Merrill Lynch, Springfield, and the Secret CDO Wasteland

Once upon a time, economic whiz bangs said subprime distress would pass through the financial system like you-know-what through a goose. Subprime was only a relatively small part of the mortgage market and not all borrowers were defaulting. Sure, a few mortgage lenders might...

Stimulus Package Store, GSE Jumbo Out Back

Hot damn. The government is going to stimulate the economy. Not with a lap dance or lubricated love glove, but with taxpayer dollars. Come summer, Mister and Miz America will get a rebate from Uncle Sam. What a man! Some people will get more than a thou of their own money...

The Bush Subprime Bailout: Limited Surge or Taxpayer Quagmire?

Ick! The Ownership Society of crap mortgage lending that President Bush pushed so assiduously has gone and done an Iraq on the carpet. Attention taxpayers and homebuyers dumb enough to save for real down-payments. The roar you hear at the door is Dubya with a wallet-sucking...

Mortgage Fraud Addicts of the Empire State

Poor mortgage fraud. It still doesn't get the big eyeball. What does a white collar crime have to do to get real paparazzi action? Sleep with an A list celeb and become rehab material? OK. If that's what it takes here goes: according to the FBI, mortgage fraud is hooked up...