Planet Dumbassnotion
by Gary Graham
The City of Riverside, California today announced a new plan, in light of the high volume of foreclosed homes, that it was going to start buying foreclosed home, fix them up, and resell them to ‘the needy’. Isn’t that nice? The city government in that lovely southern California town is going to do something to ‘make a difference’. Using tax payers dollars, they are going to enter the house-flipping industry in the midst of possibly the most disastrous housing market on record.
Uh…say what??
Okay. Here again I find myself having awakened on the parallel-universe planet of Dumbassnotion – a delightful world where reason and logic are turned upside-down and everything you know is completely wrong.
But let’s play this one out. In order for this to happen, Riverside city government must hire someone to find the foreclosed houses and conduct the real estate deal. Escrow documents, realtor fees, etc, etc. A lot of stuff has to happen for the city to take possession of the distressed properties. Then, some sort of contractor must be hired to assess the property and determine how to fix it up and present it for sale. Then the contractor must hire sub-contractors to come in and do the actual fix-‘em-up work. Painters, dry-wallers, carpenters, electricians, carpet cleaners, plumbers, landscapers, etc. Then, the realtor has to find the buyers, in this case ‘the needy’. People who ‘need’ a home, but can’t afford to buy one on their own. Never mind how one actually qualifies as ‘needy’, or whether if someone who is simply ‘wanty’ makes the cut. (I never could figure the distinction between ‘needy’ and ‘wanty’. Maybe it should be a question for the Miss U.S.A. Pageant.) Let’s just assume that one has to offer proof that they need a home and are deficiently qualified to get the home that they are completely unqualified to buy.
Hmmm…this sounds vaguely familiar. Haven’t we seen this sort of thing just recently? I’m thinking Freddie Mac…Fannie Mae…Chris Dodd…Barney Frank…Pelosi-Reid Disease…. And could any of this plan in Riverside possibly have anything to do with the $25 Billion of taxpayer dollars Diane Feinstein gave to the FDIC…days before she awarded that very lucrative contract to her husband’s firm, C.B. Richard Ellis to dispose of foreclosed homes?
I’m probably just being cynical. And I forgot – I’m on the alien planet of Dumbassnotion! You see — on the planet of Dumbassnotion, the cities use taxpayers’ dollars to take houses that people couldn’t afford to pay for, fix them up, and then sell them to people who can’t afford to pay for them. Oh yeah, you betcha. On the planet of Dumbassnotion, this is hope and change you can believe in.
Now understand… I have no problem with ‘the needy’. God bless ‘em, I pray they can pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, find work, support their families …and find a way to stop being ‘needy’. Needy is not admirable, virtuous, or even fun. I know, I was ‘needy’ for a few years, I looked for work, got frustrated, felt sorry for myself, lit up a spleef, got depressed, and gave up. Then I realized I was dancing with the wrong monkeys, hanging with the wrong crowd, listening to the wrong influences. I changed my lifestyle, started thinking better of myself and reading books that encouraged me to think big, exercise my creativity and dare to believe that I can accomplish something in this life. It’s tough work being positive when faced with a mountain of negative situations. Everyone’s story is different; I wrote a book about mine: but it’s within that gut-numbing crucible of hardship and adversity that your character is forged.
Plus…who wants to be ‘needy’? In my dating years I remember the first moment I sensed that the girl I was with was ‘needy’. Flashing red lights went off behind my eyes and a loud claxon would sound inside my skull – WARNING! CLASS-FIVE CLINGER! And my back-pedal would turn to a dead-run sprint for my life.
Hey, life is tough. Full of ups and downs. Family, church, community, friends… they’re there to support and console. But more importantly, you…Mr. or Ms. Needy…you can do it! Yes you can! The object of the game is to work hard, (it ain’t easy, nobody is saying it’s easy); do something creative, don’t give up, you can contribute to society — work your butt off — but get so that you are no longer ‘needy’.
There, enough pep talk. Get your butts in gear and get on with it. Stop expecting everyone to feel sorry for you and do things for you. Do things for yourself!
But I do have compassion. I do have sympathy. I have sympathy for those poor taxpaying bastards in the city of Riverside, California, who are called upon not only to provide for their own families in this bad economic climate; now they must also pony up and buy houses for a bunch of welfare cases. Hope they at least send you a Christmas card.
I live in Villaraigosa’s Los Angeles. I feel your pain.
“But think of the benefits, Gary! All those people the program will employ. And we’ll get those distressed homes off the market and stabilize the economy.”
Reality check: The market will stabilize — if the government leaves it alone for ten minutes! Why are our elected officials so obsessed with doing stuff!? Stop doing things, the economy will recover, if you’d just stop doing things to it!!
“Ahh…but it’s their job,” you say, “They were elected to serve the people.” Yes, but if history has taught us anything, it’s that a government governs best that governs least. Governments in business don’t turn profits, they suffer losses. A business that suffers losses does not expand, it contracts, tightens up, consolidates, lays off employees. A government does just the opposite. The more they lose, the more they expand, hire employees, boost benefits, and broaden their activity. It defies the physics of business…so they simply raise taxes. (And they will continue to do so until the participants are no longer willing to play the game. Read, tax revolution.)
On the planet of Dumbassnotion the purpose of government is to take care of the people. Not to protect them so that they can take care of themselves. The government does everything for them on the planet of Dumbassnotion. Because it’s a new day, a new dawning. They don’t have to think for themselves, they only have to Believe. They don’t have to work, they only have to Hope. Needy or not needy, it doesn’t matter — It’s Change we need, dontcha know.
Whatever happened to the anachronistic notion of working hard and saving for what you want before you actually get it? Whatever happened to personal responsibility and pride? Whatever happened to teaching our children that if you want something in life you must work for it because nobody is going to hand it to you; and if you want to be someone in life you have to respect other people and their rights to their own property; and you must work hard to fulfill your own dreams? We live in a country with the highest standard of living, the most freedom, liberty, and the greatest array of opportunity for upward mobility in the world. And still we bitch and moan that life’s not fair? That our government needs to do something, needs to take care of us? Have we turned into a nation of pussies?
As a 150-yr-old Vulcan friend of mine would say… “That’s not logical.”
I feel like a dinosaur, scheduled for extinction. Oh but, I forgot…things are different back home on Planet Earth.
Aren’t they?
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111 Comments
Idiots. If there truly is a market for this junk (I have seen the homes) then someone will buy them with their own dough. Oh yeah, I forgot, the government is now buying us all homes too!
Good bless the Big Mocha.
Great post Gary!
I guess the City of Riverside, doesn't know the definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results!
Dumbass"O"nation
===Reality check: The market will stabilize — if the government leaves it alone for ten minutes! Why are our elected officials so obsessed with doing stuff!? Stop doing things, the economy will recover, if you’d just stop doing things to it!!===
We could address all the nations ills by simply deporting our politicians. Overnight American exceptionalism and sanity would be restored.
Another "Hat's Off" rant Gary. Ah…I'm kind of wanty today. Maybe I could get apiece of the action down there in that "Side of the River" community. I could change just like that *Snap* to needy if necessary to qualify.
Not Over.
As they say, "ya can't make this s–t up."
You know why I don't have a problem with this? Because I have decided to become a movie villain. Henceforth, I will become a rich developer, and I want to tear down Riverside and turn it into a strip mall. Hopefully, this foolish plan will bankrupt Riverside so that I can buy it up cheap. Then all I have to do to make my dream come true is to chase out all of those break dancing gangs. Hoooo ha ha ha!!
And when we fix up these homes and hand them to people who didn't earn them, they'll be trashed inside a month. I've seen the results of handouts; odds are the given property won't be respected or taken care of by the majority of the recipients. You wouldn't believe the amount of really nice things that get left behind in a school building by a bunch of kids who supposedly live below the poverty level – nice heavy coats, name brand clothing that look next to new, high priced sneakers. etc.
bUT gARY, we all know the government does these things so much better than the private sector! They've done lots and lots of things much better….I can't think of anything right now, but I know they do. They keep telling me they do, so it must be true…excuse me, but I have to go buy more tin foil…the voices in my head are getting weak…
So you've been to Riverside. At least it used to have the Mission Inn, a great resort. It's probably gone now too.
When I think things are getting bad where I live, I hear about something going on in California. and suddenly, where I live doesn't seem so bad. You couldn't pay me to live there
Just the pick me up I needed to read on my lunch break. Thanks for another great article. Now, time to get back to work and finish the work day strong. Live long and prosper!!!!
No, I've never been to Riverside (if that is it's real name). I'm taking this new-found life-long dream on faith.
I hear it's on a river. Care to confirm that? Or am I dealing with a metaphorical river?
Well, in all those years of driving through Riverside as fast as we could to get to our cabin at Lake Arrowhead I don't remember ever seeing a river, or a side, for that matter. It sort of reminds me of Albuquerque without the glitz.
Being successful in real estate takes real skill. Buy low/Sell high just scratches the surface. A bunch of bureaucrats are not going to defy the laws of the market.
Nowhere do these commissars have the authority to play blackjack with taxpayer dollars, and that is all thay are doing.
"Albuquerque without the glitz" — way to make friends!!
It figures there would be neither a river nor a side. Typical false advertising. Next thing you'll be telling me, there are no saints in San Franscisco.
=== And when we fix up these homes and hand them to people who didn't earn them, they'll be trashed inside a month.===
Last week I had a customer approach me for some work they wanted done on their new home. The customer and I were talking about his home and he mentioned that the prior residents had trashed the place. He told me about appliances that were stolen, toilets and bathroom hardware were stolen, holes were punched into the drywall, on and on. I was actually shocked but then it started making sense considering the type of filth we have here in the LA area. Then over the weekend I came across an article of lenders paying off tenants that have been foreclosed on, up to $3000, not to trash the place.
Many LA residents are animals.
There used to be one, but his beloved animals ate him.
I'm sorry, but this is a totally ignorant post. Everyone knows Vulcans would never use contractions.
Then why isn't the city called "San Downboy" or "San Owthathurts"?
I believe there was once a river there, but they paved it over.
I'm not kidding, by the way.
It's real name is Rock Ridge. And AP, your plan suggest your real name is Hedley Lamarr.
"Laws of the market?" These are politicians, they write their own laws.
Maybe he's a progressive Vulcan.
Because it's easier just to go back to its original name: Yerba Buena (good herb). Now how's that for appropriate?
"Atlas Shrugged" in real life. People getting houses because they "need" them. I just finished reading the book. I feel like I'm still reading it.
On a tangent note: Remember this book was written 50+ years ago. In John Galt's speech on the radio, he chastizes the looters for apologizing to Europe for America's largesse. Who recently just apologized to Europe? When I read that my jaw dropped.
My parents taught me that it's better to GET interest than to PAY it, so when I moved back to the States from Holland in 2002, I bought a modest house for my wife and I (1850 sq. feet, which is palatial in most of the world but considered modest here), instead of buying a much more expensive one which I could easily have afforded because our home in Holland (a supercool luxury houseboat) sold for almost twice as much. I invested the remaining funds in safe high-yield bonds even though I felt like a real sucker because everyone was getting much higher returns in the market), and am now sleeping like a baby because our modest house is 100% mortgage-free, and my comparatively modest-yielding bonds (av. 7.5% a year return) have not tanked like all those artificially overinflated stocks.
The moral of the story is that being MODEST and PRUDENT pays, and like Gary said, so does buying things you can actually afford instead of giving in to the "wanty" instant gratification disease like a spoiled child.
Now if only my daughter and her husband had followed that sound advice. But alas, it was not to be…
My parents taught me that it's better to GET interest than to PAY it, so when I moved back to the States from Holland in 2002, I bought a modest house for my wife and I (1850 sq. feet, which is palatial in most of the world but considered modest here), instead of buying a much more expensive one which I could easily have afforded because our home in Holland (a supercool luxury houseboat) sold for almost twice as much. I invested the remaining funds in safe high-yield bonds even though I felt like a real sucker because everyone was getting much higher returns in the market), and am now sleeping like a baby because our modest house is 100% mortgage-free, and my comparatively modest-yielding bonds (av. 7.5% a year return) have not tanked like all those artificially overinflated stocks.
The moral of the story is that being MODEST and PRUDENT pays, and like Gary said, so does buying things you can actually afford instead of giving in to the "wanty" instant gratification disease like a spoiled child.
Now if only my daughter and her husband had followed that sound advice. But alas, it was not to be…
Remember, it's Hedley and not Heddy. Mel Brooks at his best.
Of course, the city would not bother negotiating labor costs since they need unions to keep them supplied with campaign contributions and 'volunteers' at re-election time. So look for sky-high contracts paid for by Riverside taxpayers, who individually either hire competent non-union workmen, or try to do the less complicated work themselves.
How will these 'poor' pay for utilities, garbage removal, property taxes and maintenance? Why, the city will subsidize them…with more taxpayer dollars until Riverside loses enough residents who move to less costly cities. Then Riverside will tout how 'compassionate' they are and they will demand state and Federal dollars to keep their 'poor' from being made homeless. (Damn those evil Republicans!)
That is appropriate. Though I'm told the city rests on an ancient "native american" burial ground. I believe the tribe was the "Yuvgottahbekiddingme Pyles".
Can I borrow some of that foil Bev? This stuff is getting crazy, and I mean bad crazy, not the goodbadfun kind of crazy either.
Sounds like there should be a Talking Heads song in there somewhere. . .
Harrumph.
My aunt used to live in Riverside, I've never been there myself since I made a vow at a young age to never set foot in California unless I'm being paid to, but she said it was quite nice. Although she never mentioned a river either.
Someone needs to reprogram the Prompter with some authentic frontier gibberish. It'd be more coherent than what usually comes off it.
In fact, we should start up a collection for something like that maybe…
Harrumph indeed.
My posts are disappearing again, this is getting very vexing.
Not as vexing as those meddling kids.
By the way, if your posts disappear, add a second post in the same spot and that will cause the first one to appear.
We must support them, how else will they be able to light up the spleef with a roof over there head. Maybe they also need to help with the utility bills and car payments. We need to extend ourselves as much as possible to help the needy maybe the One will come up with a re-fi program that makes us to get a new loan and half the proceeds will go to the needy and we could just call it a Spleef MAE-MAC loan. Ooooh yes the One will be loved, Riverside will be loved. Peace Out dude.
By coincidence, a few weeks ago I was talking to someone from Lancaster California, near Edwards AFB in the high desert. They had a similar housing meltdown 30 years ago and the government stepped in and basically gave the houses away to the "needy". Before this happened, Lancaster was a nice near crime free area, now it's a gang infested high crime area, decades afterwards.
Oh, you just know this is going to end well. ((eye roll)) Just when I think government in this state can't get any worse…
I lived in Riverside for several years. It has a great brewing company. But you must remember Southern CA is a desert, so all rivers are rivers in name only. Just like the other RINOS there.
Also the Mission Inn is still there.
http://www.missioninn.com/hotel-history.htm
Riverside is near Hemet, and the $cientologists have their big sooper-secret [not] compound out there called "Gold." They pretty much have the cops and city council out there in their pocket, so don't be surprised if those "needy" ended up being a bunch of $cientologists moving out there to circle the wagons like they did in Clearwater, Florida. Just an idea. If it happens, you'll never see it on Fox News because Greta van Sustern and her lawyer husband John Coales (a Democrat busy destroying Sarah Palin's chances by cozying up to her) are both $cientologists.
You know America is in trouble when the definition of 'needy' includes needing a house. Maybe Riverside can throw in an SUV, a maid and a groundskeeper.
Adrian, you're WRONG, SIR! Actually, i thought so too, that Ambassador Soval would never say, That's not logical." He would say "That is not logical." And the first day of shooting the pilot fo Enterprise, i brought that up to Rick Berman (Exec Prod). He said, "No, they use contractions. Vulcans use contractions." And that was it. It's not what i would have guessed but they actually made Soval use contractions.
[Jeez, Gary, listen to yourself. ]
[Man, I gotta get a job...]
Adrian, you're WRONG, SIR! Actually, i thought so too, that Ambassador Soval would never say, That's not logical." He would say "That is not logical." And the first day of shooting the pilot fo Enterprise, i brought that up to Rick Berman (Exec Prod). He said, "No, they use contractions. Vulcans use contractions." And that was it. It's not what i would have guessed but they actually made Soval use contractions.
[Jeez, Gary, listen to yourself. ]
[Man, I gotta get a job...]
It isn't "giving back" (that liberal-loving phrase they throw around at the drop of a hat) if it isn't your own money you use. I can be real charitable with someone else's money. Stupidity just keeps rearing its ugly head, doesn't it?
"Not Yours to Give" by Col. David Crockett.
Riverside, following the example set by the Obama administration of progressive thinkers. Since the laws of economics and finance don't apply to liberals, I'm sure their plan will succeed admirably. Although, if the Mexican Swine Flu decimates much of California, I would imagine there will be more opportunities to flip than flippin customers.
Laws to Libs are rules for somebody else. They think they are exempt
===The City of Riverside, California today announced a new plan, in light of the high volume of foreclosed homes, that it was going to start buying foreclosed home, fix them up, and resell them to ‘the needy’. Isn’t that nice?===
I find it hard to believe Riverside has the revenue to do this particularly in this economic environment. It will cost the taxpayer [just a guesstimate] approx $100,000 for each house sold to the “needy”. We simply have criminals for politicians that waste our money as they please.
VERY true! Some people are more equal than others, it seems. We are starting to live the beginning of Orwell's nightmares, eh?
Gary, read your description of the program expenses again, note they are using YOUR money, not theirs, using houses that got foreclosed by their programs to supply houses for a new program with a 90% expense ratio. all going to their supporters, who are in fact the "wanties" funded foolishly by us "givees" and "taxees", with the "needies" getting no more than the Black kids in the Chicago School System got from the Millenium education stimulus. Riversides "wanties" will do quite well in this; you must be a racist or something to criticize the party line.
I'm shocked- shocked to find that there is gambling in this establishment (as he pockets his winnings).
Gangs? In subsidized housing? Perish the thoght.
Pretty much. On the bright side emulating Orwellian math will probably boost the kiddies' test scores.
Really? Well now if I can just remember where I put those pesky posts I'll be set. LOL
This is true nationwide. Trust me… I've been there and done that.
Just wait and see if NRCP – the National Rent Control law (also known as vote buying) comes along. The only landlords left will be The Governments. So, maybe it's a smart move for Riverside to get into the real estate business now and be on the ground floor, ahead of other governments.
Round up the usual bankers, they're obviously the ones behind all of this.
NRCP – yes, they can do it better with National Rent Control. Imagine all those people with frozen and/or reduced rents and all the gratitude they can show in 2010, 12, 14, 16 etc., to vote in more of the same. Maybe in the end we'll outdo the U.S.S.R. (which Socialized itself to death).
I really like how politicians come up with all of these schemes to help the "needy". I suppose it's too much to ask the "needy" to help themselves…hope I'm not being a right-wing extremist, bigot and racist for making that comment.
And another thing, since when did city governments become experts in real estate and construction? So if Contractor "A" wants a peice of the "action", all he/she has to do is "contribute" to someone's campaign for mayor or city council and wah-lah, you get a government contract to "refurbish" homes for the needy….am I the only one that sees this as anything but bribery and extortion of taxpayers dollars for personal gain?
Hey, I didn't get a harump outta that guy……
Another good read Gary, you seem shocked? The what’s in it for me, egalitarian crowd are in charge, and if we as a country don’t get serious and put this silliness back in the box, darkness will soon follow for the entire country. California like most blue states are confirmed basket cases and will remain in such a condition until the states go belly up, or the citizenry of these states get pissed and pull things back from the brink by being involved, or the vote, hurry people! This dumb $hit is galloping throughout the country and it’s exposed, therefore it can be defeated. God Bless America, we’ll need it!
Look how well they did with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Yes, the government is always the best answer.
Isn't it exciting that the U.S. administration and congress now has the controlling interest in General Motors? Just think how well GM will be doing in the future!
Look how well they fixed our educational system with no child left behind. Many kids can't read well, but with icons and text-to-speech systems, who needs to read? They play sports better than any of us and that's great because all of the already bailed out professional sports stadiums will need players. (Bailed out with federal, state and local funds during the past several years).
YES – we definitely have the brightest people anywhere any time running everything. They did great today with the simulated 747 attack on New York City – or – was it the multi-million dollar photo paid for with our great grand childrens' federal income tax? (That's a billion dollar photo with 40 years compound interest!)
There used to be a racetrack in Riverside, one of the best. Can't get much more evil than that, ungreen and would totally piss off the neighbors.
No, it was the wandering Fakawi tribe. They were trying to find Fresno, but when they found Yerba Buena instead, they said to the locals "This isn't Fresno. We're the Fakawi." They were immediately slaughtered and buried.
I should probably be cautious about bringing on the curse, but every time I have hit the "reply to comment" on ID today, it took me straight to the right place, the first time. Knock on wood!
[...] by The American Illuminati put an intriguing blog post on Planet DumbassnotionHere’s a quick excerptHey, life is tough. Full of ups and downs. Family, church … upon not only to provide for their own families in this bad economic climate; [...]
I'm just trying to figure out what they're going to call them. Detached tenements? Single family projects? A slum of your own?
Everything seems to be running fine suddenly. Wooo hooo!
You must be the Gov! LOL!
They did a public service announcement for the project. "Hoflgre, wjkldk, jkwqobb, argle bargle." Genuine lefty Riverside gibberish.
[...] Planet Dumbassnotion [...]
Once again I bow to your power of soliloquy. And since plagiarism is the highest form of flattery, I am proud to repost:
<a href="http://novus2.com/wordpress/?p=4231” target=”_blank”>http://novus2.com/wordpress/?p=4231
For this improvement, I won't complain. The click takes you to the blog you were posting on, but it can still be a little difficult to find the comment you want if you've posted several things on two or three threads. But this is such a vast improvement that I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
I stand corrected, sir. And, by the way, you rock!
My lefty translator is broken. Are you protesting the opening of a new 7/11 or are you seeking peace on Mars?
I have heard that the squeaky wheel get's the grease but THIS is rediculous…………….
Are you auditioning henchmen? Of the bumbling variety?
Give the governor a harrumph!
You better watch your ass…
I am slightly over fifty and have been an overproductive citizen since I was sixteen. What a schmuck I have been, I am going to dedicate the next half of my life to drugs and alcohol. Does anyone know of an online source for cheap drugs and alcohol?
In your world of Dumbassnotion there are no more Horatio Algers to look up to. People who work hard and amass wealth by the sweat of their brow are now to be scorned. Those who inherit their wealth (Kennedy, Rockefeller) or marry it (Kerry) are the new heroes to admire. And the government is there to insure that no one fails. Failure is a weakness of capitalism. With socialism, everyone is the same. No one can rise higher than anyone else, no matter how hard they try. So why even try?
Blrgg. Roeggle doggle. And that's the truth.
Thats Heddy! What will that a$$whole think of next? Somebodys got to go back and a a sh!tload of dimes.
Yes, David Crockett was one of the first people in Congress to realize that the United States Constitution does NOT authorize foreign aid or domestic aid of any kind!
Right now, we're witnessing the biggest robbery in world history. Sorry to disappoint any obots out there, but most of the bailout money is going into the pockets of the most wealthy, and ultimately, almost all of it will be in their hands. The only changes I'm seeing since 2008 is more U.S. troops going into Afghanistan, an even more secretive government, and a gaffe attack unlike any seen before. The Puppet Masters should have chosen better … or maybe it's part of the plan to destroy the United States.
I'm sorry. I forgot to translate. It means the Sheriff is a . . . near.
Love it, Gary. Pardon my frothing fanboy-ism here, but this makes me want to go watch more Alien Nation. That made far more sense than Dumbassnotion.
One of the finest moments in TV EVER is your line from the pilot: "She belongs HERE." Second finest was your next line: "Aren't you ashamed?".
There is also a UC campus there (that I attended).
Despite living there for four years, however, I don't ever remember seeing a river.
Great post about dismal reality.
I read this news the other day and didn't have the energy to even address it, it is just so preposterous to even have to explain to others why this idea is both massively awful and massive to begin with (Obama's big trillions' ripoff of taxpayers' money).
Riverside received a very large chunk of that Obama-Marxist-Redistribution and now they're going about socking it away to more government employees who will hire more government employees, buy more realestate and hire more government employees and include a great big package of government employee benefits and then they'll still have a rash of tenement buildings remaining in Riverside after they provide down payments for people who won't then be able to repay the money nor make additional payments nor afford the upkeep on the properties and what'll be left is Riverside with a huge increase in government employees receiving a nice big bunch of benefits and empty houses and a lot of ongoing evictions and abandonments of property and more Democrat voters.
Riverside is actually going to pay the downpayments on properties that applicants can't pay themselves (and no applicants will be able to pay downpayments themselves because Riverside is limiting this program of "free houses" to people who couldn't afford the down payments (nor the houses themselves, nor upkeep, insurance, etc.).
They'll just create a very expensive feedback loop of importing more poverty, creating bigger government, costing more money to the remaining taxpayers (there and in other states from whence they're draining this money) and make a bad situation worse.
EVERYone who knows California earlier than about thirty years ago remembers the high desert area (Lancaster, near-to) as a wonderfully keen place. AND KNOWS what disaster was imported to the area afterward when the Democrats decided to import Mexico and most of Central America to the area. The place was nearly in five years just turned from a wonderfully remote place to live to a disaster area plagued with crime and dereliction.
They're not going to be paying for much themselves. Riverside has created the program to limit applicants/participants to families of four on low incomes, such that they're actually screening out people who are more capable to live self-sufficiently and GIVING THE LESS ABLE DOWN PAYMENTS AND MORTGAGES for properties the participants can't afford and won't afford to upkeep. It's madness.
I think we need a new slogan: "No representation without taxation." I am tired of people who don't pay taxes voting for politicians who promise to raise my taxes.
Frankly, I am surprised that one is not in the Constitution. The Founding Fathers had the foresight to anticipate so many problems, but they somehow missed this one.
Absolutely! You're not allergic to volcano lairs are you?
Perhaps they only brought it out on special occasions?
"Spleef"? LOL Sounds kinda dirty! Anyway, great article. (Why do I keep calling them "articles"?)
"And another thing, since when did city governments become experts in real estate and construction?"
If done more than my time in Riverside County and all it's respective cities as a design engineer for housing subdivisions and the like. The only thing said county and municipal agencies were good for was in forcing the costs of building said homes much higher than they needed to be. One of many reasons I left California.
I lived in Riverside for a decade. This doesn't sound like the Riverside I knew. I mean yeah, they're incompetent dunderheads, and corrupt as all-get-out but this is pretty bizarre stuff. I wonder if this is actual policy or some proposal one dunderhead threw against the wall.
Riverside is located about 60 miles east of Los Angeles in an area known as the Inland Empire. The Inland Empire had for years been one of the cheaper places to buy a home in southern California. With prices skyrocketing in Orange, San Diego, and Los Angeles counties, those who couldn't afford bought in the Inland Empire. Its also subprime and Alt-A loan Hell. They are currently in a free fall.
Gary – Awesome article. If every respectful resident and citizen in this country understood this we wont have half the CREDIT CRUNCH or crisis. People have forgotten hard work and want hand-outs. The Federal Govt wants to "CHANGE" this country into EXACTLY THAT. They want people to keep beggin to them with open hands so they will keep giving them just enough to keep them "hooked" ON and yes voting for the same crappy politicians again and again. Oh and what about illegals. Once amnesty hits all illegals will start investing their "tax-free" dollars and staying close to your neighbourhood. Coming soon this summer to your neighbourhood. God Speed.
They did that to Data, too. It's a simple way to create an odd 'otherness'. Frankly, I was glad it was abandoned in Enterprise–I could never really buy that Vulcans couldn't speak proper English(of course, ARE they speaking English? Or has that all been abandoned in favor of the Universal Translator?)
And Data? Data doesn't know standard english? What is he? a 'See and Say'? He's programmed in multiple techniques, but not programmed in the proper working of an apostrophe?
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the – Web Reconnaissance for 04/28/2009 A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often.
Stupidity's head isn't ugly enough, sadly. Otherwise, we'd have fewer folks clammoring about the cute puppy that followed them home. "Can we keep it?"
Good post, Gary. Actualy, I have yet to read any from you that weren't what I call "deep thought". Good hit, keep them coming.
Gary – where did you get the term 'needy?' The plan has clear cut guidelines based on the Reuters report. Who are you quoting? clear cut based on the Reuters report. Who are you quoting?
EVERYBODY LAY-OFF RIVERSIDE!
On second thought, I just remembered I've been to Riverside…
EVERYBODY GET BACK ON RIVERSIDE!
Ben, it was from a newsbreak on a.m. radio, KABC news, I believe, Monday morning, around 7:45. (may possibly have been KRLA, cuz I was flipping back and forth, but I believe it was KABC). My opening line was pretty much ver batim. "The city of Riversidse planned to buy up foreclosed homes, fix them up and sell them to the 'NEEDY'."
(KRLA is Mike Gallagher in that slot, and KABC carries Doug MacIntyre.)
Gary, thanks for the reply. I was just curious because after I read this I googled this and found a Reuters story that laid out some specific guidelines for who could apply for and expect to participate in this program: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUST...
The program seems more directed at those who, given such a program, might be able to afford a house and to contribute to society in a positive way rather than towards those who only want to live off the largesse of the State. I don't know, sounds like a win to me. I get your point, but the term 'needy' with all of the baggage the term carries seems unnecessary. Heck, if that's who we're calling 'needy' now, that means that I know a LOT of 'needy' people, none of whom have any desire to do anything but pull their own weight in society and pull themselves up by their own bootstraps.
Thanks,
Ben
So Gary, as long as you're here, maybe you'd offer a different solution to the problem that Riverside is trying to solve — they've got hundreds, maybe thousands, of foreclosed houses that are sitting vacant. The banks that repoed them won't take care of them, they've got squatters moving in, and where there aren't squatters there will be rats and rot and decay and fires. You can't just leave all those houses empty and assume they'll be just fine when the market turns around.
So I gather you don't like Riverside's solution. What's yours?
I am reading the book right now, so don't give away Obama spoilers…LOL!
wr1 — Thanks for the question. I have a simple answer, yet it would take a book to explain that answer. (One that I may very well write in the very near future.) Short answer: The government — federal, state, city…should do nothing. Back the F*CK out of meddling with business. The reason Riverside is so run down, and the reason any city is run down has to do with government not allowing the free market to function unfettered. When things go bad, people reflexively turn to government to 'do something about it'.
Government officials, from the lowly city clerks to the mayor, to the governor, to the President… they all think they owe it their constuents to DO SOMETHING. So they get to work, meddling in the machinery of business…where they do not belong. What government owes us is to protect us so that we may take care of ourselves. Other than that, leave us alone! The nine most dreaded words…"I'm from the government and I'm here to help." Capitalism works. For everybody, every time it's tried. Government meddling stifles…and disrupts capitalism…and leads to fascism, socialism and communism…tyranny…which will end our nation.
Mind you, that's the extremely short answer. Until I write my book, read ATLAS SHRUGGED and THE FORGOTTEN MAN…WEALTH AND POVERTY….THE 10 BIG LIES ABOUT AMERICA…THINK & GROW RICH…THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING
[...] Big Hollywood » Blog Archive » Planet Dumbassnotion bighollywood.breitbart.com/ggraham/2009/04/27/planet-dumbassnotion – view page – cached The City of Riverside, California today announced a new plan, in light of the high volume of foreclosed homes, that it was going to start buying foreclosed home, fix them up, and resell them to ‘the needy’. Isn’t that nice? The city government in that lovely southern California town is going to do something to ‘make a difference’. Using tax payers dollars, they are going to enter the house-flipping industry in the midst of possibly the most disastrous housing market on record. — From the page [...]
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