May
17

Breitbart.com: 1991 booklet by Obama’s literary agent listed his birthplace as Kenya; Update: Fact-checking error, says agent

Biography.


We got a bunch of excited e-mails when this story broke an hour or so ago, my favorite of which was this (in its entirety): why are you blacking out BRIETBART SCOOP of OBAMA KENYA PAMPHLET ??????? The terrible truth: Ed already had a few posts queued up and my shift hadn’t started yet so [...]

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May
16

Audio: Cherokee genealogist says it’s time for Elizabeth Warren to come clean

"Tell the truth."


Via William Jacobson of Legal Insurrection, who’s owned this story along with the Breitbart team. Her name is Twila Barnes, she’s 7/32 Cherokee, and she just dropped a truth bomb on the Democrats’ favorite non-minority “minority”: You see, Ms. Warren, some of us have independently done our own research and we know you have no [...]

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May
15

A Letter to Brian Stevens at TBWS: We Need More Houses?

 

BRIAN!  Dude… My good friend… Mi amigo de la Hipoteca clase… My favorite lender defender from whom laughs do engender… please don’t take me an offender… but as the message’s sender… a response to you I’ll tender… and my views I’ll therefore render…

 

Okay, I give in… that TBWS Daily was hysterical.  I mean, people say I’m funny, but I can’t hold a candle.

 

Overall, I loved the show, but, if I may… there were just a couple things…  

 

Just to make sure I understand what you said there… the problem is that there aren’t enough homes for people to buy?  We’re having a shortage of houses for sale, are we?  Wow… you know, I was sleeping and woke up to today’s video and for a minute there, I thought I must have dozed off for a decade or more.

 

But seriously… I had no idea that was the problem.  Well, alrighty then… I guess I’m going back to work… Mandelman doesn’t matter anymore… our economic problems have been solved.  And, thank heavens for that, because I was getting darn tired of writing about… um… well… I guess you could refer to it as… oh, I don’t know… how about… “the truth?”

 

Get more houses on the market?  Seriously?  More houses is what we need?  Am I on Candid Camera, or is there a rabbit hole around here somewhere that I can’t see?

 

So, I guess what you’re telling me is that at this point, the banks are actually hoarding them… holding them back for their own heads?  Foreclosing on more and more of them every day because they have a plan to corner the deteriorating home market?  Or are they just trying to pay us back for bailing them out by offering to pay most of the property taxes in this country going forward?  Or, maybe they just have a handyman fetish, so the more vacant homes the better?  Nothing turns them on like monitoring property preservation companies?

 

Why would they be hoarding empty houses?  Correct me if I’m wrong, but I was always under the impression that empty homes COST money as a result of their tendency to… what do they call it?  Oh yeah… decompose.

Aren’t banks the ones that are always trying to MAKE money?  Or have that backwards and banks are the ones that want to have the highest possible costs?  I can never keep that one straight… like eating eggs for breakfast… are they good for me or bad for me?  I can never remember… so I eat granola.

 

But, I digress…

 

Why do you suppose it might be that banks aren’t putting more homes on the market… or in the parlance of the economist… why are they limiting supply… making sure that it remains lower than demand?

 

Anyone?  Anyone?  Bueller?  Bueller?

 

 

Well, it can’t be because they don’t like money, right?  Right.  Okay, good.  I was pretty sure we’d have no argument there.

 

Could it be that they’re just so busy foreclosing and proprietarily trading credit derivatives for fun and losses, that they just haven’t realized that there are throngs of Californians and Arizonans clamoring to buy the homes they’re holding onto?  Again, I’d have to guess that… no, that can’t be it either.

 

Okay, let’s try this… What happens when the demand for a good exceeds its supply?  Oh, now lets not always see the same hands…

 

Brian?  Is that you I see in the back of the room doodling?  What’s that a picture of?  That’s you sitting at a table refinancing a four-plex for a dentist?  Yes, that’s very nice, but we’re trying to hold a class here, so if you wouldn’t mind…

 

So, what happens when the demand for a good exceeds its supply? Right, Brian!  Prices go up… or actually, in this particular case, they don’t go down as quickly.

 

And just what do you suppose would happen if the banks decided to make a bunch of homes available for sale, as you suggested is the thing to do in today’s TBWS Daily?  Do you think prices would tend to go up or down?  I’ll give you a hint… the answer is the opposite of “up.”

 

 

And, if home prices were to go down even faster than they are as a result of all of the other factors that haven’t changed a lick, except to worsen… you know… like, unemployment, long-term unemployment, foreclosures, average incomes… GDP… the state’s $16 billion budget deficit that’s about to constrict the state’s economy even further as we cut services and raise taxes on the wealthy… those kind of things?

 

Well, if home prices fell further and faster I’d have to venture a guess that more people would find themselves underwater and/or further underwater… and that would mean what do you suppose?  If you guessed further reductions in consumer spending, higher unemployment and more foreclosures… well, you’d be right once again!

 

And then what about all the people who, having been duped into believing that housing had bottomed, bought homes recently?  Would they be gaining equity or losing it?  Losing it, right!  And assuming an FHA/new-sub-prime loan was involved many would be underwater by Christmas… and you know what that would mean, right?

 

Even more foreclosures!  Maybe that’s why FHA is reporting almost 20 percent defaults on loans made SINCE 2009.  It’s kind of funny if you think about it… we’re actually creating foreclosures over at FHA even faster than we can foreclose down the street at Fannie and Freddie.  It’s very “Dr. Strangelove – Or, how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb,” don’t you think?

 

 

And I did hear you say that the shortage was “at the low end of the market,” right?  I’m sure that’s correct, because that’s the end of the market that’s not only less expensive, but also less experienced.  Those are the folks easiest to convince to buy a home because it’s never going to be this cheap or the rates this low again… so, better hurry and get your offer in today… isn’t that about right, Brian?

 

Of course, I wouldn’t want to leave out my favorite flavor of scumbag, the vulture investors who envision this as a once in a lifetime opportunity to become full fledged slum lords, gouging the unfortunate and credit impaired with top tier rents for at least a decade while they put the absolute minimums into maintenance and scheme to hold onto security deposits in all cases.

 

No, I wouldn’t want to forget them.

 

See, it’s not that there aren’t enough homes on the market really, right Brian?  It’s that there aren’t enough homes that can be purchased below market value that’s the problem.  Realtors don’t really want more inventory… they want more inventory that can be purchased at distressed prices.  I’ll be happy to put my home on the market tomorrow, just not at a price at which it would sell any time soon.

 

Don’t get me wrong… I do understand that the banks dumping homes on the market at distressed prices would make summer fun for Realtors and mortgage brokers… and Lord knows I do like seeing you guys having a good time… after all, you’re always a fun lot to have at a party.

 

But, since the banks doing what you suggest under today’s circumstances would only push us further into a recession, with housing prices falling even faster than they will otherwise, thus creating even more foreclosures… thus further destroying the housing and credit markets once the fun ends… well, I’d like to humbly suggest that IT’S A TERRIBLE IDEA.

 

 

So, if you put it all together… the worsening employment and overall economic conditions (except in the media where it’s an election year), combined with the tightening of the already tight credit markets… and with the unabated flood of foreclosures on the horizon (forecasted to exceed the number of homes lost to-date, by the way)… and the permanently broken private securitization market… CA’s $16 billion and growing state budget deficit… and the need for Washington D.C. to reduce spending going forward…

 

… to say nothing of the EU’s high wire act, sans net, that’s destined to see one or two countries fall to their deaths sooner than we think, thus causing us to nationalize or bailout several or more of our TBTF banks once again… and then factor in the possibility of Mitt Romney and the GOP actually winning in November… OMG, OMG, OMG… consider all that…

 

… And you’ll want to eat a gun.

 

But… STOP!  Don’t do that.  That is NOT the answer, Brian.

Just like it’s NOT the answer to… “put more homes on the market.”

 

From your good friend who loves you… and as always I remain…

 

Most sincerely yours…

 

Martin

xoxoxoxoxo…

 

Martin Andelman

Mandelman Matters

 

P.S. If I’m in town, I think I’m going to come to Anaheim to see you guys… I figure you’re just dying to buy me a beer.  And tell Frank to be careful on that bike.

 

Mandelman out.

 

Hey, to subscribe to TBWS… CLICK HERE!

May
12

The Evolution of the Democratic Plantation (VIDEO)

One cannot change reality by changing the words you use to describe reality. Look beneath the rhetoric, and glimpse the truth. ~ 4closureFraud.org TweetNo related posts. No related posts.
May
04

Democrats worried about Warren in Massachusetts

“This is what happens when candidates don’t tell the truth.”


Are Democrats about to lose the Senate seat held by the Kennedys since before I was born … again?  According to the Boston Herald’s Joe Battenfeld, a number of Democrats in Massachusetts are aghast over Elizabeth Warren’s faceplant on her claims to Native American heritage, and now worry about whether her campaign has completely derailed: [...]

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May
04

Democrats worried about Warren in Massachusetts

“This is what happens when candidates don’t tell the truth.”


Are Democrats about to lose the Senate seat held by the Kennedys since before I was born … again?  According to the Boston Herald’s Joe Battenfeld, a number of Democrats in Massachusetts are aghast over Elizabeth Warren’s faceplant on her claims to Native American heritage, and now worry about whether her campaign has completely derailed: [...]

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May
04

Democrats worried about Warren in Massachusetts

“This is what happens when candidates don’t tell the truth.”


Are Democrats about to lose the Senate seat held by the Kennedys since before I was born … again?  According to the Boston Herald’s Joe Battenfeld, a number of Democrats in Massachusetts are aghast over Elizabeth Warren’s faceplant on her claims to Native American heritage, and now worry about whether her campaign has completely derailed: [...]

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Apr
27

Stop The Lies, America (VIDEO)

America, you have a choice; are you going to be a hero by standing for the truth or are you going to fade into the dustbin of history on a legacy of lies. This video highlights just some of the many lies now accepted by people as the truth. The falsehoods are obvious for anyone … Read more Related posts:
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  2. LIES | Bank of America Kept AIG Legal Threat Under Wraps
  3. Bank of America LIES | Foreclosed Home Sold While Owner On Phone With Bank
Apr
21

PolitiFact goes to the dogs

Check, please.


PolitiFact, supposedly devoted to helping you find the truth in politics, addressed the story about Barack Obama eating a dog, quoting from his book, Dreams from My Father: With Lolo, I learned how to eat small green chili peppers raw with dinner (plenty of rice), and, away from the dinner table, I was introduced to [...]

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Apr
05

Honorable Judge Rakoff Seeking Truth of Wall Street Wrongdoing Labeled Rogue

Rakoff Seeking Truth of Wall Street Wrongdoing Labeled Rogue U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff doesn’t shy away from high-profile fights. In 2005, he challenged the Department of Defense for holding suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba without identifying them. The Pentagon protested his order to release their names, saying it would undermine their privacy … Read more Related posts:
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  3. Matt Taibbi | Finally, a Judge Stands up to Wall Street
Mar
20

Infographic | The Truth Behind America’s Unemployment

~ 4closureFraud.org TweetRelated posts: Infographic | The Higher Education Bubble In America Bank of America ATMs In San Francisco Turned Into Truth Machines #AGOs TWEET | AG Coakley to hold press conference at 1pm regarding a major lawsuit against 5 national banks Related posts:
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  2. Bank of America ATMs In San Francisco Turned Into Truth Machines
  3. #AGOs TWEET | AG Coakley to hold press conference at 1pm regarding a major lawsuit against 5 national banks
Mar
14

In which Obama shabbily attempts to perpetuate the myth of energy scarcity

Shading the truth.


The president likes to repeat that oil production is at an all-time high under his administration. He also likes to emphasize “we can’t just drill our way to lower gas prices.” After all, he argues, we have just 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves — but we consume 20 percent of the world’s oil. [...]

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Mar
02

Kathleen Passidomo | Let me set the record straight on HB 213

Kathleen Passidomo | Let me set the record straight on HB 213 Guest commentary Much misinformation TRUTH has been written in the blogs (much of it intentional) about my foreclosure bill (House Bill 213) that passed in a bipartisan vote in the House Judiciary Committee last week and was referred to in L.N. Ingram III’s … Read more Related posts:
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  3. Action Alert | Kathleen Passidomo is in the Final Stages of Drafting the Florida (un)Fair Foreclosure Act
Feb
23

Tapper to Carney: Admin is “aggressively trying to stop aggressive journalism”

Truth.


First, just watch the video. Pay special attention to the woman in the horn-rimmed glasses behind Tapper’s left shoulder; her expressions are priceless! She must not be such a fan of aggressive journalism herself: video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo playerTo review: ABC’s Tapper actually hit the White House with all of these lines: “How does that [...]

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Feb
20

Matt Weidner | Mortgage Notes Are NOT NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS – Foreclosing in a Hurricane

Mortgage Notes Are NOT NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS – Foreclosing in a Hurricane Repeat a lie long enough until it becomes the truth. That’s what’s occurring in the space of negotiable instruments and the Uniform Commercial Code. The bottom line is mortgage notes are NOT negotiable instruments. What is the definition of a negotiable instrument? Well, Florida … Read more Related posts:
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Feb
20

Matt Weidner | Mortgage Notes Are NOT NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS – Foreclosing in a Hurricane

Mortgage Notes Are NOT NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS – Foreclosing in a Hurricane Repeat a lie long enough until it becomes the truth. That’s what’s occurring in the space of negotiable instruments and the Uniform Commercial Code. The bottom line is mortgage notes are NOT negotiable instruments. What is the definition of a negotiable instrument? Well, Florida … Read more Related posts:
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  2. Matt Weidner | The Revolution Began In Florida…
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Feb
13

Obama’s Attack Watch returns as … “Truth Team”

Operators are standing by for snitches now ...


Allahpundit officially wins the Attack Watch Dead Pool, BuzzFeed informs us today, as the Obama re-election campaign rolls out yet another Snitch Central apparatus for its 2012 efforts.  Last September, AP predicted that the much-derided Attack Watch would remain in place because, as Mary Katherine Ham tweeted at the time, “#AttackWatch is metaphor for Obama [...]

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Jan
31

Thank You Wells Fargo… Signed the DOERS of Mandelman & Field

Hey DOERS… Good News Once Again, this time for

Tom Stover & Jeneane Traynor-Stover

(And that would be 8 out of 8 for the DOERS… but who’s counting?) 

Ooops, you did it again!  Yes, it’s true… Wells Fargo contacted Tom and Jeneane up in Granite Bay, California mid-day today to let them know that their SALE DATE of February 3, 2012 HAS BEEN POSTPONED.  This was the DOER ALERT posted late in the day last Friday, and today is Tuesday, so even though it wasn’t handled within 24 hours as we’ve gotten used to… I can live with 48 hours too.  (I don’t like it, but I can live with it… LOL.)

The truth is that although I did see that some DOERS sent emails in response to the ALERT on Friday, there weren’t nearly enough.  And then when we didn’t hear anything from Wells yesterday, Jeneane called me and mentioned that she thought that maybe the DOER ALERT got lost in people’s inboxes as a result of being posted late on Friday.

So, I reposted it yesterday and last night I sent out about 100 emails to DOERS, and sure enough… a lot more emails started flying towards Wells… and by today at 11:00 AM… it was a brand new day for Jeneane and Tom.  See how that works?  DOERS have got to stay up on this… you promised to for 120 days, right?  And I’ll try not to post late on Fridays… deal?  Cool.

Here’s the email I received from Jeneane at 11:00 AM today.

 

Dear Mandelman and the DOERS…

I wanted to let you know asap that I received a call from Michael Berg from the executive office of complaints at Wells Fargo.  He was very nice, the first thing he said was the sale was postponed and he is my single point of contact and he is getting a package out to me today and when I receive it tomorrow he wants me to call him back to go over it.    

WOW, that was great, you really are doing an amazing job at getting results, I will keep you posted!

You are a lifesaver, or shall I say a family saver, I do realized that there is not guarantee of a loan modification, but just being given the consideration of being informed is all I asked for!

Thanks again,  

Jeneane

 

Okay, well now that Wells has stopped the clock on the sale date… I for one have all the confidence in the world that Wells Fargo will find a way to modify this loan so Tom, Jeneane and their beautiful daughter will be able to stay in their home with payments they can afford.  And I’m sure all of our prayers are with Tom that he fully recover so he can get back to work on a full-time basis soon.

Thank you to all the DOERS who helped DO this! But there still aren’t enough of you DOING what you promised you would DO.  If we want to be able to affect bigger issues… national issues… then everyone’s going to have to turn up their game… get with the program… start taking this more seriously and continue spreading the word.

Sorry… it’s work I know.  But it’s not that much work.  You should all be very proud of what we’ve accomplished together and over a very short period of time… so you should be talking about it everyone you know… bragging even.

Stay tuned… unfortunately there are more DOER AlERTS to come!

Mandelman & Field OUT!

~~~

OFFICIAL DOER STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

BY MARTIN ANDELMAN & ABIGAIL FIELD

We, Mandelman & Field, are joining forces to end the foreclosure crisis. We’ve been writing about the crisis—Mandelman for more than three years and 600+ articles, Field for about half that—but frankly, writing’s not enough.

We need to DO more to solve the massive crisis our country is enduring. We must act now, because the crisis we’re in will get much, much worse.  This year is an election year… the time for decisive action is now.

But by ourselves we can’t do enough. We need YOU to DO too.

Mandelman has already inspired a core group of DOERS, people who have already solved the mortgage modification nightmares of six people. But to solve the problems faster than one mortgage at a time and to attack bigger problems, we need more DOERS… a lot more.

Here’s what we DOERS DO:

1. We take action.

We are knowledgeable, active and involved. We know that our actions make a difference because we’re all working together, multiplying our impact. That’s why we continue to take action, each and every day.

2. We know there’s no “try” in DO.

Either you DO, or you don’t.

3. We build big victories out of little victories.

We’re singles hitters with a really high on base percentage.   We scratch out the runs it takes to win every way we can. Our actions are simple, discrete, and quick to do, like sending an email, making a call, mailing a letter.

We work this way because swinging for the fences wastes lots of effort and results in more strikeouts than our country has time for. Besides, it took years to make the mess we’re in, and there’s no silver bullet that fixes everything all at once. We have to do many things, and collectively they will make the big changes we need.

4. We focus on our similarities, not our differences.  

We’re not about right and left… we’re about right and wrong. Frankly, our nation’s policies on housing and banks are so bad, we have plenty of solid common ground for everyone. Since we’re focused on fixing those two interrelated issues—housing and bank policy—our divisions on other issues are irrelevant.

5. We believe in “We, the People.”  

We join forces to make change because we are Americans. It’s our Constitutional birthright to be in charge, to make change together. And we know if we act together to make good policy, we all benefit.

6. We recruit more DOERS, because size matters.

To solve the big problems we need to be correspondingly big. We’re not playing games. We are DOING to win.

7. And we are in it to win it.

We are relentless.  We take our tasks seriously.  We do our best. We  never let down our fellow DOERS by not DOING our individual parts.

###

So, please don’t delay… DO it today… it’s easy to DO… and to win, we need you.

Becoming a DOER and committing to our code of action is easy. Just send an email to either one of us:

Martin Andelman at: mandelman@mac.com

Abigail Field at: ACFRealityCheck@yahoo.com

And also don’t forget to subscribe here: SUBSCRIBE

All you have to write in the message is: Count on me to be a DOER.  Or,  just say: I’m in.  Tell me what to DO.

About once a week we’ll call on you to DO something important… something that matters a lot.  

It feels really good to be a DOER, ask anyone who is.

Mandelman & Field… OUT!


Jan
25

Obamateurism of the Day

The buck stops there, part II.


Barack Obama isn’t happy that he’s perceived as cold and aloof, and he knows exactly who’s at fault for that perception.  No, it’s not himself, silly.  Obama blames a group that has obviously disliked him from the start … the media: “You know, the truth is, actually, when it comes to Congress, the issue is [...]

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Jan
18

Nikki Haley: Calls for Romney’s tax returns are “nothing but a political ploy”

Plus, more on Sarah Palin's pseudo-endorsement of Gingrich.


South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley stands by her man — but she also speaks truth. In an interview with The Daily Caller, Haley lamented the attention Mitt Romney’s tax returns have received lately (I write this, even as I give them more!): “I think those are distractions. I saw it in my race. They always [...]

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Jan
15

Mitt Romney handing out cash on the rope line

Non-issue


I can’t wait for this to blow up into some massive political theater. During a campaign stop in South Carolina, Mitt Romney was seen literally handing out cash to a voter. However, the truth of the story makes it seem a lot less sinister than it sounds on the surface. Presidential candidates hear tales of [...]

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Jan
13

Fraud Digest | False Statements – The Truth-In-Mortgage Documents Act

False Statements Truth-In-Mortgage Documents Action Date: January 11, 2012 Location: West Palm Beach, FL Legislation needed in every state: The Truth-In-Mortgage Documents Act 1. On every Mortgage Assignment, and every Missing or Lost Assignment Affidavit, filed in the Official Records of any county in this State, or filed in any Court in this State, each … Read more Related posts:
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Dec
30

Romney’s sons: Our dad is a total cheapskate who’d teach Congress to cut costs, too

"My dad's image couldn't be further from the truth."


It was Peggy Noonan who suggested that, especially during difficult economic times, voters look for a father figure, which Barack Obama decidedly is not. (He’s the “bright, lost older brother,” she wrote.) Noonan thought Romney just might be the GOP candidate who most evokes the father figures in 1950s and 1960s sitcoms that, in her [...]

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Dec
07

Video: Obama’s too cautious and safe to be the bold leader America needs, says … Romney supporter Chris Christie

Ahem.


Yeah, listen: I enjoy dumping on The One as much as the next guy, but there needs to be some minimal awareness here by Christie of his own candidate’s liabilities. Truth be told, this is a weird criticism to throw at O in any context given that the our side’s big problem with him is [...]

View the video »

Nov
10

The truth exposed! About… Nixon?

Not a crook


Some my earliest memories of politics involve the presidency of Richard Nixon. I’ve long considered him something of a misunderstood character, certainly not without his flaws, but also someone who moved boldly and changed the way the world worked, particularly in the realm of foreign policy. I’ve also often wondered if the long lens of [...]

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Nov
07

Bank Executives On 15th Floor Gambling On Which Occupy Wall Street Protester Will Be Arrested Next

This is an ONION article so it is SATIRE, but I wouldn’t doubt it from being far from the truth! ~ Bank Executives On 15th Floor Gambling On Which Occupy Wall Street Protester Will Be Arrested Next NEW YORK—Peering down from their 15th-floor boardroom onto the Occupy Wall Street encampment in Lower Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park, … Read more Related posts:
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Nov
06

Obama denies meetings with extraterrestrials

The truth is out... someplace, I suppose


Say, do you remember that online site the White House set up where anyone could form an online petition and receive answers from the government? While some people found it rather silly, I’ll admit that I thought it was a pretty neat idea. After all, living in the connected, digital age we inhabit now, it [...]

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Nov
04

U.S. general removed for calling erratic, delusional Afghan leaders erratic and delusional

"You’re telling us that you’re not appreciative of $11.2 billion from the U.S. this year?"


He told the truth. And for that, he must pay. The two-star general flashed irritation when he brought up Karzai’s recent remarks that Afghanistan would side with Pakistan in a war against the U.S., blasting the president’s comments as “erratic,” and adding, “Why don’t you just poke me in the eye with a needle! You’ve [...]

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Oct
27

What Shall We Tell Our Children, Mr. President?

Reposted from last November because I felt like it…

It’s 4:00 AM.  I couldn’t sleep…

I had lunch with my 15 year-old daughter today.  It’s her Homecoming Dance this coming weekend, and with 12 of them all going together, they thought they’d get a limo to take them to dinner and then to the dance.  The kids were struggling with being able to afford it and get it done, so she called me.  My wife and I decided to help them make it happen.  But that’s not my point here…

During lunch she said in passing: “Maybe a few years ago when people had money…” and it made me sad to realize that they know… they see and hear what’s happening in this country… they see people, including me, working more and worrying more.  This has already affected their lives growing up.  They’ll take the feelings they have today with them through the rest of their lives.

So, what shall we tell our children, Mr. President?

Shall we tell them how you came into office so popular… speaking of hope and change… telling us that you’re one of us… and then how you helped the people of this country?  Or should we tell them the truth, Mr. President?

How you turned your back on the working class in this country to favor the banking class.  How you decided that a mediocre health care bill was your priority over 20 million Americans losing their homes.  How voters became so angry with your administration that you lost control of the government after only two years and now we face gridlock and nothingness for the next two years as a result.  What shall we tell the children about this country, Mr. President?

Should we tell them how things are fair in this country, that we are a nation of laws and that we are equal in the eyes of those laws?  Is that even true anymore, Mr. President?  Should we tell them about our nation’s Founding Fathers and how they envisioned a representative democracy, a republic, in which our elected representatives represent the will of the people?  How can we show them their vision came true, Mr. President.

Should we tell them how we are a nation, one people, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all?  That united we stand and divided we fall?  That we never leave Americans behind; that we care about the rich as we care about the poor?  How can we tell them these things, Mr. President?  Is this what you and your wife are telling your children, Sir?

What should we tell them about the future of this country?  That the working class people of this country all became irresponsible at the same time, went out and bought homes they couldn’t afford, and now deserve to be losing them… 20 million or more Americans… all losing their homes, and that once that happens our economy will be better?  Is that what you’d have us tell them, Mr. President?

Because that’s crap, Sir, and I don’t lie to my daughter… ever.  So, I think I’d prefer to tell her the truth about what’s happened, Mr. President.  That a small group of rich bankers broke laws, abused our financial system, caused the pain and suffering they see around them… that our government was inept… that they looked the other way because they were so out of touch with the way the world really worked… works.  That we can’t really trust them because they will be influenced by moneyed lobbyists pedaling the views of a small segment over the needs of the nation.  That we cannot trust or believe in politicians when they say things, whether to get themselves elected, or otherwise.  Like you, Sir… that they cannot trust people like you, Mr. President.

Shall we tell them that this is the land of opportunity, and that we strive to make that opportunity as equal as possible?  That crime doesn’t pay, and that they can be anything they want to be as a citizen of this great land?  Because that’s what I was told as a child, and I’ve believed it all of my adult life, Sir.  But not anymore, Mr. President… and not because of what our last president did or didn’t do, but only because of what you have and haven’t done.

You alone have caused me to lose my faith in America, Mr. President.  How could you allow that to happen to so many Americans, Sir?  I feel a loss so great and so tragic that I can barely think of it without weeping, Sir.  I wonder if Jamie Dimon, Lloyd Blankfein, Kenny Lewis, Dick Fuld, John Mack, John Stumpf, Vikram Pandit… and all the rest… do you think any of them feel that way, Mr. President?  They received record bonuses for their role in our nation’s fall from grace, I wonder what they will tell their own children about this time.  Do you wonder that as well, Sir?

I haven’t lost a house, Mr. President.  I haven’t lost a job either.  And yes, my daughter and her friends will be driven by limousine to their Homecoming Dance.  And you can know that I thank God and this country every day that my wife and I were able to make that possible.

But, because of your policies I also know that no one in this country is economically safe, and no one will be safe for a long, long time.  Millions more will endure pain and suffering to a degree that should not be possible in this country.  And that’s your fault, Mr. President, not President Bush’s, or anyone before him.  You were given the ball, and it was yours to run with… but you ran the other way.

What shall we tell our children about that, Sir?  That you said you were a man of the people when you were riding around Iowa?  Do you think the people of Iowa knew what you’d do once in office, Mr. President?  Because I surely did not know, Sir, I surely did not know.

What shall we tell the children, Mr. President?  How can we tell them the truth, even though we cannot lie?  How can we tell them we’ve lost faith in America… that our government has abandoned us… that we no longer feel like a nation whose government is of the people, for the people, and by the people?  That you failed us, Sir.

What shall we tell the children, Mr. President?  Do you even care?

Mandelman out.

Sep
28

Bank of America approves permanent loan modification. Homeowner makes payments. Trustee sale set Oct. 19th.


A homeowner from Tennessee called me today in a panic because she had just been notified that Bank of America is planning to sell her home at auction on October 19th.  She was very upset, and even downright scared, truth be told.  She’s disabled and has lived in the home for the past 16 years.  She doesn’t know where she’d go, and doesn’t see how she could possibly move out in under a month.

Her name is Cynthia McMahan and she lives in Knoxville.

She also admitted to being quite confused, and understandably so, because she’s not in foreclosure.  Nor, is she late on her mortgage payments.

I tried to explain to her that none of that mattered.  Bank of America obviously wants her out, so she had better start packing.

She became even more upset.  She explained that after a positively joyous year spent applying for a loan modification at Bank of America, making all of her trial payments and the rest, three months ago Bank of America offered her a permanent loan modification… and she signed the contract, accepted the deal, and has made all of her payments on time and as agreed.

“So what?” I replied.  “Why should any of that mean that you get to keep living in your house?”

Silence.  Clearly, I had her.

“But… I signed the contract they sent me, and I made all my payments…” her voice was trembling now and I could tell that she was less and less sure of her position.

“Who said that your home was to be auctioned off on October 19th?” I asked.

“A lawyer from Wilson & Associates PLLC in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Her name is Shellie Wallace, Attorney at Law,” she replied.

“And did you call Bank of America to beg and plead?” I inquired.

“Yes,” she said.  “But first they left me on hold for an hour, and then when the woman came back on she said there was nothing to worry about because I’m not in foreclosure… that I should put my trust in trust Bank of America and everything would be just fine.”

“Okay, so what’s the problem?” I asked.

“Well, I called that lawyer from Wilson & Associates to tell her that Bank of America said that I’m not even in foreclosure, and that my home isn’t going to be sold on October 19th,” she explained.  “But she said the bank was wrong and that I’d be out on the street if I didn’t make some plans to live somewhere else.”

“Okay, so are you making plans to live somewhere else?  I mean, that lawyer sounds like she knows what she’s talking about,” I said bluntly.

“But where will I go,” she cried out.  I’m disabled.  I’ve lived here 16 years.  I made all my payments.  I have nowhere to go…”

“Look, this is Bank of America we’re talking about here, so I really don’t see that you have much choice,” I said trying to be helpful.  “What about a tent, do you own a tent?”

“Isn’t there anything you can do?  I read your blog… can’t you help me in any way?  Everyone said you’d be able to help,” she pleaded.

“I’m trying to help you… I mean, come on… who was it that came up with the tent idea?  Me, right?  So, don’t say I’m not trying to help.  Sheesh.  Okay, what about a homeless shelter?  Is there a homeless shelter near where you live?  Or, I know… how are you fixed for cardboard boxes?”

“This isn’t fair… it’s not right.  Bank of America has been torturing me for over two years… I’ve done everything they asked, over and over again.  And after all that… they’re going to sell my house right out from under me and there’s nothing I can do?  How can that be?  You have to help me… ”  Her breathing was getting heavier as she spoke.

“I’m sorry, did you say something… I was just watching a Gomer Pyle re-run,” I explained.  The one where Sergeant Carter makes Gomer go on a double date… that show always cracks me up… sorry, go on, what were you saying?”

She was sobbing now…

“Can you hold on for a sec,” I asked.  “The dryer just buzzed and I don’t want my shorts to wrinkle.  Hang on, I’ll be right back…”

“Oh my God,” she screamed into the phone…

“Okay, okay… don’t get your panties in a bundle… there is one thing I could try…” I said, not really having any idea what I was talking about at the time.

But then… all of a sudden… out of nowhere… it came to me.  And the voice said… If you post it, they will come…

Just in case you’ve forgotten, the homeowner’s name is Cynthia McMahan from Knoxville.

And I’m just sure she’d be very appreciative if anyone could lob a call or an email on her behalf over to the nice trust worthy folks at Bank of America and maybe that nice lawyer too.  So, what do you think, DOERS?

Let’s hit this one out of the park for Cynthia in Knoxville, shall we?  Come on… did you have a frustrating day?  Me too.  So, here’s something to take all that frustration out on, what do you say?  The woman is current… just signed her permanent loan modification three months ago.  And now this?

I don’t know about you, but I’m damn tired of Bank of America torturing folks on a daily basis, especially the ones like Cynthia.  Let’s do something memorable, shall we?

Shellie Wallace, Attorney at Law

Wilson & Associates PLLC

1521 Merrill Drive, Suite D-220

Little Rock, AR 72211

Phone: 501-219-9388

Email: swallace@wilson-assoc.com

Shellie Wallace is a Partner and Supervising Attorney of the Foreclosure Legal and Foreclosure Title Departments. She received her education from Arkansas Tech University (B.A., 1989, Highest Honors) and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law (J.D., 1992). She was admitted to the Bar of the State of Arkansas in 1992. She is a member of the Arkansas Bar Association, serving on the Debtor/Creditor and Real Estate Law Committees.

And let us not forget the Grand Poobah at good ole’ Bank of America:

Brian Moynihan, President, CEO & Chairman

Bank of America

Email: brian.t.moynihan@bankofamerica.com

Matthew Task, Executive Relations, 
Office of the CEO (At BofA)

Phone: 813-805-4873

The word on the street is that if you call enough, Matthew Task will answer his phone eventually, but that sending emails directly to Bryan Moynihan generally gets a lot more attention.

Oh, and Bryan Moynihan… you should thank me for only sending my DOERS… ‘cause if they don’t take care of this… I’m coming… and hell’s coming with me.  Fix this and fix it now…

Mandelman out.

And if you haven’t already donated in support of the documentary I’m in the middle of producing on the foreclosure crisis, you’re letting the rest of the homeowners down.  It doesn’t matter how much… send a dollar for heaven’s sake… sign on as someone who wants the voice of homeowners to be heard.  Seriously, what’s holding you back?

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