Snipers shoot 10 Dallas Cops at Black Lives Matter Protest

[shocka khan]

Remember when the world gave Obama the Nobel Peace prize for hoping he would accomplish something. I wonder if the Nobel committee would say his accomplishments (or lack of) were worthy now?

I agree. I think giving Obama the Nobel Peace prize was more a knee-jerk reaction and less based on accomplishments. Even though I'm supportive of the drone program, I wonder what the voters for the prize (since it is a 'peace' prize) think about their votes now.

Again, I think history will show Obama to be an average (or lower) president, but certainly not the worst.

[Play Angry]

No, you're correct, BUT THEY DO EXAMINE BANKS.

Ben Bernanke should have reviewed individual mortgage applications for publicly-traded, privately-owned banks the Fed provides overnight liquidity to but had no previous ownership of?

mmmmmm hmmmm.

[shocka khan]

Ben Bernanke should have reviewed individual mortgage applications for publicly-traded, privately-owned banks the Fed provides overnight liquidity to but had no previous ownership of?

mmmmmm hmmmm.

You're parsing here. WAMU had a lot of liar loans. They were federally regulated. Countrywide had a lot of liar loans, they (and IndyMac bank, who was the successor to Countrywide) had a lot of liar loans as well. I'm not sure whether they had federal bank charters, but they were regulated by the federal government.

WAMU

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_doc_loan

Countrywide (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IndyMac)



Treasury Department Inspector General's investigation[edit]

On February 26, 2009, the Treasury Department's inspector general concluded that federal regulators failed to catch warning signs that presaged the IndyMac Bank's collapse. The U.S. government watchdog saidthe Pasadena, Calif., savings and loan pursued an overly aggressive growth strategy that included failing to verify borrowers' income and relying on expensive deposits to fund its operations. The Office of Thrift Supervision, IndyMac's regulator, recognized the red flags but did nothing to stop them, the Treasury inspector general said.

"We found that OTS identified numerous problems and risks, including the quantity and poor quality of nontraditional mortgage products," the report said. Yet the "OTS did not take aggressive action to stop those practices from continuing to proliferate," according to the report.

The report also rejected much of the blame targeted at Sen. Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.) Mr. Schumer came under fire last year for making public a letter he sent to regulators questioning IndyMac's ability to stay afloat as a business.

The Treasury inspector general found that the letter was a "contributing factor" in the timing of IndyMac's collapse, but that "the underlying cause of the failure was the unsafe and unsound manner in which the thrift was operated."

"Also, the thrift was already on a course for probable failure by the time Mr. Schumer's letter was made public," the report said.[40]

On March 27, 2009, A spokesman said the U.S. Treasury Inspector General is reviewing actions by the Office of Thrift Supervision on backdating banks’ capital injections after the regulator’s acting director was removed and placed on leave. Inspector General Eric Thorson gave findings “regarding certain actions by management” at OTS to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, replaced Acting Director Scott Polakoff pending an investigation, according to separate statements. John Bowman, the deputy director and chief counsel, was named the agency’s acting director, OTS said. The OTS permitted five banks, including failed lender IndyMac Bancorp Inc., to revise capital reports for the first quarter to show higher levels after the period ended. The action allowed lenders, such as IndyMac, to avoid further regulatory restriction.[37]"

Note the words safety and soundness. That refers to the type of examination I was referring to.

[Play Angry]

There were bad loans made by banks? No ****?

You said Bush should have made the Fed examine individual mortgage loan applications and appraisal values. That is an impracticable suggestion.

There is plenty of blame to lay on the political establishment for the housing crisis. The problem is that you are doing it in a non-sensical manner.

[1972Shocker]

As long as this issue (and many other problems we face) are politicized to not let a good crisis go to waste in terms of building and consolidating political power than nothing will get solved. Most likely it will only be made worse. This approach preys on emotion and feelings. When actual facts, data and circumstances are seriously and honestly studied they do not support a contention of police on black racial bias especially when the demographics of crime statistics are factored in. After all you rob banks because that is where the money is. The police are called to where the crime is. The police aren't the problem. Crime is the problem.

So much of the BLM movement is based on a false narrative and not supported by the facts. Unfortunately, we may now be seeing the impact of the Ferguson effect with violent crime rates rising significantly in the largest cities. Police departments and individual officers are pulling back on proactive policing and are much more hesitant to take action in certain situations, especially those involving minorities. So who does this hurt the most. Those who live in the high crime areas, disproportionately black people, will suffer the most from this effect.

The Ferguson effect will be compounded by the current anti-police sentiment and the imposition by the DOJ of restrictions and requirements on local police departments by consent decrees. Less policing, more paperwork, more sensitivity training, less tactical training. Furthermore, I suspect the recruitment of qualified individuals to serve as police officers is getting tougher which will lead to manpower shortages and less policing.

Sure there are bad cops but they represent a very small slice of the police pie. The need to be dealt with appropriately under the rule of law. The issue of police on black racial bias has been blown way out of proportion, largely for political reasons and takes away from the more serious problem of the bulk of the crimes that really impat the black communities. Making the police the scapegoat for the real problems effecting the black and minority communities just doesn't seem reasonable to me.

Based on what I see happening things are more likely to get worse than better as we move forward.

When the civic culture of a nation becomes so debased that a nation no longer has the virtues and character needed to sustain a republican government than you can expect more totalitarianism is on its way. That looks like where we are heading.

[shocka khan]

There were bad loans made by banks? No ****?

You said Bush should have made the Fed examine individual mortgage loan applications and appraisal values. That is an impracticable suggestion.

There is plenty of blame to lay on the political establishment for the housing crisis. The problem is that you are doing it in a non-sensical manner.

As president of the United States, he absolutely could have instructed the FED to review these items on safety and soundness examinations.

This is really a simple concept, and there's nothing nonsensical about it, unless you were never a regulator in the financial services industry.

I am not going to waste my time in replying to you anymore until you read this:

https://www.fdic.gov/regulations/safety/manual/section3-2.pdf

"The examiner’s evaluation of a bank’s lending policies, credit administration, and the quality of the loan portfolio is among the most important aspects of the examination process. To a great extent, it is the quality of a bank's loan portfolio that determines the risk to depositors and to the FDIC's insurance fund. Conclusions regarding the bank’s condition and the quality of its management are weighted heavily by the examiner's findings with regard to lending practices. Emphasis on review and appraisal of the loan portfolio and its administration by bank management during examinations recognizes, that loans comprise a major portion of most bank’s assets; and, that it is the asset category which ordinarily presents the greatest credit risk and potential loss exposure to banks."

[WuDrWu]

Based on what I see happening things are more likely to get worse than better as we move forward.

All excellent points, but I thought this one was the best. We have REAL problems that have to be answered. We've promised more than we can provide. Someone is going to have to pay, and it's clear NO ONE is interested in being that someone, most especially the politicians on both sides of the aisle.

[pie n eye]

All excellent points, but I thought this one was the best. We have REAL problems that have to be answered. We've promised more than we can provide. Someone is going to have to pay, and it's clear NO ONE is interested in being that someone, most especially the politicians on both sides of the aisle.

Nah it'll all be solved once Obama's out of office. Let's just hope he doesn't decide to go on anymore shooting sprees in the next 6 months.

[Cdizzle]

Nah it'll all be solved once Obama's out of office. Let's just hope he doesn't decide to go on anymore shooting sprees in the next 6 months.

If you're insinuating (sarcastically as it may be) that only those pulling triggers are responsible for the actions taking place (and you are), then remind me what the hell this is all about in the first place?

I'm not taking a side here other than to say one shouldn't throw blame on non-involved parts of a broken system they don't like unless one is also willing to recognize the faults of the non-involved parts of the broken system one does like.

[shocka khan]

Nah it'll all be solved once Obama's out of office. Let's just hope he doesn't decide to go on anymore shooting sprees in the next 6 months.

So, is there a fifty-dollar question here regarding Hillary, shooting sprees and Bill? :)

[shocka khan]

If you're insinuating (sarcastically as it may be) that only those pulling triggers are responsible for the actions taking place (and you are), then remind me what the hell this is all about in the first place?

I'm not taking a side here other than to say one shouldn't throw blame on non-involved parts of a broken system they don't like unless one is also willing to recognize the faults of the non-involved parts of the broken system one does like.

Cdizzle, that's not the way it works on ShockerNet. The way most people roll here is:
- If the president is a democrat, blame him. Note republican presidents never make bad decisions, never make policy mistakes, never make questionable remarks and are always right.
- If the president is a republican, blame:
a) the Speaker of the House of Representatives (if the house is in the hands of Dems)
OR
b) the majority leader of the Senate (if the senate is in the hands of the Dems).

If the President is republican, and both legislative bodies have republican majorities, then you blame some other democrat.

[Cdizzle]

I'm well aware of how you think things work here, and elsewhere. But thanks for the update.

[pie n eye]

If you're insinuating (sarcastically as it may be) that only those pulling triggers are responsible for the actions taking place (and you are), then remind me what the hell this is all about in the first place?

I'm not taking a side here other than to say one shouldn't throw blame on non-involved parts of a broken system they don't like unless one is also willing to recognize the faults of the non-involved parts of the broken system one does like.

No, I'm not insinuating that only those pulling the triggers are responsible for the actions taking place. Although, I'm curious who else you want to blame. Unless of course you believe he was acting on presidential orders. I was insinuating that blaming Barack Obama for what happened in Houston is beyond ridiculous and yet comically predictable.

Whether I agree with him/her or not it was insightful that people jumped all over wsushox1 for suggesting that there is a systemic problem with income inequality in America. Yet when someone says "there is blood all over the hands of our shitty president tonight. This is his ****ing fault." no one batted an eye. In fact, it seemed to be a quite popular statement.

I didn't blame anyone. Not a single person or side or system. I'm not dumb enough to think I'm smart enough to have all the answers to such a complex and deep rooted issue.

[wufan]

No, I'm not insinuating that only those pulling the triggers are responsible for the actions taking place. Although, I'm curious who else you want to blame. Unless of course you believe he was acting on presidential orders. I was insinuating that blaming Barack Obama for what happened in Houston is beyond ridiculous and yet comically predictable.

Whether I agree with him/her or not it was insightful that people jumped all over wsushox1 for suggesting that there is a systemic problem with income inequality in America. Yet when someone says "there is blood all over the hands of our shitty president tonight. This is his ****ing fault." no one batted an eye. In fact, it seemed to be a quite popular statement.

I didn't blame anyone. Not a single person or side or system. I'm not dumb enough to think I'm smart enough to have all the answers to such a complex and deep rooted issue.

This was well said. I previously disagreed with your sentiment; however, you are correct in asserting that there is plenty of responsibility to go around...unless you're saying I gotta give up my gunnnnns. If that's what you're saying then you're an effing commy bastard and you can go to hell!

[ShockRef]

I disagree. Although I am disappointed with Obama (and since I'm an equal opportunity abuser), I think George W. Bush was much worse. Sure seems funny that no republican I've ever seen posting here on the various political blogs agrees with me. Bush spent a billion dollars and got 4,000 of our best and brightest killed in a war (Iraq) that, by all appearances to me, was declared solely because Saddam tried to kill Bush Sr.

That was much dumber than anything Obama has ever done. Oh and I forgot to mention that the economy crashed on Bush's watch as well, so there's that, too.

Although I greatly fault Obama for not prosecuting the banksters that crashed our economy, I feel like Bush could have prevented some of the worst effects of the 'great recession' if he had only instructed the examiners at the Fed to look in the loan files a little closer when doing safety and soundness examinations so as to make sure that appraisals were fair, that the appraisal values resembelled something akin to normal and that the borrower's creditworthiness was based on a throrough examination of their credit and not on a 'drive-by let's make this loan work' review.

Suffice to say that there's a lot more to judging a president than whether he was supportive (or not) of our law enforcement officers, even if your statement has a small ring of truth to it.

Khan,
You are a Star Trek fan, as evidenced by your name, which means you can't be all that bad. We've been semi-agreeing on a few things lately and I was encouraged.
Then... well then you go and make a ****-the-bed comment about Bush getting 4K killed. If this is the result of some drunk posting, then maybe you get a mulligan.

However, if anyone has gotten Americans killed, its your good friend BHO.

His divisive rhetoric concerning law enforcement has inflamed raw emotions of those who are misguided and filled with hate.
It all started with the "Stupid cops" comments made soon after being inaugurated. It hasn't stopped.

Instead of attempting to lead by example and heal the wounds, he continues to make poorly timed and incompetent statements.

Read the book "The Amateur"... appropriately named and eye opening content. Then get back to me.

That is all.