omaha Bank branches. Customers can still write checks and access funds with their ATM cards.

And IndyMac is defunct.

My best friend's mortgage is with IndyMac. I told her not to worry, the Feds will sell it off to some other bank. Despite all the dire news about mortgages and real estate, historically, as long as she can hang in there and make her payments, she'll be OK in the long run. She's struggling though.

I'm struggling too. I am having a really hard time right now. I had some unexpected expenses and am struggling to get my bills all paid on time. (I don't feel bad about my Internet bill though, I have dial up and pay $15 a month. It pays for itself with the stuff I sell online.) Between the mortgage and high gas costs, it's just hard right now.

I am not alone.

In my case, I was sort of duped into the loan I have right now. I HAD to refi, my mortgage had reset. I was doing OK except my [insert bad words here] contractor didn't finish the remodel in a timely way. So instead of being able to refi around the end of October as planned, I wasn't able to refi until MAY!!

Anyway, to add injury to insult, the mortgage company sent out an appraiser that vastly undervalued my property, so I wasn't able to get the loan I needed. (How do I know? I was trying to get a loan with my credit union and the appraiser valued the property $20,000 higher. I was ONE POINT too low on my FICO, so I didn't qualify for that good loan I wanted. Plus, I have a copy of my next door neighbor's appraisal, a smaller house, not as updated, that was $50,000 higher!! HELLO???)

So, I had to start the whole process again with another company. Then, I was dicked around until the last minute. I had no more money for a third appraisal or to start the process again. I was forced to take the loan I was offered, a much less desirable product. And then, to top it off, I was told that this loan would include the escrow account. NOT!

Again, at the very last minute, when I had no more choices, I was told that no, the payment did not include the escrow.

I was screwed and thus, back against the wall, I signed the paperwork.

I can hardly wait to refi again and as soon as I'm able, prepayment penalty or not, I am so out of this loan. I will NEVER do business with this company again. Never, ever, ever.

I am not alone.

I have talked to a number of people who've been pushed into the corner like I was, and then had a choice of refi or the mortgage payment would jump out of their reach. So they did what they had to do for the moment.

I am praying that this big bailout that Bush is supposed to sign this weekend will be the salvation, not for the companies, who deserve nothing but contempt for the way they've treated their customers, but for the consumers.

All I want is to refi one last time, get into a fixed rate loan, set up an automatic payment plan and get my finances back on track.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. I was told I could set up an automatic payment plan. NOT! It's not an option with the loan I have. I discovered that lie when I went online to check it out. Dang it all!!

Lies, lies and more lies.

No wonder banks and mortgage companies are going under. The weight of those lies is sucking them under.

My loan isn't with the banks that just went under, thank the good Lord. My mortgage company has managed to stay afloat -- so far.

And I will pull through this financial mess. The market will recover, there are already signs that houses ARE selling in my area. The market will stay flat for a while, but my house is actually still valued at close to what I owe, so I'm better off than many consumers.

My friend still has equity, so she is also better off than most.

But we'll still struggle for a while longer. As Jesus told us, through storms we shall pass.

The operative word is "PASS".

Links:
SFGate.com: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/07/25/financial/f214032D65.DTL
FDIC: www.fdic.gov/news/news/press/2008/pr08063.html
1st National Bank of Nevada: http://www.fnbaonlinehb.com/
First Heritage Bank: http://www.firstheritage.net/
Bush signs housing rescue bill: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/07/23/financial/f143741D94.DTL
Details of the bill: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/07/23/national/w123421D90.DTL

Does Obama Have A Chance?

Hmmm, you know, that's a good question. Does Obama have a chance?

And the answer is, I don't know.

I do have an opinion though. I don't see him as President this go-around. It's good that he's getting his name out there, he looks like a good future candidate.

But I think the Clinton machine is going to win the Democratic nomination this time. And I also think that the WORST thing he can do is to be Hilary's running mate.

Why? Because there are just too many people who hate the Clintons. Right or wrong, Bill's escapade with whats-her-name (Monica) just grated on too many people's personal morals. Even though, LOL, some of them aren't any better, they just haven't been caught.

I think Hilary is going to get the Democratic nomination. And then, unless the Republicans choose an utter loser, they're going to win the Presidency again.

Sigh, I'm not sure which is worse.

However, in four years, maybe eight, I can easily envision Obama as our new President. I really think he has a chance. He's just too new to the public eye right now.

One thing that the upper level spinmasters don't seem to take into account is that this country really has more middle of the road voters than the far right or left. When in doubt, voters are going to go for the more conservative guy. If voters are faced with the choice of a good candidate with a couple of views that are too far outside their comfort zone, or a much more conservative candidate that's not too, too far to the right, they're going to go for the more conservative candidate. People want change, but not too much change.

I really think that's why Bush won.

Gore didn't have a chance.

Plus, despite his intelligence, Gore is an idiot out here in the real world where the rest of us live. On top of it, his association with the Clintons tainted him from the beginning. There are just too many voters that hate the Clintons so much that they'll vote against anyone who's been a part of that administration.

So, my personal opinion, which is always subject to change, is that the Republicans are going to win the White House yet again.

Hopefully, the incoming President will get a clue about what the "little people" want and start cleaning up the mess in Iraq, not attack Iran, and start focusing more on issues that affect the people here at home.

What would I like to see here on the home front?

• Better coordination of benefits between the military and Veterans Administration.
• More health care for children. (I think ALL kids should have free or low-cost health care, no matter what their parents' income level or immigration status may be. And once they turn 21, then they are converted to the private insurance of their choice.)
• Open up immigration so we can properly document and tax the people who are coming here to work anyway. Jeez, people, we have people who come here to WORK! Don't tell me they're "taking jobs away from citizens". That is utterly false. YOU go out and pick fruit when it's 110 in the shade -- oh, wait, you're too good to do that, right? Yeah, I thought so. I'm not going to do it either...
• Better loans for subprime borrowers who've been caught up in the mortgage blowup. (Get people into fixed rate, long term loans at lower payments, even if it means a 50-60 year loan. Most people don't stay in their houses that long. It will average out...)
• If fuel is a problem, put the national speed limit back to 55mph. Let's not lie, the gov't and oil companies are screwing us over. People get the best gas mileage at 55mph whether they're driving a Prius or a Hummer. This would save a LOT of fuel (and lives).
• Nuclear power may be the most expensive to build, but in the long term, it's cheaper and cleaner than most other options. Coal fired plants are not clean and not a long term solution to our energy needs.
• More solar and wind power plants, because every bit counts.
• Encourage more alternative type housing, including passive and active solar systems.
• Fix our infrastructure - roads, bridges, trains, mass transit systems.
• Less posturing, more real work from our politicians. Let's see these men and women out there with Jimmy Carter, building houses for Habitat for Humanity. Let's see something more than the photo-op of the week!

Yeah, I know, my Republican dad thinks I'm too liberal.

My anarchist friend thinks I'm too conservative.

Guess I'm wobbling down the middle. Again.