tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498525082522582900.post4893822528042347938..comments2024-03-22T16:02:08.213-05:00Comments on The Wheel: Countrywide, CashAmerica and Pete SessionsMark Stegerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02376182294736839659noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498525082522582900.post-68524573002446669952015-07-08T14:30:41.745-05:002015-07-08T14:30:41.745-05:00The gravy train continues to roll. "Payday le...The gravy train continues to roll. <a href="http://thehill.com/regulation/lobbying/247072-payday-lenders-funnel-millions-to-gop-campaigns-report-finds" rel="nofollow">"Payday lenders gave $15M to GOP campaigns in 2014 races"</a>: <br /><br />"Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), chairman of the Financial Services Committee, which oversees payday lenders, led congressional recipients by collecting $210,500 from the industry. ... Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) received $76,630."Mark Stegerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02376182294736839659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498525082522582900.post-63659998355265329292012-01-24T12:55:06.985-06:002012-01-24T12:55:06.985-06:00There is also something to be said about the sense...There is also something to be said about the sense of fiduciary to the citizenry public servants carry.<br /><br />The culture of taking advantage of amenities by virtue of public office, including free doughnuts and meals the cops often demand, is a cancer on society. The explosion in the number of public employees is evidence that working in government is the best job in town. It gets worse with every newly-created position.<br /><br />The circus atmosphere at all levels of government lends new meaning to P.T. Barnum's famous quote, "There's a sucker born every minute."<br /><br />Without morality, the unscrupulous will take the liberty to exploit the trappings of office and the people they were hired to serve. The longer in office, the worse it gets.Nathan Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11125033575992516328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498525082522582900.post-27646949045657803532012-01-24T12:23:28.422-06:002012-01-24T12:23:28.422-06:00Liberty is not free. It comes with a responsibili...Liberty is not free. It comes with a responsibility to do no harm to others. Unfortunately, morality is impossible to legislate. <br /><br />Frequently laws, ordinances and regulations are enacted by the influence of special interests having no regard for the fellow man. <br /><br />Not that it is anyone's responsibility, but taking liberty with great potential for doing harm to others is the issue. <br /><br />This circumstance is common up and down the political spectrum. One does not have to look far beyond their doorstep or mailbox to find evidence.<br /><br />The Richardson Citizens Alliance learned of the Sessions connection to such activities along with countless others involved with the decision to grant incentives to CountryWide and its move to Richardson. Endorsement of Gary Slagel for re-election stuck out like a sore thumb.<br /><br />If Stale Law required local elected officials to release their financial records, I imagine we would discover sweetheart deals from mortgages to car loans to accompany the free Eisemann tickets and other goodies our local public servants enjoy at the expense of those who elected them.Nathan Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11125033575992516328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498525082522582900.post-56294681732396990022012-01-24T08:25:52.668-06:002012-01-24T08:25:52.668-06:00No disrespect taken glbeach. Your last line goes t...No disrespect taken glbeach. Your last line goes to the heart of the matter; Not ethical, not moral, but yet, it is legal.dc-tmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14175240802333780232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498525082522582900.post-46604097065699491172012-01-23T17:59:32.990-06:002012-01-23T17:59:32.990-06:00No disrespect to dc-tm, but I must disagree with y...No disrespect to dc-tm, but I must disagree with your conclusion that "it is difficult to strongly argue for the law to forbid these things, even if it is for the protection of people who may not make the best choices for themselves." These laws - and these types of laws - are exactly what (used to) keep society civil. Now exploiting poverty is a business model.<br /><br />Businesses and corporations are by nature soul-less creatures forced to compete by whatever means gives them an edge. These days what gives them an edge is 'contributing' to politicians - who then distort and pervert the regulated free markets to give these contributors certain benefits - which then is essentially divvied up between the business and the politician. And it is all legal. Not ethical. Not moral. But legal.glbeachhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10177895211614530947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2498525082522582900.post-35459374708138355492012-01-23T08:27:24.257-06:002012-01-23T08:27:24.257-06:00For a long time in Texas you could not get a home ...For a long time in Texas you could not get a home equity loan. I liked it that way because it did a good job of protecting people from themselves. Things changed and th loan were allowed. Allowing the loans expanded the economy at the cost of putting people into debt. <br /><br />I very much dislike the payday loan organizations in large part because they do take advantage of the people who can least afford being taken advantage of.<br /><br />My personal preference would be to see both home equity loans and payday loans businesses go away. <br /><br />But, since I place a high value in letting people take care of themselves and be responsible for themself, it is difficult to strongly argue for the law to forbid these things, even if it is for the protection of people who may not make the best choices for themselves.dc-tmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14175240802333780232noreply@blogger.com