This is a good summary of the crises .

This guy is one of about 20 people who made The Big Short on the housing bubble .

Interesting you bring this book up. Just started listing to the ebook version the other day.

M

“Most people don’t even realize the book is about the human effect of foreclosures, focusing on abusive labor practices instead, a predicable by-product. ”

An excellent point Michael.

Yes, I’m well aware of the fact. If the oligarchs would like to clarify that we’re not a Democracy as a justification for their behavior — to explain to people they shouldn’t be accountable — I’m sure the American public would be happy to quickly patch up that ancient mistake.

And thanks to everybody else who wrote in support. I just recommended to a friend to read orre-read Grapes of Wrath. It’s amazing how similar the scams and the suffering that were going on back then look like what’s going on now. Most people don’t even realize the book is about the human effect of foreclosures, focusing on abusive labor practices instead, a predicable by-product.

Tough times tend to polarize American’s, bringing out the very best and the very worst. At our core we’re a nation of mostly good people though; the only industrialized country I know where our culture includes routinely smiling at and talking to strangers. It’s long past time we took our country back.

Sorry, but this seems like a deliberate diversion from a great essay. Whatever the US was supposed to be, what it is today is an oligarchy. Patriotic citizens are in the streets struggling to take the country back from the oligarchs.

You are correct in asserting that the US in not a democracy, however, are not necessarily correct in asserting it is a democratic republic. I have also seen it defined as a “constitutional republic,” or a “representative democracy.” Generally I refer to it as a constitutional republic (and at this point have no authoritative source for that – or rather don’t feel like digging one up right now).

If you have an authoritative source please share with us. I WOULD like to see it.

Addendum: Seems disingenuous of me to ask for a source, but not to provide one, so, Wikipedia offers the following. I’ll let others debate how authoritative that is (it was quick though).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_system_of_government

Regarding Mr. Olenicks comment of this having been intentional, I agree. While I haven’t crunched nearly as much data as he has I have seen other types of evidence in sufficient amount that I am also convinced it was premeditated. A few easy indicators are relatively recent changes in local statutes, the bankruptcy code, the UCC. One example of local statutes changing in my jurisdiction was a 2006 revision of the recording statute. Prior to 2006 it was required that an assignment of mortgage be recorded within 30 of the conveyance. This was changed by an additional subsection that says in essence “Ah, what the hell. You don’t have to record, and everything else in this statutory section is unimportant.” Do ya think they saw it coming? There are others as well that go back further.

Do your research, draw your own conclusions.