Well, it has alliteration. I guess that’s better than a moratorium on foreclosures. It lacks rhythm.

Foreclosure Freeze is the phrase I’m hearing more and more in the news.

Words are the way we design our thoughts. Strangely enough, this simple change of title probably is a significant turning point in the debate.

It was probably easier to argue against a moratorium, all legal and unfriendly, than it it to argue against a freeze, all simple and temporary sounding.

I suspect whether you call it a moratorium or a freeze, it’s become an avalanche and it’s going to happen.

The White House is as usual about a mile behind public opinion. While every elected official who could walk, run or crawl has got themselves to a microphone to declare something must be done, the White House is trying to cut a deal with the villains. They look like fools. Forgive me, the look is not just a look. It is apparent that political wisdom is not a resident at the White House – apparently it’s not even allowed to visit.

Now, I want you to understand. I don’t attack the White House with any joy in my heart. I’m angry, very angry. I mean look at the situation. Nobody had any concern for the homeowner. The government provided the banks with 700 billion dollars and gave the homeowners a program so pathetic it has virtually no participants. The mortgage companies acted totally irresponsibly and illegally for at least two and probably the better part of three years. So, the President’s press secretary announce that a moratorium is unnecessary, we’re going to have the mortgage companies take a second look. Okay, what do they have to do, run kittens through a blender? sacrifice virgins to satan? What gets these guys in trouble? I promise you if I went to court and told the Judge I looked over the paperwork and I am ready to proceed and I’m not, hell is coming to breakfast. I would probably be found in contempt of court and my case thrown out. These guys didn’t lie about that just once but hundreds of thousands of times.

So, I wait for the President to punish the wrong doers and he negotiates with them. I’m sorry. I don’t get it.

James Pilant