spcrnr Open Thread for the Week of September 20 pdf
by matthew on Sun Sep 20 00:00:00 CDT 2009
Some of our most productive and interesting conversations have come from open threads where almost anything goes. Speaker's Corner is a topic that is dedicated to open-conversation about almost anything that's on your mind.
The real Speaker's Corner is located in the north-east corner of London's Hyde Park where public speaking is allowed. There is no immunity from the law at speaker's corner, and while the police tend to be tolerant, they do not allow profanity or unlawful behavior. You may be jeered, ridiculed, enthusiastically supported, or completely ignored. Now, what's on your mind?
by matthew on Mon Sep 21 09:52:29 CDT 2009
The Tattoo Parlor (103 North Main Street) is Item #7 on tonight’s council agenda. 
by matthew on Mon Sep 21 22:50:38 CDT 2009
 

The vote went against the Tattoo parlor. Hopefully, they will find another suitable location in a B2 or other compatibly zoned area in Decatur to locate.


 

As far as the vote goes; I understand Councilman Brown's position, but I'm puzzled by Councilwoman Ray. In the end it was 4-2 against allowing the conditional use permit.


 

Here's a personal thought...It's 100% subjective, and completely my 'gut' feeling (and should be filed in the “blog-as-a-personal-journal” category): When we were expanding our business (and moving our home too) and navigating ordinances, city county, state and federal regulations (not to mention the banks!), we had contingency plans for our contingency plans – as a matter of course... If permit A was held up, we were going to do thing W, and if job B went over budget it would impact phase X and we'd have to apply for option Z. If financing from J didn't come through - well you get the idea...In other words, we did our best to account for every possibility and have a solution-in-hand that didn't cost us dearly. Plainly put – We knew our financial future was on the line and we didn't want any surprises - good, bad or neutral...Period...With this as a preface - In my heart of hearts I have to wonder how committed the owner of No Regrets really is to becoming a part of the Decatur business community. They didn't research the location, they didn't review local ordinances, and even after they were called on a zoning violation, it's my understanding they didn't make contingency plans to salvage their lease and locate to another address.


 

The artists at No Regrets are admirable – I said that to the council, and I meant it – I just don't think the 103 North Main Street location is a good fit....See the previous thread and conversations for more detail... :-)


 

OK – personal thoughts over....return to regular open comments ;-) ….

by haydiz on Tue Sep 22 07:17:35 CDT 2009
Well, I agreed with the vote but I can still see both points of view.  Lincoln Sqaure probably isn't the most appropriate place for a tattoo parlar (or a lingerie shop for that matter) but I'm just snootty that way.  Who I really blame for the whole thing is One Main Place who rented the spot to them in the first place.  They should know the zoning requirements for the buildings they rent and they should have suggested a better spot. 

What the city needs to do now is develop a plan for Lincoln Sqaure similar to the neighborhoods that are in the historic district.  It's kind of nuts that it's all been so loosey goosey for so many years with little vision and planning.  There's a lot of businesses in that area that aren't exactly what I'd want in our most historic area in town. 

My husband totally disagreed with me and thought the tattoo parlar was just fine because everything else around there is kind of "undesirable" too.  But I say you gotta start somewhere.

Kris
by Doug on Tue Sep 22 09:16:34 CDT 2009
Maybe they will locate next to Bufflo Wild Wings Decatur didn't want them either LOL.  I don't mind the vote since it was really not about the permit issue but rather what they felt was good for their downtown. Permit laws are changed for those with influence or money.

Kris I agree who ever rented the spot should of helped with the zoning laws.  They have a location in downtown Champaign that does very well so why not think downtown Decatur would be a profitable place.

Part of me still thinks if your going to sell water bongs and crack pipes downtown you should be able to get mother etched on your body!   As far as the lingerie shop that's nothing you should go next door to the owners husbands shop.
by matthew on Tue Sep 22 10:21:52 CDT 2009
Kris – Exactly - You’ve got to start somewhere.   I agree with you about the property owner too. He is local, he should be familiar with Decatur’s zoning ordinances, and I’m pretty sure he’s not naive.   I hope the business owner can get out from under any lease (and maybe even reimbursed for improvements, if he made any to the building).  He should have done his homework better, but in my mind, a fair landlord would have at least informally said: “Hey, based on what you’re planning, there might be a problem…”
 
Doug – Yup, I’m asking around about the paraphernalia-selling place...So far I’ve been pointed to a couple different people (namely the States’ Attorney and Police Chief) – I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to either though…Maybe I’m really dim…What business does the lingerie owner’s husband run? Isn’t there a bookstore or something like that next door…I’ve never been in either…What am I missing? ;-)
by Doug on Tue Sep 22 10:35:18 CDT 2009
As far as I know the paraphernalia store is within the State laws so I don't know what the States Attorney can do.  Their claim is its for legal tobacco use.  I went in there looking for cigars but they don't sell them LOL. 

The lingerie shop has some nice stuff I go there just about every Valentines day.  One time I was in there didn't really see anything I wanted to get my wife and the lady said maybe my husbands shop will have something its right next door.  I went to the next door and had to wait to be buzzed in which I thought was odd.  When I got in I knew this was not what I was looking for LOL.  He sells alot of fetish stuff  I think they call it dominatrix or something like that.  What ever floats your boat I guess but I was very out of my element there LOL.  This was several years ago and I dont even know if the shop is still there.
by matthew on Tue Sep 22 11:13:40 CDT 2009
Wow, I didn’t know that Doug! I guess if we ever need whips and chains we know where to go…Too funny!
by haydiz on Tue Sep 22 11:20:50 CDT 2009
"Wow, I didn’t know that Doug! I guess if we ever need whips and chains we know where to go…Too funny!"

LOL!  Hey my daughter is having a Halloween party for her friends in my basement.  I need some chains and handcuffs.  Maybe I'll go down there and get buzzed in.  NOT!  Boy, we sure have some wonderful family oriented shops down there don't we???  What was Decatur thinking?  The naughty nighties don't bother me but come on - dominatrix gear!  That's too funny!  Oh, Lord...

Kris
by Robert Maulding on Tue Sep 22 22:41:08 CDT 2009

Everyday I check this blog, the newspaper and most online info about Decatur and everyday I get a sense of how lost this city is. Matthew you were completely wrong about the tattoo parlor, in my opinion. I can not figure out how with Heritage BH being downtown, anything could make that area worse! The entire issue shows how the leaders (big laugh) and wantabe's of this city think they know what we need! I have held my opinion for months and could not stand the hypocrisy any longer.  If any of the brain power that was spent on this issue had been used to solve some of the real problems we face maybe we could move forward.  As we race to 50,000 or less and a tax base that can not support our infastrucure, YOU should take into account that these soap box issues are killing any chance for meaningful solutions to real problems.  As you are clearly setting up your run for office, I hope you see that this only hurt your chances.  Focus on real problems or kindly step off the soap box.

Now I realize this will not be popular on here, but it is my opinion and for what it is worth many others that I have spoken to.

Signed with my real name

ROBERT MAULDING
by matthew on Wed Sep 23 10:12:35 CDT 2009
Well Robert,
I missed you at the council meeting. What would you have said? “I don’t like the look of Heritage Behavioral Health Center, or their clients, or who-knows-what; therefore I don’t think we should conscientiously enforce any zoning ordinances within 1000 feet”?  
Come on now!

 
by matthew on Wed Sep 23 11:25:10 CDT 2009
The tattoo thing is a fading issue.  Let’s move on...
I’m concerned about the impact freezing contributions to the equipment replacement funds will have. The City Manager assured us service will not be affected – the police will not run out of cars, fire equipment will still function, and the snow plows will clear the 500+ miles of Decatur streets. I’m sure we’ll be OK in the short term, but the old phrase “Pay me now, or Pay me later” keeps popping in to my head along with an old MU professors’ words echoing about the purchasing power of a dollar  spent/invested today versus the purchasing power of a dollar spent/invested next year.
Also, does anyone have thoughts on using inter-fund (specifically, tapping in to the water fund – pun intended!) loans instead of issuing bonds to cover longer-term shortfalls in the budget and even invest in some new infrastructure projects while rates are low and contractors are hungry? I prefer to loan the money we have and are not yet using to ourselves for short-term capital/infrastructure enhancement projects, instead of going for a bond issuance. 
by Robert Maulding on Wed Sep 23 22:18:04 CDT 2009

My point exactly! Your failure to understand how your "better than them" attitude is affecting your decisions is clear. From your perch a top mount SOAPBOX it is easy to understand how you missed me at the council meeting. Please look farther down your nose and you will see us little people. Decatur can not afford to lose any jobs much less jobs we force out. I do not have tattoos and do not know the people in the property at issue, but I know that I take issue with how you can bankrupt a person trying to provide 5 jobs when we as a city need every job. The issue may fade but your intent is clear. We need leaders with spines and insight not blind ambition to simply be a council member. Inclusion into that club may be important to some, but a better life is what most voters want. As for enforcing zoning laws it is as it has always been. Who you know matters more than what you know! In addition, would you care to tell me that you think it is okay for what is going on in front of Heritage BH?

I will say that I am against you being on the council and will campaign against you, vehemently. I will also ask voters to vote all incumbents out! We need a new direction. This is not and endorsement of anyone, but a lack of confidence in everyone currently in government.

Robert Maulding

 
by haydiz on Thu Sep 24 07:04:12 CDT 2009
I drove by the tattoo building yesterday and I was surprised at how nice it looked.  To be honest, I probably would have never noticed the new business if the issue hadn't been brought up.  I was envisioning a tacky storefront with flashing neon signs once I heard about it.  Now that I've seen the place, I'd be fine with them staying where they are.  I hope the city helps them out as much as they can in finding someplace else. 

But I understand the reasoning for not wanting the tattoo parlor there and there are good arguments against it, and it's not about being snobs.  It's about creating a certain atmosphere in Lincoln Square, in which the city has spent considerable money to upgrade already.  I know the city would like to reduce the traffic downtown by rerouting truck traffic elsewhere in the very near future.  Once that is accomplished, Lincoln Square will probably look very different.  There is an ultimate goal the city is trying to reach to better that area and attract families with the type of retail shops families would visit. 

On the Hertiage building, I honestly have never seen any problems taking place in front of that building.  The public has such a scewed view of people with psychological or behavioral problems.  I agree a better location should have been found for the facility, for the benefit of its clients, and not so we wouldn't have to see them.  They're just people!  There's nothing like making people feel like a spotlight is being cast on them each and every time they walk in and out of that very visible building.  My four yeard old son requires speech therapy and he could have had his treatments at Heritage.  There are kids that go there and there are people from every walk of life.  Don't be so quick to judge.

Kris
by matthew on Thu Sep 24 11:47:13 CDT 2009
Well I wasn’t aware I was running for council, but if I do, I’ll make a note not to put you on the mailing list – Vehemently. What is my soap box, anyway? “Conscientious and impartial Ordinance enforcement for all? ”; “Economic growth through reasoned, deliberate, multi-year planning?”; “Listen, consider, and respond plainly; even to those who are ‘against you’?”; My favorite: “Remain open to new ideas, try lots of stuff, keep what works, learn from what doesn’t.”?…I dunno.
Don’t beg the question. If you’ve got something to say, go ahead. What do you think is going on in front of Heritage Behavioral Health Center? 
Kris, yup, facilities like Heritage are most successful when they’re in an integrated residential community. Trouble is, facilities like Heritage often can’t afford to rent/purchase facilities in those areas. The question then becomes “Is it better to locate in a less-than-optimal part of town that is affordable, or go without the service at all?”…So unfortunately, there are tradeoffs…   
by Robert Maulding on Thu Sep 24 20:46:43 CDT 2009
 

I have absolutely no problem with anyone that goes to HBH, especially considering I have family members that currently go there! So before you judge my point of view to be negative towards ANYONE, simply ask. I simply mean the assaults, fights, and drugs that are occurring right on Main St are a problem regardless if you see them or not. I base this on personal knowledge, I will however concede the point that I have no real proof. A simple FOI request for numbers of Police, ambulance and Fire rescue calls will confirm that it is happening, for those of you that care to debate the point. Our state has cut how and where people can get help and several that should be seen on an in-patient basis are standing on our Main St. These same people need our help, not our prying eyes. These same people need to feel safe going to HBH and with what happens in front of there how can they?  One of my neighbors works at HBH and she says it is a deterrent for people to have to walk in and out of the building with some of the things going on right on MAIN ST.
 

My point is simple, and I am not begging the question. I am as straight forward as I can be. I feel as though you (Matthew) act as an elitist and aspire to be a council member just to be in the "IN" crowd. Basing my opinion on several conversations with you, many of your votes on the commission, hundreds of posts on this blog, not to mention your position that I should not have a chance to vote on CHANGEDECATUR. I found your logic to be flawed and suspect. I found during the debate your position to be fundamentally against my freedoms. Although, I do not feel that CHANGEDECATUR is right, I still feel that I and my fellow voters should have decided the issue. I am not apart of that group and before you make that the issue you should know it is not the reason, but part of my opinion of you and your position. It is a insult to my intelligence that you say you are not running for the council. Although, I hope you do not run for any elected office.   This is not a personal attack, but a informed opinion that I choose to express based on the hypocrisy of many of your statements.

VEHEMENTLY,

Robert Maulding
by matthew on Fri Sep 25 11:37:51 CDT 2009
OK Robert – You’ve got some kind of personal beef with me and elitist and vehemently are two of your favorite words. It’s kind of funky that you choose to post here, but so far it’s appropriate for the “speaker’s corner” thread, so whatever blows your hair back. 
by Doug on Fri Sep 25 13:08:43 CDT 2009
Has anyone heard of any new jobs possibly coming to the area?  Have the professionals leaked any info on how they are doing in the job hunting category?  Just curious what is being done to revitalize our entire City?

What has become of the Parking Ticket issue the City has? 
by Robert Maulding on Fri Sep 25 18:55:33 CDT 2009

I do not have a personal beef with you in any form. I actually feel you are highly intelligent and feel that you truly believe you are working for what is right and helpful. I choose to disagree with you and stated my opinions. Please feel free to pick whatever words you like to categorize my opinions. It is becoming fairly clear you do not appreciate the criticisms so I will stop. You should however know that you can't please all the people all the time and may never please some of the people. I have no motives that I have not already clearly stated. The only analogy I can make is that I think you would make a great lawyer, but just not a judge. A senator maybe, just not a Ceasar.  Your point of view is different from mine and that is okay, but you are not ever going to get my vote. So, I have been clearly warned by you and others that you are about to ban me, block me or let me eat cake, so I say do whatever blows your hair back.  My point is made, you are tyranny and I am anarchy the debate has not changed. My opinion is just that, for what it is worth. 

Robert Maulding

 
by matthew on Mon Sep 28 14:00:43 CDT 2009
“…clearly warned by you and others…” Huh? - I’m not sure who/what gave you that idea, but you're nowhere close to being banned! I’m sure quite a few regular readers got a good snicker from your “in crowd” comment!   
It’s interesting you throw up a ChangeDecatur, reference. I think one of the things that annoy the heck out of you folks is that I do believe in the process, I am consistent, and I am perfectly comfortable talking to the current Council - even those members I ran against and lost to only a few months ago. I bear no grudge against them and as far as I can tell, they bear none against me. 
I’m going out on a limb here, but I’ll be bold and share this:  I’m OK with you not voting for me for an office that I may or may not run for in some unidentified election in the future. I’ll go even further and add - if you decide to run for office at some time in the future, I’ll listen to what you have to say, I’ll look at and listen to the other candidates, and then I’ll make my decision on who to endorse and for whom I will vote…It’s the fair thing to do.
by Robert Maulding on Mon Sep 28 18:53:05 CDT 2009
"you folks"  ?

Matthew go back read what I wrote!   I am not apart of ChangeDecatur, I never have been and probably would not have voted for it!  BUT<!> I think I should have had the chance to vote for it or against it!  What we voted on I voted against!  I brought it up because you fought against me even having a chance to vote on it!  TYRANNY!   I will never run for anything not even dogcatcher, I do not aspire to be in government.  I think you just want to be part of the important crowd, you want to be part of the system, you want to control the public and what we can do and I am against that.  I think we should vote out any person that is currently in government and start over!  ANARCHY!  The system is not broke, but the people in government are clueless, careless and beholding to big donors and big business.  BOTH PARTIES!  I think you acted like a puppet of the Chamber and at best lean towards the "rich and famous".   You keep trying to put a tag on me and I say again "These are MY opinions"  No one else, no group, no favorite words, no catch phrase.  

Robert Maulding


I would like to thank all the people the called and emailed me in support of my position, statements and plain straight forward opinions.  I was truly suprised by how many people read them.
by matthew on Mon Sep 28 23:06:52 CDT 2009
“...clearly warned by you and others...” - Clear this up for me. Warned by me? When? Where? Who are these “others”?

Also explain “ANARCHY!”. You've used it prominently several times..Are you now an advocate of anarchy? What does this mean to you?
 

You say people in government are “clueless, careless etc..”. Who specifically? Tim Johnson? Aaron Shock? - Look at their positions and their campaign contribution lists and their core beliefs, and I'll agree with you! On top of that, they're both incumbents, so I'm guessing you're doubly up for tossing them both out in 2010 – Right? Oh no! Could it be we're going to find something we agree on? Lol - Now there's a puzzle! Does the desire to throw out the “clueless, careless, etc...” politicians outweigh the desire to disagree with whatever position I take? ;-) That's one only you can decide! For what it's worth, I think throwing out the bad incumbent politians is way more productive...But if you're really an anarchist – who knows?

 

Finally, we agree on something else: Our readers are pretty good at seperating the wheat from the chaff.

 

by Robert Maulding on Tue Sep 29 18:59:37 CDT 2009

I have already explained this to you!

I think we should vote out any person that is currently in government and start over! ANARCHY! The system is not broke, but the people in government are clueless, careless and beholding to big donors and big business. BOTH PARTIES!

Is that not clear? If you agree with that then yes we agree. I am not and have not disagreed with you just because it is you that I am debating. I have stated my opinions.

Here is a good example of my opinion of tyranny:

Absence of effective government caused by the reduced choices for elected office(only the rich, well connected and/or famous have a chance for anything above local office); a state of economic strangulation and reduced political freedoms due to the excessive controls or inefficiency of the government; political disorder caused by ineffective leadership; a state of government control by one party, side or person.

I already said that I think the system is not broken. It is however corrupt, bent and bought. Anarchy means to me that we stop sending people to represent us that do not represent us. To many well connected people run this country and clearly Illinois. We are going the way of all great societies. Down, brought down by our own will, lust and greed. As long as only the rich, well connected and/or famous are elected we will never solve any of our problems. Just merely put off the inevitable, the decline of power and influence caused by division and infighting. Paul Simon would have made a GREAT president, but because he was not a snappy dresser, a multi-millionaire or a former movie star he had no chance. Ronald Reagan was a great President in my opinion, he did however let my freedoms and choices get diminished.

I beleive that neither party should control to much of the government, because when they do we get stuff like we are now and like we did after 2004. When a compromise is required to get anything done we generally get less of our freedoms walked on and fewer laws that are one sided and top heavy.

Robert Maulding
by haydiz on Wed Sep 30 08:12:35 CDT 2009
Robert, I agree the two-party system has done this country no favors but it began early in this country's history and is quite natural.  The federalists vs. the anti-federalist (democratic-republicans) in the late 1700's through the early 1800's is an early example.  Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1824:

"Men by their constitutions are naturally divided into two parties: 1. Those who fear and distrust the people, and wish to draw all powers from them into the hands of the higher classes. 2. Those who identify themselves with the people, have confidence in them, cherish and consider them as the most honest and safe, although not the most wise depositary of the public interests. In every country these two parties exist, and in every one where they are free to think, speak, and write, they will declare themselves. Call them, therefore, liberals and serviles, Jacobins and Ultras, whigs and tories, republicans and federalists, aristocrats and democrats, or by whatever name you please, they are the same parties still and pursue the same object. The last appellation of aristocrats and democrats is the true one expressing the essence of all."

I think we could apply that statement to our nation today and even Decatur's small politics. I've always been in favor of a hybrid system for our city:  elect alderman to represent defined sections of town, elect a few at-large, and of course, the mayor at-large.  I see it as no different than how we elect our national representatives.  We have representatives who represent our part of the state and we have two senators who are voted for at-large.  The last city council didn't even seriously considera a hybrid system, mainly because of their disdain for ChangeDecatur, and I know the one we have now wouldn't either.  I really think those who oppose a hybrid system believe that those coming from the neighborhoods, or from more modest income levels, aren't as smart or capable as those who are well-connected, with fancy job titles.   However, that doesn't mean that those who have money are dumb and not worthy of our votes.  Voters have to consdier the individual and that's where the two-party system has failed us.  We the voters care more about the (R) or the (D) behind a candidate's name more than the candidate themself. 

What I want is individuals, not connected to or beholding to a specific party, to run for office.  I want politicians with minds of their own who truly represent those who elect them, and not adopt a team strategy just to please the party hacks.

Kris

by Sue on Fri Oct 02 20:50:24 CDT 2009
Personally I don't care for the extremely partisan stuff either.  I'm beginning to wonder if changing to an open primary system might be a good idea.  Where everyone runs on 1 ticket and no one declares their party to vote.  I'm sure there are problems with this but what I'm sick of is the extremes of both parties running those parties.   I think the current system gives to much power to the both the far right and the far left when most people are in the middle.   And this I think makes it more difficult for us to find common ground and make happen those many things we do agree on because we are too focused on the few we disagree on.

Regarding voting against everyone in office - NO WAY - on the national level so far as I'm concerned we just did vote out the problems!!   At the state level - glad to see Blago gone and  on the way to jail I admit voting against his opponent which means i voted for him but only as the lesser of 2 evils.  Judy Barr wanted to balance our budget on medicaid - I just couldn't vote in good conscience to take of away healthcare from those both poor and sick.  No way.  And so far I'm pleasantly pleased with Quinn he inherited a mess - I think he is an honest decent guy.  I think he is doing a good job.  At least we got a capital bill agree on FINALLY.  And while I'm generally sympathic to unions I'm not a bit sorry to see layoffs when they turned down taking some days off without pay in order to save jobs.    Too bad for them.  I'd gladly take furlough days to save my job and/or the jobs of some of my co-workers.  No sympathy from me on that one.  Quinn handled it right.

Also  I like Bob Flider - don't agree with him on everything but I think he is decent caring thoughful guy.  And he shows up at EVERYTHING - that I appreciate too I think he makes a real effort to do a good job and listen and votes his conscience and he is moderate democrat nearly a republican (I still like him).  

Obama  was handed one hell of a mess - an economy very very near total collapse - so far I'm very happy with him and believe he has done everything right in my books.  I know we're in a mess but considering where we started this year - he's done great.   And I really like Phil Hare as well down to earth listener who votes his conscience.   Why in the world would I vote against him?

And locally I think we have good folks in there - not everyone I voted for and supported won -  but some of them did and I believe what we got are all decent caring people.  I'm perfectly willing to give them a chance and not try and second guess their motives.   I was a strong strong supporter of allowing the vote on form of government and still would be but that never ever was the MAIN issue.   The main issue was/is the scary mess our neighborhoods have become over many years and our image as community and changing these things - fixing our problems.  I don't hoot HOW we fix it just that we do fix it.

If it sounds to simple to be true it probably is the only real way to have a good democracy takes some work from the citizens, paying attention to the details and what the individual politicians actually stood for or didn't.  Voting based on media sound bytes is going to ruin our country. 


Sue
by Sue on Sat Oct 03 10:31:27 CDT 2009
Look, I’m just a tech person but I have a pretty good idea of what happened to take our economy to the absolute brink.   A year ago there was virtually NO disagreement between economists that we were on the brink of a catastrophic collapse - WORLD WIDE. Based mainly on problems in the U.S. mortgage market.
 
Here is some of what happened to the best I understand it:
 
There was an assumption that property values, real estate values generally always rise.   “Investing” in your home and the housing market in general was considered a good safe place to invest with a sure return. (Unless your neighborhood is deteriorating)
 
Many loans based on this idea moved away from the old standard 30/15 year fixed rate mortgage with 10% or 20% down. Instead the loans were given often based on the belief that the value of the home would rise over time not fall
 
Also, many of the loans given based on these assumptions were home-equity loans which are based on the value of your house and were providing cash in consumers pockets that was driving not only our economy but the world economy
 
In addition - investment banks were buying these loans from the banks and mortgage companies and bundling them into “securities” and selling them as safe investments on the assumption that the ENTIRE housing market is not going to fall all at once. Real estate is local not national.
 
The rating agencies - Morning Star etc, were rating these as very very secure investments as a result many normally conservative investors invested in them including pension funds and even investment banks - THE money guys. And there is no simple way to determine the actual value of these because they include a large number of loans - some bad some not.
 
The fact is no one knows if any of us (businesses, pension funds or individuals) will recoup the money we lost in this. The houses that were over valued were way over valued and will not likely return to that level. That left many in dept over their heads. 
 
So a year ago due to these major losses in value - when big investment banks started failing it freaked the banks out cause they realized they didn’t have as much money as they thought they had either and the knew it was very possible other banks didn’t really know what they had either. So they quit lending.  They just plain quit lending to each other - they lost trust in each other. This meant that the day to day lending that drives business was NOT happening. What is called the commercial paper market actually froze. I was driving the day this happened and listened to a bunch of news about it - including an in-depth explanation of it while it was happening on NPR. And since I’m in banking I was paying attention.
 
Most of us have never heard of the “commercial paper market” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_paper)  I hadn’t until this. But this is the money big businesses borrow on a day to day basis just to do their daily operations. When they couldn’t get the daily loans they needed to operate and banks would not even lend to each other that is when EVERYONE in Washington freaked. That is when you saw Paulson - a die hard free market let ‘em fail guy - calling the big banks altogether and basically forcing them to take government money.   They actually didn’t want to.
 
Our officials - government, top bankers, the fed they all NEVER saw anything like this before and they guessed their way through fixing it. You saw the entire world freak as well.   And they were all guessing on how to prevent a complete collapse world wide. They seem to have succeeded in doing that. Now things while bad are at least stable enough that everyone’s become a critic.
 
I think our officials - the congress, the Bush administration (including Paulson), the Obama (still a candidate initially), Geithner (head of NY Fed), even Senator McCain, and the Federal Reserve (Bernanke) all deserve credit and lots of it - it wasn’t perfect and it sucks that it happened but they deserve credit for having the guts to do what needed to happen to stop the free fall knowing all the while it would not be politically popular move.
 
What’s a shame is the public stays so uniformed and most of our press is only focused on “sound byte” tabloid news and no one takes the time to understand anything that is a little complex so when our officials actually do what’s right and take bold moves - as they did both last October and again early this year - they don’t get any credit for it….
 
I think that is sad.
 
Sue
 
 
 
 
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