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Its a Flawed Settlement
Keywords:
This New York Times editorial says the U.S. Obama administration and its Housing Secretary Donovan should stop pretending that its settlement is the best way to help homeowners under water. The editorial asks the serious question- how far would the $20 billion settlement the banks would provide under the deal help, when 14.6 million homeowners owe $753 billion more on their mortgages than the value of their homes? The Obama administration is pressuring New York Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, to accept the settlement with the largest U.S. banks for questionable foreclosure practices, including robo-signing. It asks Schneiderman to resist these pressures and not support the settlement. Schneiderman has resisted this pressure because he and other prosecutors would be restricted from pursuing their investigations into wrongdoings in housing mortgages. The proposal from the Times to the Obama administration is to make principal reductions for underwater homeowners who are currrent in their payments through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The proposal to help homeowners uner water on their mortgages was first proposed by Martin Feldstein during the mortgage financial crisis in 2008-2009 with repeated op-eds in leading newspapers including the Wall Street Journal. Paul Krugman called attention to the failure of the Obama administration on this issue in recent op-eds. Peter Coy of Business Week pointed to some form of loan forgiveness as an essential part of restoring the economic health of the U.S. and Europe in the August issue of Bloomberg Business Week. Higher unemployment has made the foreclosure crisis worse, and has created a strong headwind for the U.S. economy by erasing chances of an early recovery in American housing markets. The Obama administration's Home Affordable Modification Program has been a dismal failure in helping homeowners facing foreclosure and was a huge missed opportunity to take the correct action early.
"Extend and pretend" in the U.S. banking industry- 2010-2012
07/16/2011
The large losses that still remain to be taken by the banking industry as housing prices face further decline. This includes losses on the first mortgage and on second liens. Second liens refer to home equity lines of credit.
Grouped Articles
Second-Lien Loans May Prompt New Losses for Banks
New York Times 07/16/2011
New York Times 08/22/2011
Book portrays dysfunction in Obama White House - The Washington Post
Washington Post 09/17/2011
To Fix the Housing Crisis, Read the Data
New York Times 11/04/2011
Wall Street Journal 11/30/2011
U.S., Banks Agree on Foreclosure Pact
Wall Street Journal 02/09/2012
Prospects for Recovery in the U.S. housing market 2010-2013
06/18/2009
The prospects of recovery in the housing market, regional differences, and the uncertainty arising from changes that are occurring in the American economy. The changes range from consumer frugality, lower levels of consumer spending, aging of the population, and uncertainty about economic growth.
Grouped Articles
Wall Street Journal 05/02/2013
The economic performance of cities: Following the sun
Economist 05/16/2013
Home Prices Rise, Producing a Buying Mood
New York Times 05/28/2013
Housing Recovery Increasingly Prices Out First-Time Buyers
Wall Street Journal 07/22/2013
Economic Casualties: 'Missing Households'
Wall Street Journal 07/22/2013
Why the Housing Market Is Still Stalling the Economy
New York Times 04/24/2014
Krugman on the Obama Administration, banks, settlements and the U.S. foreclosure crisis in 2011
01/02/2009
Failure of the Obama administration to reduce foreclosures and help homeowners. A worsening foreclosure situation leads to a continuing decline in housing prices and hampers an economic recovery in the U.S. This is something Martin Feldstein grasped very early during the 2008 financial crisis and made proposals for helping homeowners under water.
Grouped Articles
Washington Post 09/06/2011
Book portrays dysfunction in Obama White House - The Washington Post
Washington Post 09/17/2011
A Toxic Subprime Mortgage Bond's Legacy Lives On
Wall Street Journal 09/13/2013
Plunge in Home Sales Stokes Economy Fears
Wall Street Journal 08/25/2010
Wall Street Journal 12/31/2013
Charlie Rose Talks to Robert Reich
BusinessWeek 10/21/2010
The state attorneys general in the U.S. and the subprime lending and foreclosure crises and mortgage settlements.
12/08/2009
Federal regulators and the Bush and Obama administrations failed miserably to help homeowners achieve loan modifications. This with the false belief that putting homeowners out of their homes would actually speed up a recovery, considering the huge scale of foreclosures in the USA , the high unemployment and other problems hitting the economy. Feldstein's consistent arguments for homeowner relief throughout 2008 and 2009- considering the large number of homeowners under water- as the mortgage crisis unfolded, were ignored by the Bush and Obama administrations. See the comparisons to Japan's lost decade, as the lack of recovery in housing adds to problems with job losses. The lawsuits, legal action and mortgage settlements facing banks as they make their way through the mortgage mess.
Grouped Articles
A Toxic Subprime Mortgage Bond's Legacy Lives On
Wall Street Journal 09/13/2013
Wall Street Journal 12/31/2013
Fannieâs and Freddieâs Foreclosure Oversight Questioned
New York Times 10/19/2010
Banks Keep their Mortgage Litigation Reserves a Secret
New York Times 01/16/2014
The Case Against the Bernanke-Obama Financial Rescue
New York Times 05/16/2014
BP’s Cuts May Wound Portfolio Recovery
Wall Street Journal 02/04/2015
The U.S. federal mortgage loan modification program in 2010.
06/12/2009
The dim prospects for mortgage loan modification programs of the Obama administration. Two out of three loan modifications under the federal Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) program expected to fail, and the failure under HAMP to move quickly by dealing directly with homeowners.
Grouped Articles
Wall Street Journal 12/31/2013
The Case Against the Bernanke-Obama Financial Rescue
New York Times 05/16/2014
High Default Rate Seen for Modified Mortgages
Wall Street Journal 06/16/2010
New York Times 08/21/2010
Obama Successes Outweighed by Job Losses
New York Times 10/26/2010
State Attorneys General Take Helm in Mortgage Mess
New York Times 10/29/2010
Countrywide, its founder Angelo Mozilo, and Bank of America
01/05/2009
Countrywide is now a unit of Bank of America. Countrywide became known for questionable practices in the mortgage lending business. Countrywide turns out to be a failed and dangerous acquisition for Bank of America.
Grouped Articles
BofA's Blunder: $40 Billion-Plus
Wall Street Journal 06/29/2012
A Toxic Subprime Mortgage Bond's Legacy Lives On
Wall Street Journal 09/13/2013
Court Weighs Penalty in Bank of America 'Hustle' Case
Wall Street Journal 12/06/2013
Angelo Mozilo of Countrywide Settles Fraud Case for $67.5 Million
New York Times 10/15/2010
Bank of America to Pay $6.3 Billion To Settle Mortgage Securities Suit
New York Times 03/26/2014
BofA Deal With U.S. Is Hung Up Over Penalties Tied to Countrywide, Merrill
Wall Street Journal 07/29/2014
FDIC investigation of Washington Mutual (WaMu)
01/05/2009
A lawsuit is filed by the FDIC against 2 WaMu executives and their wives for their role in the mortgage crisis.
Grouped Articles
A Toxic Subprime Mortgage Bond's Legacy Lives On
Wall Street Journal 09/13/2013
J.P. Morgan Reaches $4.5 Billion Settlement With Investors
Wall Street Journal 11/17/2013
New York Times 04/01/2009
FDIC Sues WaMu Executives, and Wives
Wall Street Journal 03/18/2011
New York Times 08/22/2011
Fannie and Freddie don’t deserve blame for bubble - The Washington Post
Washington Post 01/28/2012
Mortgage workouts- the untried solution to the crisis in housing markets in the U.S.
12/17/2010
The comparison with Spain. Similiar bubble in the housing markets in Spain, but a different approach by its banks which have a system in place for routinely and extensively modifying loans. This is mitigating the impact of the housing crisis and reducing losses in Spain.
Grouped Articles
Spain's Banks Boost Books by Refinancing Loans to Homeowners
Wall Street Journal 11/07/2013
States Try to Force Mortgage Workouts
Wall Street Journal 12/31/2010
Wall Street Journal 12/17/2010
Mortgage Modification Overhaul Sought by State Attorneys General
New York Times 03/04/2011
Mortgage Practices Overhaul Proposed
Wall Street Journal 03/05/2011
Fear, Rumors Pummel Europe Bank Shares
Wall Street Journal 08/11/2011
Problems with mortgage servicing that hurt investors as well as borrowers.
12/18/2010
The role of mortgage servicers that deepens the mortgage housing crisis in the USA.
Grouped Articles
Mortgage-Servicing Methods, Exposed in a Court Case
New York Times 12/18/2010
Banks Offer Own Mortgage-Servicing Plan
Wall Street Journal 03/29/2011
Conflicts Seen in Mortgage Reviews
Wall Street Journal 07/18/2011
New York Times 08/22/2011
Homeownership Rate Declines to 15-Year Low
Wall Street Journal 05/01/2012
U.S. Banks handling of foreclosures and mortgage securities.
10/16/2010
Grouped Articles
A Toxic Subprime Mortgage Bond's Legacy Lives On
Wall Street Journal 09/13/2013
Wall Street Journal 12/31/2013
For foreclosure processors hired by mortgage lenders, speed equaled money
Washington Post 10/16/2010
Wall Street Journal 10/16/2010
Fannieâs and Freddieâs Foreclosure Oversight Questioned
New York Times 10/19/2010
The Case Against the Bernanke-Obama Financial Rescue
New York Times 05/16/2014
Failure of Obama's plan for helping homeowners facing foreclosure in 2009-2010
06/12/2009
Failure of the Making homes Affordable plan announced by the Obama administration in early 2009. Only 2000 of 500,000 loan modification applications in progress in October under this program have become permanent according to a Congressional oversight panel.
Grouped Articles
New York Times 07/17/2011
High Default Rate Seen for Modified Mortgages
Wall Street Journal 06/16/2010
Wall Street Journal 12/31/2013
Fannieâs and Freddieâs Foreclosure Oversight Questioned
New York Times 10/19/2010
New York Times 05/19/2014
Wall Street Journal 07/29/2015
Homeowners facing foreclosure and lack of any meaningful help.
09/29/2008
Lack of any meaningful help to homeowners facing foreclosure upto the Lehman Fannie crisis, and the failure to provide any significant help to homeowners in the $700 billion Sept 2008 bailout plan targeted mostly at freeing up the credit markets.
Grouped Articles
Wall Street Journal 12/31/2013
Fannieâs and Freddieâs Foreclosure Oversight Questioned
New York Times 10/19/2010
New York Times 10/02/2008
Rescue Includes Steps to Help Borrowers Keep Homes
Wall Street Journal 09/29/2008
Card Firms' Loss Tally: Billions of Dollars in Fees
Wall Street Journal 05/22/2009
Consumers Need a Credit Watchdog
BusinessWeek 07/15/2009
Rising U.S. Foreclosures take on crisis proportions deepening the economic downturn.
08/24/2007
Foreclosures in 2008 hit 16% up from 6% in 2007, and in an accelerating trend if unemployment hits new highs.
Grouped Articles
A Toxic Subprime Mortgage Bond's Legacy Lives On
Wall Street Journal 09/13/2013
Wall Street Journal 12/31/2013
Fannieâs and Freddieâs Foreclosure Oversight Questioned
New York Times 10/19/2010
The Case Against the Bernanke-Obama Financial Rescue
New York Times 05/16/2014
New York Times 05/19/2014
New York Times 05/04/2009
The faulty foreclosure paperwork crisis that is hitting U.S. banks.
10/14/2010
Grouped Articles
Fannieâs and Freddieâs Foreclosure Oversight Questioned
New York Times 10/19/2010
Foreclosure Crisis Slams Into Banks
Wall Street Journal 10/15/2010
Out of Maine, a National Foreclosure Freeze
New York Times 10/14/2010
Florida Foreclosure Lawyers Are Scrutinized Over Procedures
New York Times 10/15/2010
New York Times 10/14/2010
New York Times 10/14/2010
Bloomberg Business Week's Peter Coy calls for debt forgiveness- creditor haircuts for sovereign debt in Europe, and bank writedowns of debt in the U.S. housing market
08/10/2011
Peter Coy of Bloomberg Business Week calls for debt forgiveness in the August 2011 issue of Business Week. Stretching out the debt issues without writedowns says Coy, only leads to austerity programs, stagnant growth and drags the issues out over many years. Better solutions can be found by starting anew with writedowns now and arrangements to make this possible, and returning to growth sooner. What about moral hazard? There is moral hazard in letting the banks bear no cost for reckless lending decisions, they are as likely to repeat this behaviour says Coy, as Greece or the underwater mortgage borrower in the U.S., if they did not have to bear the consequences of their decisions.
Grouped Articles
How Righteousness Killed the World Economy
New York Times 10/12/2014
Greece’s new prime minister wants Germany to pay for Nazi war crimes - The Washington Post
Washington Post 01/26/2015
For Europe’s Sake, Keep Greece in the Eurozone
New York Times 07/06/2015
How to Undo the Damage in Greece
New York Times 07/06/2015
Personalities Clashing Over How to Handle New Greek Bailout
New York Times 07/23/2015
BusinessWeek 08/10/2011
Nouriel Roubini on large housing losses for the U.S. economy in 2011-2012
12/07/2010
Estimates of $1 trillion in housing losses spread over banks, Fannie and Freddie, as a new wave of foreclosures hits the U.S. economy.
Grouped Articles
A Toxic Subprime Mortgage Bond's Legacy Lives On
Wall Street Journal 09/13/2013
Dr Doom Predicts Another $1 Trillion in Housing Losses in 2011
New York Times 12/07/2010
Wall Street Journal 12/29/2010
Housing Market Is Still Facing a Blizzard
Wall Street Journal 12/29/2010
Rise in Rates Is Headwind for Housing
Wall Street Journal 02/10/2011
Number of the Week: Government’s Overwhelming Role in Mortgages
Wall Street Journal 02/12/2011
Wealth gap in the U.S. between whites and minorities- devastating impact of the recession of 2008
01/05/2009
Hispanics and blacks counted housing equity as a much bigger part of their assets than whites. The recession and financial crisis of 2008 wiped out fully two thirds of the median net worth of Hispanic families and one half for Black families, with both groups having close to $6000 in total median net worth in 2010, according to data from Pew surveys.The recession has proved to be severe in its impact on minorities, and the election of a black president has done little to improve things- especially considering the dismal record of the Obama administration in helping prevent foreclosures.
Grouped Articles
Racial Wealth Gap Widened During Recession
New York Times 04/28/2013
A Toxic Subprime Mortgage Bond's Legacy Lives On
Wall Street Journal 09/13/2013
Obama, Empathy and the Midterms
New York Times 09/25/2010
The Case Against the Bernanke-Obama Financial Rescue
New York Times 05/16/2014
Economic Recovery Yields Few Benefits for the Voters Democrats Rely On
New York Times 05/19/2014
Geithner Book Reveals Consensus, Not VIsion, During Financial Crisis
New York Times 05/21/2014
Home Affordable Modification program (HAMP) of the Obama Administration
06/12/2009
The large failure of a program launched by the Obama administration to reduce home foreclosures in the U.S. Only $1 billion of the $75 billion estimated for the program when it was launched in 2009 has been spent. Only 680,000 of the 2.7 million homeowners seeking to participate received loan modifications with lower monthly payments.
Grouped Articles
New York Times 07/17/2011
A Toxic Subprime Mortgage Bond's Legacy Lives On
Wall Street Journal 09/13/2013
High Default Rate Seen for Modified Mortgages
Wall Street Journal 06/16/2010
Plunge in Home Sales Stokes Economy Fears
Wall Street Journal 08/25/2010
Wall Street Journal 12/31/2013
Fannieâs and Freddieâs Foreclosure Oversight Questioned
New York Times 10/19/2010
2008 subprime mortgage securities financial crisis
08/05/2007
Financial crisis from the widespread distribution of securities created from pools of subprime mortgages in the portfolios of finacil institutions around the globe. How credit rating agencies helped create the crisis by giving A ratings to these securities which were then widely distributed as credit worthy.
Grouped Articles
BusinessWeek 04/01/2010
A Toxic Subprime Mortgage Bond's Legacy Lives On
Wall Street Journal 09/13/2013
Recipes for Ruin, in the Gulf or on Wall Street
New York Times 06/11/2010
S. & P. E-Mails on Mortgage Crisis Show Alarm and Gallows Humor
New York Times 02/05/2013
S&P to Pay $1.5 Billion to Resolve Crisis-Era Litigation
Wall Street Journal 02/04/2015
Wall Street Journal 02/27/2008
Bank of America mortgage unit
01/05/2009
The effort to cleanup 1.3 million delinquent loans, a large part of which came with the acquisition of Countrywide Financial in 2008. Countrywide led by Mozilo is said to be one of the largest firms behind the mortgage mess.
Grouped Articles
BofA's Blunder: $40 Billion-Plus
Wall Street Journal 06/29/2012
A Toxic Subprime Mortgage Bond's Legacy Lives On
Wall Street Journal 09/13/2013
Finally, Borrowers Score Points
New York Times 06/11/2010
Court Weighs Penalty in Bank of America 'Hustle' Case
Wall Street Journal 12/06/2013
Angelo Mozilo of Countrywide Settles Fraud Case for $67.5 Million
New York Times 10/15/2010
Bank of America to Pay $6.3 Billion To Settle Mortgage Securities Suit
New York Times 03/26/2014
Martin Feldstein and the mortgage crisis 2009-2010.
09/12/2007
See the solutions suggested by Feldstein to the crisis in a series of articles.
Grouped Articles
Wall Street Journal 09/12/2007
How to Stop the Mortgage Crisis
Wall Street Journal 03/07/2008
Wall Street Journal 02/20/2008
Enough With the Interest Rate Cuts
Wall Street Journal 04/15/2008
The Problem Is Still Falling House Prices
Wall Street Journal 10/04/2008
Martin Feldstein - The Stimulus Plan We Need Now
Washington Post 10/30/2008
New York Attorney General Schneiderman and mortgage securities settlements
08/21/2011
Pressure brought on Schneiderman by the Obama administration for mortgage securities settlements that would limit future investigation.
Grouped Articles
Bank of America to Pay $6.3 Billion To Settle Mortgage Securities Suit
New York Times 03/26/2014
Schneiderman Is Said to Face Pressure to Back Bank Deal
New York Times 08/21/2011
New York Times 08/22/2011
Bank of America Settlement Faces Growing Challenges
New York Times 08/31/2011
Nevada Accuses Bank of America of Breaching Mortgage Accord
New York Times 08/30/2011
Wall Street Journal 09/01/2011
New mortgage servicing standards in the U.S.- 2011-2012
03/29/2011
Grouped Articles
Banks Offer Own Mortgage-Servicing Plan
Wall Street Journal 03/29/2011
FDIC Proposes Rule to Tie Banks to Mortgage Risk
New York Times 03/30/2011
Conflicts Seen in Mortgage Reviews
Wall Street Journal 07/18/2011
New York Times 08/22/2011
Settlement Lifts Hopes For Housing Recovery
Wall Street Journal 02/10/2012
Homeownership Rate Declines to 15-Year Low
Wall Street Journal 05/01/2012
U.S. banks servicing mortgages and regulator efforts to ensure independent mortgage reviews
07/18/2011
Efforts by the Office of the Comptroller fo the Currency (OCC) to ensure that accounting and law firms with cozy ties to the mortgage servicing banks are kept out of the independent review of the mortgage servicing process in 2011-2012.
Grouped Articles
Conflicts Seen in Mortgage Reviews
Wall Street Journal 07/18/2011
New York Times 08/22/2011
States Negotiate $26 Billion Agreement for Homeowners
New York Times 02/08/2012
Settlement Lifts Hopes For Housing Recovery
Wall Street Journal 02/10/2012
Regulator Resists Mortgage Reductions
Wall Street Journal 08/01/2012
Failure to stem foreclosures under the Obama administration continues inaction under Bush administration.
08/24/2007
The failure of the Obama administration to break the cycle of foreclosures begetting falling house prices begetting more foreclosures, further weakening the banks and the economy, with strong action. It continues the missteps of the Bush period and may undo much of the good work in other areas such as stimulus, restructuring the auto industry and new priorities. Inaction here is coupled with inaction in relation to insolvent banks and is likely to prove costly.
Grouped Articles
New York Times 07/17/2011
A Toxic Subprime Mortgage Bond's Legacy Lives On
Wall Street Journal 09/13/2013
Wall Street Journal 12/31/2013
Fannieâs and Freddieâs Foreclosure Oversight Questioned
New York Times 10/19/2010
The Case Against the Bernanke-Obama Financial Rescue
New York Times 05/16/2014
New York Times 05/19/2014
Negative Equity in homes as a huge drag on the economy.
01/24/2010
2.4 million foreclosures estimated for 2009 by Moody's Economy.com on top of 2 millon in 2008.
Grouped Articles
Second-Lien Loans May Prompt New Losses for Banks
New York Times 07/16/2011
A Toxic Subprime Mortgage Bond's Legacy Lives On
Wall Street Journal 09/13/2013
The Case Against the Bernanke-Obama Financial Rescue
New York Times 05/16/2014
Underwater, but Will They Leave the Pool?
New York Times 01/24/2010
Anger Over Foreclosures Exposes Political Divisions
New York Times 10/11/2010
Wall Street Journal 10/26/2010
The Federal Reserve and policies favoring banks over homeowners in U.S. foreclosures
04/01/2009
Grouped Articles
A Toxic Subprime Mortgage Bond's Legacy Lives On
Wall Street Journal 09/13/2013
Wall Street Journal 12/31/2013
Fannieâs and Freddieâs Foreclosure Oversight Questioned
New York Times 10/19/2010
New York Times 04/01/2009
Geithner's Plan: Loopholes Galore
BusinessWeek 04/01/2009
The Case Against the Bernanke-Obama Financial Rescue
New York Times 05/16/2014
Pine Tree Legal Assistance, and Nicolle Bradbury of Denmark, Maine, challenge a GMAC foreclosure, which sets off legal challenges across the USA.
01/05/2009
Attorney Generals of many states across the US initiate challenges to foreclosures, after the successful challenge in the Maine case.
Grouped Articles
A Toxic Subprime Mortgage Bond's Legacy Lives On
Wall Street Journal 09/13/2013
Fannieâs and Freddieâs Foreclosure Oversight Questioned
New York Times 10/19/2010
Out of Maine, a National Foreclosure Freeze
New York Times 10/14/2010
Banks Ignored Signs of Trouble in Foreclosures
New York Times 10/13/2010
Florida Foreclosure Lawyers Are Scrutinized Over Procedures
New York Times 10/15/2010
New York Times 10/14/2010
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