The government should use a portion of the taxes it collects to provide foreclosure relief to homeowners.

Total Voters: 362 Yes 104% No 104% Undecided 104% Bam Bam 08/13/08 5:38pm Nicky you make a good point, but they do have rental help for folks like yourself. But, you can only make a certain amount of money to qualify. It's a welfare program and you'd be in a scary scary neighborhood hon. Your best bet is to get a room mate or less expensive pad. The foreclosure disaster is hurting neighborhoods and crime is rising and banks are plundering with properties they can't seel. That means possible runs on the bank and that will end up costing federal money to cover the losses anyway. I volunteer for Golden Retriever rescues and you won't believe how many animals pure breads even are being abandoned when families have to leave. There is so much more to the crisis then just saving a house or helping pay rent. Not to diminish your situation of course. Nicky 08/12/08 10:10pm Why should the government help the people who have mortgage problems? I'm renting and can't afford my rent, and my place is one of the cheaper apartments here. It's not fair to help some and not others. I need help just as bad as they do, if not more so. I believe in being fair; if you help this person on the left, you then help this person on the right. People who have money (the rich) are the ones who get to buy houses. It's time more people care about helping the poor. Many people are poor, and it's not because they're lazy. Milkshake 08/12/08 4:30pm I agree. We need a big change. I hope the dems get back in office. Bam Bam 08/12/08 2:38pm And when the Dems get back into office we'll have the biggest laugh of all! Right back atcha! Tina 08/12/08 12:55pm I agree we need a new poll. The bullshxt dramatics of the bleeding heart liberals makes me laugh! Ha! Ha! Milkshake 08/12/08 10:54am I agree ChubChub! Have a milkshake on me. new interesting poll please!! Pat 08/12/08 6:50am Bam Bam, the votes on this poll shows that we do have people with heart towards their own so we need not say more...no matter what some might come back with. Chub Chub, I agree, we do need a new poll. Bye until new poll. Chubchub 08/12/08 5:33am Can we all settle down and have a "milkshake" now?? Bam Bam 08/11/08 1:38pm I think comic is right and he hit a nerve. It seems the only ones upset about the Bush bashing are the ones who voted for him. Maybe we should blame all you guys instead. You put him in office. Selfish, money grubbing out for yourselves don't tax us...tax the little people. I am not naming names you know who you are. As for Debbie, hon I hate to tell you but our Nation is being lost everyday to immigrants & a poor economy that has devastated our housing markets. Ask yourself this, now I left the country in 2003 and came back in 2005 to an incredible influx of Mexicans. How the hell did they get here unless there was some plan orchestrated by our gov't for some other purpose yet to be determined. We never had a problem protecting our borders in the past and suddenly within two years we have millions of illegals? you guys gotta open your eyes...I mean come on. It didn't just frickin happen. Someone turned their backs and let it happen for a reason. Maybe we can all discuss what that reason could be. What path is the gov't leading our prim rose smelling noses down now? They create situations to create solutions to get certain people into office. We're nothing but guinea pigs thinking we run our gov't by the vote. Beleive me we're doing exactly what they want! Pat it doesn't matter what we say to certain people...they simply can't see the truth even if it bit em'. Pat 08/11/08 10:02am This one old quacking hen with mother and daughter only owe $20,000.00 more on our home and our businesses still aren't doing bad, but all around I see people losing homes and small businesses everyday to no fault of their own. Most people that bought homes and opened small businesses knew at the time, thought they could afford to pay for them, are losing them now because our economy is dropping every week. The economy has to do with the government. Most people are layed off "indefinitely,"might as well say they are fired, because companies close down to go over seas for slave labor or just cut way back so stockerholders and ceos and other big wigs don't lose any of their money. How could most people even see what was going to hit them hard? They were living the "American Dream", until it turned into a nightmare. As far as sending rice to these very poor countries, they do not get any healthy nutrition from that and most supplies are stolen from the guerillas that are slaughtering people and the wild animals anyway. The rice fills their tummies with their bodies and minds still slowly dying. Ed, I'm not trying to be politically correct. I really want to know it if was black, white, Asian, Mexican, etc. I know a lot of blacks, whites and other nationalities are receiving more help in some areas than others, but there are honest people of these races that are working their as*** off to try to make ends meet and are suffering and should get help(some get a little help). Ed, I do agree with you about pets being left behind. I couldn't do that, but I'm telling you the truth, some of these people can't take their pets with them when they have no where to go and they really do think someone will be around in 2 or 3 days. I've seen on the news where some people put out lots of water and food thinking they would be found, but not until most times it was too late. If they didn't want to take them to a shelter or other family members or friends wouldn't take them, they at least should have left them outside of a fenced yard or something different. If anything they could have at least shot them. My pets are my babies if I couldn't take them with me and take care of them properly, I would force myself to shoot them. You never know who has them, where they'll end up, starved or abused, etc. Debbie, I kind of agree with you, but you don't understand how many people are ignorant and don't do their homework, when it comes to loan companies. There is too much trust in people to think they would be taken advantage of. I don't trust no one outside my family. But a lot of people are losing their homes for a lot of other reasons. Most could afford to buy when they did, until our economy plummeted. They thought dealing with these crooks was plausible. Bam Bam, I still have to agree with you on this poll. I still don't understand what part these people don't understand about the sentence of the poll. The sentence says "a portion of the taxes it already collects." It doesn't say anything about new taxes to add to that. As far as Katrina, over 1 BILLION DOLLARS was donated from all over America, from the Stars that donated millions and many, many countries around the world that donated. All those homes could have been rebuilt for every family to go back home. They would even had enough to build a stronger, taller wall to hold back the next deadly hurricane that could hit in the future. That's a lot of money to disappear. Ed, I will always blame the government. I don't see the world through rose-colored glasses, but I used to try to write about spiritual things and was totally shot down. And in the past polls when I said Great Spirit, I didn't mean God. God or whatever other religious name is put on the Great Spirit, believe in something smaller than what I believe. Paula 08/11/08 7:44am I'm so tired of all the soothsayers in this bunch and their foregone conclusions of gonna be, will be, I know for a fact, chicken little, sky is falling, mud slinging, b.s., attitude. Whew! Look at what 8 years of Bush did for us. Do you really think another 4 or 8 or the same with McCain (who is proven to work along the same platforms as Bush) will do us any good? "Weapons (oil) of (oil) mass (oil) destruction", my kiester! And as far as 9-11 goes, the man didn't even hit the right country! Holy cow folks! Wake up! At this point in time I don't think it really matters if we get a new poll or not. Someone ALWAYS takes it back to politics. SO new poll? Why bother? =) Debbie 08/11/08 7:11am I don't think it matters if I am a Republican, democrate or Independent. The issue is why use our tax dollars for people who were irresponsible when taking on home loans. Does that mean I can default on my credit cards, car loans, and personal loans and the American Public will pick up the tab. Quit blaming Bush for everything. I know you far right liberals hate Republicans especially Bush because he won the election and that oaf Gore whined cried and stomped his feet because he did not win. If and I mean If that liberal Obama Mama gets in we are going to be taxed out the ying yang and all that money will go for illegal immigrants and the poor. What about the rest of us. We will never see it. The nation will collapse and there will no longer be the United States. Another important point, we will get bombed again, because Obama Mama will not know what to do except hide. It seems in the news lately again another democrate got caught with his pants down and now fathered a child out of wedlock while his wife is fighting cancer. I guess just another democrate showing good moral character! Bam Bam 08/10/08 7:37am Well comic you may right. It appears your comment was a conversation stopper. Unknown Comic 08/08/08 6:30pm I don't think it's charity. The gov't sees the greater downslide of the economy as a result of this dillema and knows if they don't step in there will be alot more and greater problems in the future. It's not charity they are saving all our assses. Funny, nobody is ****ing about the 6 billion bucks we keep spending on the War Bam Bam made a good point. No cares about your money going over there? So much in debt are we thanks to Bush. This is gonna sound so rude of me....and I hope you'll see some humor in it. But, I wonder of those that don't want their taxes to go to the cuase how many of you are Republican? Milkshake 08/08/08 10:40am Does anyone feel the government should use a portion of the taxes to help people in great need of a car????????? Paula 08/08/08 10:32am Cudos to Jeff and Ed. I too give to local charities and am even the secretary of a non for profit car club that gives to those in need. Who we give to and how much we give is voted on. American Cancer Society, a back to school fund for those who can not afford school supplies, money for families that have immediate need - examples of that would be; hotel money for parents with children in hospitals so they can stay close, money to help pay hospital bills, utility bills. . . and the list goes on and on. As to federal money, my question still stands. Where do we draw the line? And how in the hello are we going to draw that proverbial line? Brings out a million and one questions - Who? Why? Where is it all going? Why is it going there? Who appropriated that? What did it get used for that it was not supposed to? I could go on, but choose not to. :) Ed 08/08/08 5:11am Way to Go Jeff!!! I totally agree with you. Now here is a man that makes sense. We need a new poll before we get some people ( and I did not say ALL) complaining and blaming the government again. Jeff 08/07/08 9:57pm For all those that think I'm heartless or lack compassion... Think about it this way. When the government uses our taxes to pay for someone elses misfortune, they are essentially FORCING me to cough up my money for the cause. That is stealing and should not be confused with charity. Charity is when someone VOLUNTARILY gives their own money or other aide to help others in need. Every year I donate money and goods to organizations like the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Goodwilll, and my local Church (which donates to the homeless and others in need). This is true compassion. There is nothing virtuous about forcing someone else to turn over their money toward charitable causes. Those people who are so quick to call others un-compassionate because they are not in favor of Government bailouts are completely missing the point. It's easy to be generous with other people's money. The Government is not in the business of bailing out people who make bad decisions, or even those who are plagued with bad luck. When things get tough, those that are truly independent and know how to take personal responsibility do what is necessary to help themselves. When the government starts giving handouts, the recipients become dependent, lazy and bitter. It's human nature. If you want to help those who are really in need, donate to charity and stop looking to Government to make you feel good about yourself. Bam Bam 08/07/08 4:50pm Paula we're not taking extra funds to pay for this, I'm saying we put enough money into bombing other countries (6 billion in 2002) I think we can afford to take some of that an allocate it to those less fortunate to help our economy and stop the downfall of the American family. The economy has been going downhill since the war started, people have been selling their belongings just to have gas money to go to work. No shamey on Bam Bam but shame on those who judge others regardless of the reason for their trouble. Yeah, we have loads of needs in this country especially New Orleans. So many trailer homes that have never been lived in. Perhaps some of the homeless foreclosure victims can live in them. But, the foreclosure market is just another situation that needs tending to. If we take that money from unecessary WAR perhaps we can begin to put this country back to together. And Paula I agree with and Tina on this one thing...fixed mortgage rates. Others weren't so lucky but that doesn't mean they don't deserve help. This market is going to crash and it could be prevented with so little effort. But, I've noticed (including myself) people have become obstinate, less forgiving and less giving since 2001. How very very sad. Debbie 08/07/08 1:07pm Let's all calm down. The reason people are losing their homes is due to alot of things, job loss, illness, and of course bad judgement when getting a loan to purchase a home. I think most people are focusing on the last one. We live in a society that we always want more, more and more. that is fine we we all can afford it, but most of us have to come to reality that we cannot have those homes that we cannot afford. I was taught a long time ago that an adjustable rate is not the type of rate most Americans should have. It's not the government's fault. I blame the Mortgage industry and the folks that applied for the loans. People that have lost their jobs or have a long hospital stay can also be at risk, but those people don't fall in this catagory that everyone here is talking about. I hope every american can get through the problems of today. Bush is not to blame. This has been coming for a very long time, so it is easy for liberals to blame Bush. Liberals would blame their mothers if they thought everyone would believe it. Tina and Ed and others are just telling it like it is, some people made bad judgements on the type of loans and now are paying for it. We should not have to use any tax dollars to save them from it, except maybe the people that were in the hospital, or the person who lost their job and cannot find another should get assistance. Ed 08/07/08 12:23pm Most people (and lets get this correct, you bunch of old quacking hens, we did not say all) that are losing their homes were because they could not afford them to begin with, due to the Mortgage industry, not Bush, giving loans all over the place, and people thought taking an adjustable loan was the way to go. Rich people should only take out adjustable loans, because if there is a fallout they have the money to back it up. As far as what people Tina is talking about I am sure you are not that dumb not to realize that she means black or are you afraid to not be politically correct by not saying that. I know you and most liberals are afraid to say alot of things because it might not be politically correct. I have to say if people are irresponsible enough to leave their poor pets to fend for themselves then that shows how ignorrant they were about getting a loan. You don't just leave you pet behind for someone to find it. You take it to a shelter or a relative, you don't leave it behind to starve. That is down right stupid. Do they leave their dimple darling children next. I would never leave my pets they are suppose to be part of the family and family sticks together. Paula 08/07/08 12:21pm Shamey, shamey Bam Bam. You assume tooooo much. I was offered a viariable rate mortage when I refiananced maybe 5 years ago. Even with the payments being about $200.00 less a month I turned it down and took a fixed rate loan simply because I could not forsee the future AND had an honest banker that laid out what the payments could be if the interest rates were to soar. I am NOT laying all or any of this mortgage mess at the feet of those who have been foreclosed upon. But I am saying that there has to be a better way than pulling more out of our overly stressed system. We are still dealing with floods, fires, earthquakes, the homeless, the abused. . . Not only in the U.S.A. but are sending out aid to other countries as well. I will say that I don't begrudge those countries one grain of rice or one red cross packet packet. We help because it's needed and is the responsible thing to do. So, the question is not only what more can we do, it's also where do we draw the line? Pat 08/07/08 11:41am I don't think I have read anything mean and cruel that Bam Bam has ever written. I even went back to the last 4 polls and searched...NOTHING cruel or mean. Everyone needs to go back and read all comments from the poll: The state of today's economy has significantly impacted my life. Just that one sentence alone lets us know that is the reason most people are losing their homes. Our economy, thanks to bush, is in dire(urgent neccesity) straits(money difficulties). Tina, a comment that you had on that poll said that working your 2 jobs was to try to make ends meet and that it still doesn't help. Those 2 older people that lost their home(apparently) was their own fault...that is what you have said about everyone else. Why is it that some people don't understand this is a much bigger disaster than to condemn people for losing their homes? Ed, whine is what kids do to get their way. The THOUSANDS of families that are losing their homes at a high rate of speed everyday are praying, searching for some kind of help from somewhere and crying and possibly some days screaming. Has anyone voting on this poll ever lost a home and everything that belongs to you and your kids? Not from fire or other natural disasters, which are terribly horrifying enough, but from the bank due to no fault of your own? Tina, also, I am white with a little bit of Native American/Irish/German descent and am wondering what type of people are you talking about being in financial trouble? I see people from ALL races both male and female with or without kids having financial trouble now, except for the very wealthy. All the money our government let other countries borrow and do not force them to pay back IS our tax dollars. Raise hell about that. If enough people in this country would stand up to Washington, you would see how fast all this turmoil nationwide would stop. I assure you all these people that are losing their homes haven't sit around on their as*** and twiddled their thumbs waiting around until too late. Lastly, one comment that Bam Bam made about the animals. Have you not seen on the news many times where nationwide people are leaving their homes with pets left inside to die of thirst and starvation? They leave thinking that someone will come around in a day or two and save the animals. BUT when the bank takes these homes away, it is sometimes several weeks before they even pay attention to the homes they sooo badly wanted. Tina 08/07/08 7:31am Hey Bam Bam, I am not judging anyone's misfortune, it is horrible that your friends are having such problems. It is just our government taxes us for everything and also including our state governments. All I see is more money going out to help other people and programs which I could never qualitfy for because I am the wrong color. Then you view the news and what type of people do you see in financial trouble and foreclosing on their homes (that they could not afford in the first place), so it leaves a bad taste in my mouth where I don't want to help those people because they put themselves in that situation and why should we bail them out. By the way I did have a couple loose their home on my block last year. They were an older couple. I watched how they threw their belonging on the lawn. I even offered to store their furniture in my garage till they could get a uhaul and pick it up. So I know how it affects people. I was very upset and worried where are they going to go. Do you know if our government went after all the countries that (so called) borrowed money from the US we would not have financial issues, but they keep excusing their loans. What the hell is that about! Pat I also agree we need to take care of our own, but if there is someone out who has not tried to take care of their issues and expects us and the government to support them then I say Heck No! God Bless all of you. Bam Bam 08/06/08 8:08pm Exactly Pat...good for Tina and everyone else who planned ahead. I agree in the fixed rate mortgage wholeheartedly, but we cannot judge others for their misfortune. This economy is a business - I live on a street with more than 4 foreclosed homes. It's a good neighborhood but the banks are not taking care of these houses - they are tearing down the value of our homes becuase the homes are vacant and unkept, they cannot be sold. There's more in it for us to give to the needy then there is hoarding it and keeping it to ourselves. That may be cruel souding to those who don't want to give, but those of us that disagree with you think the same of you. As for my friends getting second jobs - who said they didn't? Who said they didn't get three jobs and their teenagers pitched in? You just assume that people aren't trying and you Judge way too harshly on those less fortunate. I feel sorry for anyone who can't help themselves by helping their fellow man. As for my commnent about everyone having just one job - that was somethign I repeated from someone else. Although it wasn't my thougts I agree with them. It makes sense. They couldn't beleive that some people could say "it's their own damn fault" the should have known better and not care. Now that attitude to me is horribly cruel and judgmental. To say that people are whiney? My neighbor just got layed off - he's out there everyday looking for work - should he lose his home too? What excuses can you two make up for him to be a loser? What I said was simply the opposite side of the same coin. If it bothers some folks oh well I guess that happens. The unkind and uncaring words about others in despair that bothers me. I can't believe some folks don't mind their tax dollars going to other countries like Pat said yet you won't help your homeland. It makes no sense and if it takes someone on one of your streets to lose their home for you to see the bigger picture then let it be said. Of course I hope no one loses their home. I would never wish it on anyone. But my point is some day it will hit close to you just like it did on my street...then you understand. Families moving away, losing their pets and way of life. There's a bigger picture. Pat 08/06/08 2:50pm The poll says: The government should use A PORTION of the taxes IT COLLECTS to provide foreclosure relief to homeowners. What is wrong with that? Is there something that is not understood in layman's terms about the sentence? Where should that portion the government ALREADY TAKES OUT go to? More girls and women to pop out more kids? Buy $500.00 hammers? The politicians more extra money for their prostitutes? Where? Where should it go? Maybe it could go to the drug smugglers to help sneak more drugs in to the country. There's a good idea!!! But, hell no, let's definitely not help our own!!! Tina 08/06/08 2:45pm Thank you Ed for your support. Bam Bam you are very cruel, I hope you don't have any trouble down the line. You seem to be very angry about everything, I have read the polls and you poor soul have some issues you need to deal with, God Bless. By the way I am not in trouble because when all the madness started with rising gas prices, food etc. I took that second job to help with those expenses. I planned ahead, which is what your friends should of done. When I purchased my house, which by the way I had built I knew that a fixed rate is the way to go because you know it is locked in. You don't have to worry about it adjusting like adjustable rates that alot of people thought was a good thing. SO AGAIN, I WILL SAY I DO NOT SUPPORT MY TAXES GOING TO IRRESPONSIBLE HOMEOWNERS IN FORECLOSURE!!!! Ed 08/06/08 2:27pm Bam Bam I think you need to chill. Tina was not passing judgment on your stupid friends that took out an adjustable loan which we all know the reason for that is because they wanted a expensive house and thought by using an adjustable rate mortage they could do it. Tax payers should not have to pay for their stupidity. They should of bought a house they can afford using A FIXED RATE. That rate does not go up it is locked in. Junk bonds are a different story and we are not talking about that. We are talking about bailing out irresponsible people from foreclosure. I wish the government would ask me how to spend the tax money, believe me alot of useless programs would go away. Also your ignorant response to Tina working a second job, hey the woman is taking care of her son. Is your friends trying to get a second job or is it beneath them to do that. Maybe they are whiners waiting for a hand out. Get off her back she is working hard to take care of her son and she is planning ahead to support herself and her son that is why she is not in trouble and your friends are. Also you want people to take one job then you need to tell married people to have one person quit their job so their will be jobs for everyone. This must be more of your common sense. I agree with the folks that tax payers should not have to help homeowners out of foreclosure, because 90% of them caused it themselves. Bam Bam 08/06/08 10:53am Tina & Paula....God help you both if your ever in need. How dare you pass judgement on friends of mine or anyone or what anyone "must" have done or know to prevent such a thing. They and many others are capable of affording their homes. Sadly, the banks when they are in trouble push that responsiblity of making up for it with rasing their rates. Funny...I don't think those folks who lost their shirts with junk bonds in the eighties would agree with your "logic". I have yet to meet one person who's a know it all about banking and mortgages. Thank God for HGTV ...Not! I'll bet neither one of you is an expert either. Good thing the our givernment doesn't ask either of YOU what they do with our money. HAHAHA - these people will get their help to your own dismay! By the way...I hope if anyone in this country has to get foreclosed on it's in your neighborhoods - then you'll truly see what happens in this country when no one get's involved and when homes are abandoned because they cannot sell either! On another note...maybe some of these people who don't have jobs or can't find a job is because People like you Tina have taken two of them. Maybe we should enact a law that say's in times like these YOU should have thought ahead or planned better because only one job to a person when the economy is like what it is. That way everyone can work and you won't have to worry about what is done with your taxes. You'll be in the same boat as everyone else! Poor, can't make ends meet due to the high cost of groceries and gas and maybe it will be you who loses your home because either you or maybe your landlord (if you rent) can't pay their mortgage. It's obviousl you cannot see the forest through the trees to the greater consequences and the meaning of foreclosures in neighborhoods and this economy. THINK GLOBALLY PEOPLE...NOT LOCALLY. Pat 08/06/08 10:13am A few of you act like every family that are losing their homes planned it that way. If you can't see what is really going on, I fully guarantee you that you will be next on the list. Thank-you, Milkshake and Bam Bam and anyone else that have the eyes to see and the ears to hear. Why is it when our people are in trouble in this nation, some are ready to jump on the band wagon and say that everything bad that happens to us are our faults? So that means that all the other people in other countries around the world are totally responsible for their PLIGHT. Their governments never played a part in their problems. Third-world countries are totally responsible(the people, not their government) for their starvation, diseases, etc. So why do we send money and food to these other countries when it is (apparently) the peoples' fault? If we are so ready to condemn our own, they don't count. Anybody that falls down on hard luck in our nation is to be: 1-slapped upside the face, 2-turned away, 3-pushed to the curb, 4-thrown in the dumpster, 5-stabbed in the back, 6-turn our backs on, 7-slam the door in their face, 8-kick them when they are down, and the best one of all 9-YEAH!!! stepped on and squashed into the dirt. Oh my, what FUN some of you have! Some of you think that we have a non-corrupt and fairy tale government. If that's the case, then the government around the world is non-corrupt and in fairy tale land. All people everywhere are responsible for all the horrific things that are happening to them. Let's blame them, it's all their fault. If we are not willing to help our own(for what they purposely did to themselves-BAD PEOPLE! BAD PEOPLE!), then why are we helping other people in other countries for what they did to themselves? This is true and sarcastic to the ones that see it this way. Paula 08/06/08 6:25am No, the government should NOT use a portion of the taxes it collects to provide forclosure relif. Variable interest rates on a home loan? That would be what? 5 % to what's legal? 21%? The math for that over a 20 year peirod on a moderately priced home is scary, much less on a home one couldn't afford in the first place. Who ever thought up that scheme should be drawn and quartered! Wait! How about a variable of being drawn and quartered? =) Tina 08/06/08 4:55am Hey Bam Bam! Looks like the family with plenty of money did not know about a fixed rate. They must have overextended themselves buying a home they could not afford and then taking an adjustable rate loan. Those types of loans do go up and that is probably why they are in the predicament they are in. I don't feel sorry for them at all. I feel the sarcasm in your words about the fact I work two jobs, hey at least I am not losing my home and working two jobs I make sure the bills and my son have a roof over our heads and mortgage is paid and that is the responsible thing to do. If you have to dig ditches to make sure the bills are paid you should do it, and there are all kinds of jobs out there. People have to want to work instead of whining and looking for the government to step in and help. So I still would not give any of my tax dollars to help a homeowner that is being foreclosed on. No one has convinced me yet that it would be a good idea. Oh and your comment about Brat Pitt and the "****, Husband Stealer" Angelina Jolie, they certainly are not a couple of people I would ever seriously take any advice from. They are both a couple of immature idiots. I wonder if Brad is jealous when Angelina french kisses her brother. What a couple of nut jobs. I feel sorry for the army of children she keeps conceiving or adopting. They really are a screwed up couple.... Jeff 08/05/08 4:17pm Tina, you are right on target! People must be held accountable for their own actions. Too many people are out there blaming everyone but themselves for buying a place they could not afford. If the government takes my tax money and bails out people who don't do their homework and make bad decisions, these people will never learn from their mistakes. When the government subsidizes bad behavior the result is more of that bad behavior. Any kind of government bail out is wrong and basically punishes those people who are responsible enough to live within their means by taking their hard earned tax dollars and giving it to people who take bad risks. Ysabella 08/05/08 4:06pm i would like to add a little comment and make a point; Why that money is available to help people that come from another country, never did work in this great country, and have all the help the want available to them from SSI to housing and nice cars, doctors the best hospital, am not going to mention the country these people come from:, they are not Hispanic.>> Why can't our tax money help our American people that is in need to give them a hand, and have them pay it back with the time at a very low rate. It would be of great Pride and Glory that this great country America help the Americans rise above their needs. Tina 08/05/08 1:23pm We have to stop blaming the government for the mistakes people make. People need to grow up and take responsibility for the screw-ups they commit and quit expecting the government to step in bail them out. Taking my taxes to save a home for someone who could not afford it in the first place is stupid. If that is what they are planning on doing, I want my cut of the taxes to go to a military family trying to raise their kids and hold down a household while their husband or wife is over seas defending our country. Bam Bam 08/05/08 1:21pm Tina, I knew a family that made plenty of money and lost there house because the bank upped their APR which increased their payment. Don't presume to know everyone's business or be all inclusive of everyone's predicament. Not everyone can work two jobs and not everyone is blessed enough (like you apparently) to find a second job. NOT ALL of your tax dollars will go to supplement this...but if we can spend 6 Billion dollars a year on bombing the shhit outta other nations surely we can spend a few bucks to care of ourselves and fellow Americans who are in the same boat? Think about it...vacant houses bring unwanted crime to good neighborhoods. Our Nation is at an all time high for unemployment and you have the nerve to say get a second job? That's simply ignorant. You haven't thought about this in long terms have you? Bam Bam 08/05/08 1:16pm Wallender, thanks I saw your last comment! Your right I watched it again the same night and must have confused it with something else I saw. But, it was great to watch it again! Bad graphics from the eighties though! LOL. I'd hate to see that war get started though...20 and 7 years it's too damn long! Bam Bam 08/05/08 1:10pm THEN WHERE WOULD THOSE OF YOU LIKE TO SEE YOUR MONEY GO? The way I see it ...is this...the gov't is the reason we're having an economy collapse to begin with. Their over reaction to the terrorist attacks and starting this BS war. I'd rather see my neighbors get assistance with my some of my tax dollars than see them homeless and the big banks taking their property. New Orleans is still waiting for that help by the way. By utilizing these tax dollars it actually helps all of us in the long run. Leave it to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to do something! JUST REMEMBER those of you who don't want to see these programs developed the shoe might be on the other foot someday! Even my family is starting to feel the pinch of this economy and we're just one paycheck away from poverty. Besides, we're all here to help one another, if we were put here to be every man for himself what would be the point? Librae 08/05/08 11:30am Not to appear mean or indifferent, but the line has to be drawn as to what the function of the government is. This must be clearly defined. Is the government always going to rescue everything and everybody when things go bad. If the U.S. is to maintain itself as a system of freemarkets then people must realize there is a risk involved in living itself. Nothing is guaranteed in life. Now if we decide that government (ie. taxpayers) has the ultimate job of saving people from their mistakes and misjudgements and even errors through no fault of their own(via corruption) we must either rely on private organizations to help the indigent or we must embrace socialism and all attendant ramifications of such a system. Throughout history capitalist societies have always degenerated into socialist and authoritarian style governments. Culures/societies choosing to stand on its own feet is a rare achievement that unfortunately never lasts as its citizens are almost relieved to give up their freedom and cash to have somebody protect them from the vagaries of reality. In any case I truly believe God runs the whole show in the final analysis, so take the aforementioned for what it is, just an opinion of one rather small speck in an infinite universe. Milkshake 08/05/08 11:09am Pat, I really enjoyed reading your last comment. Makes alot of sense! Debbie 08/05/08 8:51am I don't agree that my taxes should be used to help people who are losing their homes. If they are women with kids so what. I struggled to keep a roof over my son and myself's head for years. You work two jobs cut down on expenses. You can do it if you want to, but alot of them just want to whine and want a free hand out. Sorry you don't lose your house overnite. It takes time for this to happen. The government had nothing to do with what happened in the Mortgage market. The lenders went nut giving loans to people who should not of gotten a loan. So now we all have to suffer with the blowout, by our homes not being worth anything. Pat 08/05/08 4:33am Ice and snow at the top of a mountain, lower down as it gets a little warmer the ice melts a little and the snow melts. Drips slowly turn to dribbles, from there to tiny springs, then creeks. They meet up somewhere to form waterfalls and rivers on the way down. If the ice and snow melt too fast, there is a lot of flooding by the time it reaches the valley, then a lot of destruction. So lies the problem in comparison with our nation concerning our government. Everything that happens, starts from the top and trickles down to us. Milkshake 08/04/08 7:04pm If first time homeowners, yes. Otherwise, it should be for a very good reason. Who knows? 08/04/08 4:04pm It seems crazy how in the name of greed loan companies can practically 'give' away credit so easily for homes, encouraging consumers to buy houses generally considered out of their budget. "Caveat emptor"...Latin for "let the buyer beware". If it seems too good to be true, it probably IS. Problem is that vulnerable consumers (esp. lower income or financially strapped ones) don't always know, realize this and think the loan companies are going to be their "friend" that they can count on for honest answers. Sometimes consumers think they have all the info they need and are proven wrong the hard way. Loan companies are businesses first and foremost and they want to make money. They really don't care about the consumer. The more financially vulnerable the consumer is, the more likely they are to be at risk of foreclosure. Loan companies know this. I sometimes think the loan companies want to cause a crisis to force consumers into a vulnerable position so that they have more control over the market. Maybe I'm wrong about this one. I have no idea how the government can make sure all consumers are thoroughly educated before they sign contracts - or IF it's even worthwhile to even regulate such procedures more than they are. Pat 08/04/08 2:51pm Tina, with foreclosures, I can't argue with what you say. That's probably about 40% of homes lost by bad management and 30% due to illness and the next 30% due to losing jobs due to companies closing down completely or moving to some other country. But I, myself, personally would rather my taxes go to helping people not lose their homes. Did you know the highest rate of homeless people are women and children? Tina 08/04/08 11:47am Oh no...don't get me started with the welfare system and like you will probably tick someone off, because of my opinions. Welfare should be a temporay thing. But like you said there are women out there having babies every year so they can collect more! First of all she should be fixed after two kids then taken off welfare after a couple of years and cannot go back on it for at least 10 years. That may help stop that madness. Some also think it is owed to them. You are correct that I do not want to pay for some lazy woman who only knows how to spread her legs to have babies every year. I also know that there are women out there that need the help and use the system correctly, but the other ones give the whole system a bad name. The other issue about foreclosure, if you look at some of the people going through this alot of them bought homes that they could not afford in the first place and alot of them knew they could not afford it. The others were duped by the mortgage lenders not the government thinking they could afford a home and steadly got into more trouble, because they did not know how to manage their money; and a small percent lost their homes due to illness and in those cases they could of contacted their lenders for assistance and alot of them do not want to lose money and would work with them. Pat 08/04/08 11:09am How do you know what these thousands of families do or don't do to keep their homes? I'm sure the huge majority tried many things to keep their homes. If you don't want your taxes to go somewhere...look at welfare. There are many girls and women that keep getting more money to keep popping out kids by a different man all the time. I met this one girl that was 20 yrs. old and had six kids by six different men and still getting welfare, that's disgusting. I don't want my taxes going for that. Before anybody attacks what I say, I'm not talking about women that have welfare while they go to college or a university to do better for the kids they have. When me and my husband divorced I had to have help for awhile to further my education so that I could give my two kids more. Tina 08/04/08 10:27am Sure Our people should come first, they have to want to get out of trouble, hell I work a second job just to make ends meet, so should they. I don't want my taxes to go up for people who do not want to try. I refuse to pay for them. I have my own bills and cannot afford to support someone else. Foreclosure does not happen overnite. They should of tried to do something, work with their creditors they will work with you if you try.....You would be surprised. Pat 08/04/08 10:15am It is not as easy as black and white and it's done. This is in the gray area. Thousands of people have lost homes due to foreclosures and it can not all be blamed on the homeowners. I would rather for my taxes to go to helping a family keep their home in America than helping the war or building back a nation that we blew up in the first place due to war or nasa or other countries before our own. Our own people should come first. Tina 08/04/08 7:50am I think it should start when the person or persons are first applying for a loan the loan officer should have a list of items to check up on the person applying. Credit rating should be 700 or above. Then salary requirements, they need to make sure a person can afford the mortgage payment and also car payment, electric, gas etc. They only look to see if you can afford the mortgage, which did not make sense to me. Also they need to walk people through the process and make the process understandable. Alot of people don't understand the process what the rates mean, or what a fixed rate or an adjustable rate means and how it can affect their payments. Also what escrow, taxes mean. It is not an easy process if you do not know what the heck is going on. That is why alot of people got into trouble. There should also be something out there to help homeowners if they lose their jobs or get sick and go into the hospital. Using our taxes to help these people is not the answer. I know I do not want my taxes (which would go up) if we had to help someone out of the mess they put themselves into. If that is the case then all of us would be in trouble. I think the lenders should hold some of the responsibility of why this happened and they should be held accountable. This is a very sad situation for everyone involved. Pat 08/04/08 7:46am We are having all these foreclosures because of the government allowing more and more companies to go to other countries. Businesses here are being forced out of business(especially the small ones), the higher prices put on people to buy anything at all. This past four years of the bush administration made it even harder on people to pay bills and other needed things. The banks are allowed to go in on families like a rabid dog and take their homes, then turn around and sell them dirt cheap. Why didn't that family have that chance to pay a dirt cheap payment a month and keep their homes until the economy ever gets back on it's feet? Unless you are a homeowner losing your home or business this minute, you have no idea what you are talking about. Most people losing their homes is not due to neglect on their part, it is due to our government playing big shot to other countries. Vallender 08/04/08 6:15am Sorry for the brief derailment of the topic, but i just wanted to say that i left one last comment in the previous poll, mainly directed at Bam Bam's last comment. With regards to this poll, i can only say that this happens VERY RARELY IN any of the EU countries, DESPITE THE FACT that there is a long-standing tradition with Gov't aiding the citizens with many different things. I can tell u with 100% certainty that this is one area where you're NOT aided in any way with your own home by the state! Vallender 08/04/08 6:11am Sorry for the brief derailment of the topic, but i just wanted to say that i left one last comment in the previous poll, mainly directed at Bam Bam's last comment. With regards to this poll, i can only say that this happens VERY RARELY Zera 08/04/08 12:53am Tough one. Bc some make it happen bc they cant handle finance. Others bc of nature disasters n other terrible fatal accidents. I 4 one find it totally ok 4 those who has had natural diasters n such happen, that they get governmental help n aide. But those who FOUL up themselves ......... I SO dunno. Im like, those who foul up, n they get help, what insurance can they give that they wont keep doing it? I´d LOVE to see this dilemma on Dr. Phil. I bet he has some serious views on this. Im UNDECIDED in this.