I read with great interest your front-page article about homeowners who have been given a break by mortgage companies as a result of pressure from the government (“Homeowners get a break,” Oct. 7). Once again, as has happened over and over in the past four years, I find myself wondering where the “breaks” are for those of us in the so-called middle class that our elected officials keep saying they are trying to help.
My husband and I have always played by the rules. We have never felt entitled to anything we didn’t earn, and have worked hard to provide for our four children in a way that would give them what they need, while teaching them the value of earning for themselves.
Comments
I feel the same way Katherine and we are not alone. Never in my 58 years I heard people say they are so discouraged, it's sad. this is what our country is turning into, government is taking over. A vendor I work with everyday, we have become very close, has been one of the hardest workers I know, he's now ready to throw in the towel, I try to encourage him everyday but it's not working. 4 more years and we will not recognize this country.
More and more, people who do the right thing, pay off their mortgages and credit card bills, save for retirement, etc. are being penalized to help those who don't. Politicians find their hold is stronger on those who need the bailouts, and concentrate their policies on them, at the expense of the rest. We watched politicians push policies on the banks to remove penalties on people behind on payments, and brag about it, but remain silent when the banks compensated by shifting fees on the good customers. The politicians remain silent about tht, maybe so they don't draw attention to an unintended side effect of their 'acheivement'. We save for retirement, because its the right thing to do. We scrimp, drive old cars, live with 35 year old furniture, keep the thermostat down, etc. now we are told there may be means testing, thanks for the frugality, but there are votes to be harvested by shifting your SS dollars to the folks who went to casinos and bought scratch tickets, bought new cars, etc., and now have little in the bank. A system that encourages the wrong behavior gets more of the bad behavior. But that's OK, thats more people the policians can hold in their thrall. My sympathies to all who do the right thing and now find themselves forgotten or worse a population that will be exploited.
nothing like driving a car for 10 years until it dies or give it to one of the grandkids. Shop the sales for food..have you ever seen an EBT card with sale items or all food?
you have a work ethic that is so lost today. I can see lowing the rates on mortgages for all, but they also must be able to afford their homes at a lower rate. My kids work two jobs also to pay for what they want and are not living at all high...just getting by. But it doesn't seem fair where some politicians (to buy votes) will make banks take thousands off the principle of the mortgage because the homes are under water. Many should not have been given the mortgage in the first place, but someone got that full payment on the sale of the house and taking thousands off the principle means the bank loss actual cash given out. Lower the interest rate to todays rate only.
Even more aggravating is that the family profiled withdrew cash from that house for whatever and it was all forgiven.
The sentiments in this letter are those of millions of America's tax-payers. Hopefully, they will vote come November. President Obama & his boorish VP have no leadership skills; no new ideas, and can not get aloing with their colleagues in Washington.
Obama's policies are all about REDISTRIBUTION of the money coming from the taxpayers.