John Bolton and Screwing Home Owners

On March 20 Jon Stewart interviewed John Bolton on the Daily Show and it was amazing ("it was amazing" is meant to be said using the voice of Kelly from The Office). I have to start with - I'm a bit concerned that I'm so overly biased that my opinion of the interview is way off, but I think recognizing that helps, at least a little. Anyway, Jon Stewart didn't just rip into him like he has done to other right wingers he has had on the show, but he calmly and rationally took Bolton down. I knew that I didn't like Bolton, but it was still incredible to see how warped his world view is (or at least what he claims it to be - on the 21st when Jon Stewart said - settle down, it's not my real life, it's my comedy life - it highlighted this point). And it was also great on March 21 when Jon did a recap of a few points where Bolton said Jon was wrong when he clearly wasn't. When I watched the interview with Bolton I remembered the line Jon used about Lincoln from a previous show so I was glad to see that confirmed on the 21st.

I had jumped off the Stewart for president bandwagon at some point, admitting that it really wouldn't make sense. But after that interview I'm thinking Stewart for press secretary or something along those lines.



So for the most part I fall in the very liberal category (as the above discussion probably helps indicate), but I'm a little concerned by my opinion on a nyt article today about home owners not being able to afford their subprime mortgages now that prices have fallen. Normally I'm all about second chances, and supporting the working class. And I completely understand any given home owner who is struggling to make payments doing what they can to deal with their debt. But part of the article was about the government considering bailing out homeowners and stopping foreclosures and I think I'm actually really against that. Not because I'm blaming people for taking a risk or anything like that. But it is hard to afford a home because housing prices are so high. So buying out people's debt, which fuels demand, would help keep housing prices propped up. This hurts all the people out there who are on the edge of being able to afford a home. Yes it hurts those who cannot make the payments, but I feel more bad for the people who did not take on more than they could afford than those who did, taking a gamble on housing prices continuing to rise. I'm not too sure about this whole argument and am interested if there is some piece of the whole thing I'm missing, but seems to me that the government pumping money into the housing market only hurts the working class as a whole. As someone who lives in an area with crazy housing prices I'm looking forward to the unreasonable loans falling apart so housing prices can readjust to a slightly less crazy level. Just to make sure I don't come off too evil - I do think that if someone purchases a home they can afford and then something happens (lose a job, get injured, natural disaster...) then I'm totally for the government helping.

The nyt has also had a number of articles recently about the medical field. It is mostly about pharmaceuticals, but many of the ideas can also be applied to medical devices. I want to comment on the articles, but at the same time I do not want to write something that could be misinterpreted. Maybe one day I will craft something that cannot be interpreted in a negative way, but still has some measure of content.