Yes, the problem with our society as a whole is GREED ... not by any one 'class'- rich, middle, or low income, not by any one group - white, minority - WHOMEVER that may encompass - whatever ... the greed is perpetrated by ALL people who 'have to have' what they cannot afford ... As far as the foreclosure crisis, are lenders to blame? - ABSOLUTELY - but as it has been said by others here, so are the borrowers ... Does anyone think for a moment that the people who cannot now afford their mortgage only have THAT expense that they cannot afford??? ... How many of these people are up to their ears in credit card debt ? Is that the fault of the 'lenders'???
My brother-in-law used to sell cars for a living - one of the honest car salesman I've ever known - He used to tell me that people would buy a car on their CREDIT CARD !!! - not that they NEEDED the car, but because they WANTED it ... Even when he told them they COULD NOT AFFORD IT, they would respond "If you don't sell it to me, someone else will" ...
How many people do not have health insurance, but yet have the latest I-POD or whatever? -TOO MANY !!! ...
I was recently in an SUV with a friend of my son. Now this young (40ish) man is doing well, but I get into his Lexus SUV and he has a built in navigation system, satellite radio, On-Star, and who knows what else. Now, he is doing well enough that he can afford it ... but how many people have navigation systems who don't need them and really CAN'T afford it??? ... and why do people need these things anyway??? If I'm going to take a trip to someplace I haven't been, I get on a PC and use MapQuest, Expedia, or Google to get me there ... and if I get lost I go into a gas station and ask for directions!!! And if I didn't have a PC I would but a map ! All of a sudden, a navigation system is a necessity that wasn't even thought of a few years ago ... And that's only one of the 'toys' people 'absolutely need today ! ...

As far as the presidential race is concerned, I have not made up my mind yet ... but there is one thing I wonder about ... And I ask this honestly - Why did Hillary make it perfectly clear that she would not be Obama's running mate? ... If she felt he would win and make a good president, wouldn't it serve her well to 'ride his coattails' for 4 or 8 years and then make a run as the former VP of a 'successful' administration? ... Or does she believe he will NOT be successful, and does not want to be part of a failing administration? ...
(or perhaps she just didn't want to play 'second fiddle' to another president )

As far as Obama is concerned, to me it seems that his whole career has been targeted for politics... Even out of law school, I don't know if he ever practiced law, or just used that as a 'line on his resume' ... And then, as the result of one great speech, he seems to have been cast into the limelight ...

I just don't know ...


t.