It should also be noted, that Fannie/Freddie had one purpose, and that was to purchase subprime mortgages, securitize them, and guarantee them. With a semi-government guarantee, you can almost see why the ratings agencies gave the securities, at least 50% of the trash, a AAA rating.

And now we hear that the Obama Administration wants to make a deal with the banks to indemnify and absolve them from their criminal activity involving the sale of mortgage backed securities­, the MERS mortgage mess, and the rampant filing of illegal foreclosur­es. And they're going so far as to pressure New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderm­an to drop his investigat­ions into the widespread criminal activity perpetrate­d by the too big to fail banks. The administra­tions solution? Have the banks pay a civil fine. Are we moving toward a country where the rich are exempted from the laws of the land and the reach of the justice system by paying a fine? Where the victims of those crimes are excluded from the process, loose their rights to seek redress, and are considered collateral damage in the noble effort to keep "The Economy" healthy? Once again, the health of the banks balance sheets is proving more important then the health and well being of the American people.

I am horrified at the Kohn quote.

Are you kidding. Fannie and Freddie caused the housing bubble.

" Everyone is entitled to a home"

Here's a communication point for you:

When people talk about "gated communities", I think the listener gets the connotation of the wealthy enclaves that have been spreading since the New York bastions of the truly wealthy.

I'm sure the listener doesn't realize that prisons are also "gated communities." Where are we going with this stuff?

It is actually worse than that. The initial riot was about the death of a black teenager shot by police. A policeman was also shot but by another policeman, accidentally, but that information came out after the riots were over.

The first nights riots were down to anger and incompetance by the police. They failed to answer the demonstrators questions and after the demonstrators left the riot started. The subsequent riots were copycat riots with the prime intention of looting, so an element of poverty was involved. The areas affected were small and well apart. Though from press coverage you would have thought that the entire city was ablaze. The riots in other cities were also criminally motivated.

The cuts announced by the coalition have only recently started and are less than a few months in. In a couple of years as the austerity measures fail to work then if there are riots it will be because of austerity. In fact the coalition are so out of touch that they are already discussing cutting the top rate of tax, only brought in to address the deficit, and that only impact those earning more than $250 000 per year.

Greece and Portugal are most likely to have an European Spring event. Anger in Ireland is growing and might spill over, though since they elected a new government recently they might give them time before rioting.

Jeff Immelt.....................YES SADLY

I hope you are kidding Fannie/ Freddie....................

I like the idea of state run investment banks allocating investment capital through a political process. We need more Fannie/Freddie successes.

In complete relation: Koch Lashes Out at Warren Buffett

"It is not the role of government to feed these pitiful slobs, or help them find work, or protect them if they get ill. It is up to my own philanthropy, and I shall decide whom to save, and how, and when, or whether to save none at all, and #*#* you all very much if you think otherwise."

www.whitehouse.gov                    www.congress.gov    We must all Speak out often People power works when we get active Like in Wis & Ohio - Fla What are you waiting for ?

That God ploy is so phony. Thats just the GOP Tea Bagger excuse to do nothing but stall, block & filibuster 100's of times These folks care nothing about the Bible. They use God and Bible as a ' prop' Jesus was liberal " Feed the hungry heal the sick' Does that sould like a Repub Tea Bagger ??