• May 26, 2012

House Republicans Already Giving Up On One of Their Few Actual Policies

by Jack Stuef  

Earlier this year, leading House Republicans proposed to privatize mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac or place them in receivership starting in two years.

Now, as Republicans prepare to assume control of the House next week, they aren’t in as big a rush, cautioning that withdrawing government support in the housing market should be gradual.

That’s too bad. But it was obviously an error for them to have an economic policy of any kind. That sort of thing, “issue positions,” just opens you up to blame for the economy. Best to not do anything ever. [WSJ]

{ 33 comments }

BornInATrailer December 29, 2010 at 3:15 pm

I'm shocked. Shocked, I say.

Troubledog December 30, 2010 at 10:24 am

Realizing the importance of the case, my men are rounding up twice the usual number of suspects.

Zvi_Bleindmeis December 29, 2010 at 3:16 pm

I can't wait until they figure out that "taxes" pay for their health insurance and pensions.

jim89048 December 29, 2010 at 5:31 pm

More basically, their salaries. Wouldn't want to confuzzle them with that fact, though.

SorosBot December 29, 2010 at 3:16 pm

Wasn't the partial privatization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac responsible for getting them involved in the mortgage clusterfuck and hemorrhaging money until the feds stepped back in?

Oh wait, I forgot; the free market and privatization are always good, and whenever it causes bad things something else must really be responsible (in this case telling banks they can't discriminate against black people) because we can't let facts get in the way of dogma.

RedneckMuslin December 29, 2010 at 3:47 pm

That's what St. Ronnie always said and he's getting a stamp.

SmutBoffin December 29, 2010 at 3:17 pm

What next? Will they turn their backs on their 'hating all living things that make less than $325,000/yr.' policy, too?

TanzbodenKoenig December 29, 2010 at 4:10 pm

Let's not be hasty…

nounverb911 December 29, 2010 at 5:57 pm

That would include themselves then.

Rarian Rakista December 30, 2010 at 6:31 am

Something like 50% of them are millionaires.

Come here a minute December 29, 2010 at 3:18 pm

To really reflect the desires of their constituency, the Republicans will set up a giant screen teevee in the well of the House, replace those uncomfortable desks with nice, soft La-Z-Boy sofas, and have the pages serve them anus burgers while they assiduously avoid doing anything at all.

walstib December 29, 2010 at 3:19 pm

So what?

They ditch this idea and take up banning teh gays from military fetish night at the Elks Lodge…

Same diff, right?

Gratuitous World December 29, 2010 at 3:19 pm

of course not. they also need to keep those boogeymen around.

ttommyunger December 29, 2010 at 3:28 pm

"Let's face it, with all the gehys running around loose we can't be bothered with the small shit."

V572625694 December 29, 2010 at 3:33 pm

Now that Republicans can decide or strongly influence which favored political hacks can be appointed to run Fannie and Freddie and suck down lavish salaries for doing next to nothing, privatizing them doesn't seem like such a good idea.

horsedreamer_1 December 29, 2010 at 3:33 pm

They realized, without Fanny &/or Freddy to refinance it, the Chinese might call in the mortgage on Capitol Hill.

nounverb911 December 29, 2010 at 5:59 pm

I'd pay good money (if I had any) to see the Chinese foreclose on Capitol Hill. (As long as they keep the occupants).

x111e7thst December 29, 2010 at 3:38 pm

Demoncraps/Acorn/SEIU caused the collapse of the housing market by saying that poor people should live in houses instead of in gutters. This needs to be taken into consideration in deciding the fate of Fannie and Fred.

ifthethunderdontgetya December 29, 2010 at 3:44 pm

They're going with the K.I.S..S. principle: stick to investigating the birth certificate and New Black Panthers.

That way neither the mouth-breathers that vote for them nor the plutocrats that own their sorry souls will be offended.
~

chascates December 29, 2010 at 3:51 pm

It was also their idea to have an individual mandate in the health care bill but they're walking that back now. McCainitis.

nounverb911 December 29, 2010 at 6:00 pm

Is there a cure for that?

horsedreamer_1 December 29, 2010 at 11:15 pm

You have to give it time, but a lot of time. More than five & an half years, in fact.

Rarian Rakista December 30, 2010 at 6:32 am

Waiting for the old bastards to die of natural causes.

Callyson December 30, 2010 at 12:23 pm

Death panels.

Ducksworthy December 29, 2010 at 4:09 pm

And instead of a START treaty, House Republikans proposed to nuke the unemployed, thus killing two birds with one stone, so to speak, but then realized this might damage the country some way or another. Pussies.

mrpuma2u December 30, 2010 at 1:25 pm

Yes nuking the unemployed becomes a huge NIMBY issue, otherwise they would have done it months ago.

donner_froh December 29, 2010 at 4:22 pm

The House GOP realized that their pledge to privatize Fanny Mae was actually a "gotcha" pledge so they didn't have to follow through with it, even though they gotcha-ed themselves.

GOPCrusher December 29, 2010 at 4:30 pm

This is just the start. Can't wait to see the hilarity that will ensue when they have to vote to raise the debt ceiling in order to keep the Government open for business.
Those Social Security checks won't deliver themselves.

LionelHutzEsq December 29, 2010 at 4:58 pm

You know, Jack, you might as well make that headline sticky, as you are going to have to use it a lot over the next few months. Hell, just add it to the top of the page.

ulTIMum December 29, 2010 at 8:42 pm

Before he was just another Dohbya stooge, the Repugs were excited about Colen Powell, despite his unfortunate name. They thought he might be a contender, standing there all spiffy in his uniform. But then, some one of them realized, if his candidacy goes forward, he will have to answer some questions on the issues of the day. (This was before that sheltered talkshop Faux Noose ) And no matter what he says, he will tick off half the electorate.

And that's what essentially happened The wisdom of throwing spitballs from the gallery was born.

cheaphits December 30, 2010 at 6:49 am

Dubya running free shows these anus-burger consumers in Congress that there is no downside. No matter how badly they screw the pooch, they get to keep the money and a measure of respect from some people.

Of course, the pooch (that be us) stays screwed.

Troubledog December 30, 2010 at 10:28 am

Weighty matters of governance are not interesting to donors. We now return you to The Inquisition Of Christine O'Donnell.

Callyson December 30, 2010 at 12:22 pm

They lost interest when they discovered that Fannie and Freddie have actual responsibilities.

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