Underwater Homeowner Vote may turn election

The cheer leading and rah-rah, heard at the presidential conventions, has long since died down. BUT, both candidates left a huge election topic (Housing) unaddressed, and as a result, the door is now wide open, to speak directly on Foreclosures and Underwater Homeowners. It is important that both men address these two (2) related issues instead of repeating & summarizing all the problems by using drone like rhetoric and simply calling it a Housing Crisis.

ELECTION NEWSFLASH:
President Obama - you - and Governor Romney will be competing for votes of millions of homeowners. As presidential candidates, you need to address the housing issues (Underwater Mortgages, Foreclosure, Fraudclosure, principal reduction) especially in big swing states such as Ohio, Colorado, Nevada and Florida. Current estimates show there are between 12 - 16 million underwater homeowners,


3 Americans Speak About Foreclosure & Underwater Housing (OH, NV, CO)

OHIO:
The housing crisis has hit OHIO harder....than but a handful of states. As a result, many OHIO VOTERS are underwater on their mortgages (mortgage debt is greater than value of home) Recent housing market data shows more than a half a million (529,834) OHIO mortgages are underwater. What does that mean?

*1 Million (1,000,258) Ohio eligible voters are underwater
12% of the eligible voters - underwater & 528,834 home mortgages - underwater

*To put these numbers in perspective, the number of Underwater Voters in Ohio (1,000,258) is OVER 1/3 of the total votes cast for the winning presidential candidate in 2008.

MESSAGE:  OHIO VOTERS

please join the New Bottom Line Campaign:

 HOME IS WHERE THE VOTE IS

The national campaign has put the agenda and vote of 16 million underwater homeowners squarely on the national political agenda. ‘Home is Where the Vote Is’ is a multi state effort to have the candidates address the issue.
These voters WILL influence and help decide the presidential election outcome!

Tracy Van-Slyke (Director of The New Bottom Line) & Mark Roarty (Ohio FRAUDclosure) take message to the White House

RELATED: Ohio Blogger to White House for Housing Summit
The candidate that fails to seriously address foreclosures, underwater homeowners, and the resulting housing crisis WILL BE the candidate that loses! See below as Tracy Van Slyke shares the importance (below) on the new HUFFPOST - Firsthand

Move video slider bar and begin at 10 minutes in - Shocking Truth Explained

READ Huffingtonpost Business Blog:
Underwater Voters Take Aim at Obama and Romney over Housing
....Neither President Obama nor Governor Romney has proposed the bold solutions needed to address the housing crisis at the root of the American economy’s troubles. Resetting mortgages to fair market value is essential to keeping families in their homes and the recovery of the US economy and job market. Economists from both sides of the political spectrum support it. Resetting those mortgages to fair market value would save the average underwater homeowner $543 per month, pumping $104 billion into the national economy every year. This would create 1.5 million jobs nationally

'Home is Where the Vote Is' is organized by The New Bottom Line, a growing movement of community organizations, congregations, and individuals working together to challenge big bank interests and fight for principal reduction for underwater homeowners. Allies mobilizing underwater voters this season include Rebuild the Dream, Right to the City, Home Defenders League, Ohio FRAUDclosure and the hundreds of thousands of underwater homeowner and voting families.

Our neighborhoods are being destroyed by foreclosed homes. It's our communities that are deprived of hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue because too many homeowners have to unfairly pay the big banks instead of investing in local businesses. Entire communities are being blighted across our state and nation because of the failed policies and the on-going fraudulent practices of the big banks.

MORE: ...Huffington Post Business Blog - by Tracy Van Slyke

~

OHIO: Home is Where the Vote Is

OHIO is being called the most important swing state for the 2012 election!

NEWSFLASH:
President Obama - you - and Governor Romney will be competing for votes of millions of homeowners.  But, presidential candidates need to address ALL the housing issues (Fraudclosure, Fannie & Freddie holdings, Underwater Mortgages) in big swing states such as Ohio, Florida, Colorado and Nevada. Current estimates show there are between 12 - 16 million underwater homeowners, in addition to fraudulent foreclosures NOT counted in that total. That is potentially some 15 - 20 million voters who are watching how you - as President - and Governor Romney will address this issue. But that's just the tip of the iceberg...

Mansfield Ohio 8-1-12 photo by Luke Sharrett The New York Times

It's not just the millions of homeowners impacted - it's all of us. It's our neighborhoods that are destroyed by foreclosed homes. It's our communities that are deprived of hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue because too many homeowners have to unfairly pay the big banks instead of investing in local businesses. Entire communities are being blighted across our state and nation because of the failed policies and the on-going fraudulent practices of the big banks.

MESSAGE:  The candidate that fails to seriously address Wall Street accountability, foreclosures, underwater homeowners and the resulting housing crisis WILL BE the candidate that loses ...HuffingtonPost Business Blog - by Tracy Van Slyke:

President Obama: Home Is Where the Vote Is
.....Just over four years ago, Wall Street and big banks crashed the economy, causing home values to tank. Now over 15 million homeowners are underwater--drowning in debt to banks they shouldn't owe. This means that the money they have worked hard and saved for to buy their home to invest in their future, support their retirement, their kids' college funds, and any safety net is gone.

And this is the crux of a major election issue. The Washington Post and National Public Radio have already started to report that Presidential candidates need to address housing in swing states.....

..... start publicly addressing how to hold Wall Street accountable (everyone but Wall Street loves that!) and really, truly, boldly, support millions of homeowners and everyday people whose lives have been systematically ruined by the big banks.

Read more of Tracy's blog (LINK HERE)

In Palm Beach County Florida....your vote ...can make a difference ....(HERE) & (HERE)

Shocking Maps of USA Housing Misery (Foreclosure)

Pictures are Worth a Thousand Words

March 2007 - USA Map of MORTGAGES 30+ days delinquent or in Foreclosure

                     

March 2012 - USA Map of MORTGAGES 30+ days delinquent or in Foreclosure

                  

Although distressed mortgages were said to have peaked in 2010, a majority of these delinquencies & foreclosures were isolated to just a few states. Now (March 2012) it is painfully obvious that large regions of the country are suffering according to a 38 page report * from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
*Report by James Bullard, President & CEO, FRB-St. Louis

Picture of current recovery....courtesy of Calculated Risk Blog (HERE)

More "distress" to come as previously reported:

Drowning in Debt - Underwater Mortgages - Next Crisis

AND

USA - FORECLOSED and BLIGHTED

More Honest Housing Assessments:
Michael Olenick: Beware of Housing Market Cheerleading (NAR ,NAR or WSJ)

Robert Reich: Housing is the rotting core of US Recovery

The biggest continuing problem for most Americans is their homes. Purchases of new homes are down 77% from their 2005 peak ... home sales overall are still dropping and prices are still falling.....
Houses are the major assets of the middle class. Most Americans are therefore far poorer than they were six years ago. Almost one out of three homeowners with a mortgage is now “underwater”, owing more to the banks than their homes are worth on the market.
Optimists point to declining home inventories in relation to sales, but they are looking at an illusion. Those supposed inventories do not include about 5 million housing units with delinquent mortgages or those in foreclosure, which will soon be added to the pile. Nor do they include approximately 3 million housing units that stand vacant – foreclosed upon - but not yet listed for sale, or vacant homes that owners have pulled off the market because they can’t get a decent price for them.
.

Foreclosures slowing....thanks to legal scrutiny

FRAUDclosures slow ...due to scrutiny & spot-light in Judicial States

Photo courtesy of Oakland Press Blog
Foreclosures "appear to be slowing" ...how exciting is that?...especially for "news readers" at faux (Fox) news and CNN. That has to be good....right???....  WRONG!
Rather than competing against "propaganda" cranked out daily by Criminal Mortgage Servicers....let me simply introduce..... Abigail Field.

Abigail is a N.Y. based attorney. She is also an outstanding journalist with a knack of understanding the really complicated language of Mortgage Bank Speak  ...and translating it (dissecting the lies) and making it simple for us plain folk (homeowners).

She has a wonderful blog REALITY CHECK (HERE)

Abigail states the following: The Foreclosure Crisis Is Nowhere Near Over Yet
The decreased delinquencies, is a misleading fact. Sure, it’s true, but what does it mean? Does it mean that the foreclosure crisis is ending or winding down? No, it doesn’t, because the crisis isn’t. But when your brain picks up on the bolded language, that’s the (Banks & Servicers) implicit message: delinquencies are down, so the foreclosure crisis is easing....and then Abigail goes to shows how the headlines attempt to

Targeting the Courts...Due Process is the Solution, Not the Problem......
Well, the banks are doing just that: they are using their self-created foreclosure crisis to build pressure to dismantle judicial foreclosures. The bankers want it to be much cheaper and easier to take collateral with fraudulent documents. Which it is, in non-judicial foreclosure states.

Read: SPOTTING THE BANKERS LATEST PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN (here)

 Illustration by Victor Juhasz-Rolling Stone
Related: Invasion of the Home Snatchers (here)
Matt Taibbi Rolling Stone shocker showing how Courts in a Judicial Foreclosure State (Florida) are helping Big Banks screw over homeowners.

Breaking News - Foreclosure Crisis Solved

OK - I admit - the headline is a stretch .....but at least I have your attention. Look everyone... we've been in this FRAUDclosure Mess for about 4 years now and sadly nothing has changed! We've tried to expose the outrageous and illegal behavior exhibited by the all the "banksters." We've tried to show the Asleep-At-The-Wheel government entities..... from the White House.....to the courthouse...to the outhouse!! Yet - Nothing changes.

Today, I decided the best course of action is to let a couple "Einsteins" tackle the subject. These two outstanding writers Martin Andelman & Abigail Field have uncovered the "dirty little secret" about this whole foreclosure mess and ....IT WAS NOT CAUSED BY............IRRESPONSIBLE BORROWERS !!!



IRRESPONSIBLE BORROWERS

The IRRESPONSIBLE BORROWER is a "stereotype" being reinforced by those who benefit by blaming the borrowers. In other words - IRRESPONSIBLE BORROWERS did NOT cause the foreclosure problem! As Martin explains....describing Homeowners in foreclosure (i.e. delinquent borrowers) as "IRRESPONSIBLE BORROWERS" is just "labelling." This is NOT accidental, but instead.... a coordinated and highly sophisticated communications initiative being implemented by motivated experts.

Over the past year, and especially in the last couple days I've spoken to Martin. (Yes !! he was working on a solution and talking by phone - even on a SUNDAY!).     And to be honest....I've never heard him so upset. But, his emotions were contained and overridden with his equally passionate efforts  - to get the truth out !! We discussed the possibility of attempting to get all the major bloggers - as a group - to get the message out - together - jointly. Well... read the part of his post (below) that address that component:

.....Bloggers:  We don’t compete with each other, Abigail and I write articles, we don’t sell advertising, so cross post this article and ask your readers to send it to everyone they know.  And get in touch, because we’re building a list of “thought leaders” and we need your name and contact information on that list.

That way, when we produce an article or research report intended to address the “irresponsible borrower” stereotype, we can email it to you so you know to post it.  We need to get this one message out as far and wide as possible.

.....and to the Attorneys:  ....You have Websites and blogs, but more importantly you have clients you talk to everyday that are a part of this fight.  I know how busy you are, but I need you to spend the extra 10 minutes it takes to not only post this and other articles to come, but to tell your clients about what we’re doing over here… tell them to read it on Mandelman Matters or on your site, or anywhere else.

To that end -  Do not just read this....and then say....WOW...what a great piece of work. Instead Tweet, Link, Facebook, and/or Forward this (by email )to at least 10 people who ARE NOT IN FORECLOSURE. I repeat - forward THIS communication to 10 people...you know.... THAT ARE NOT IN FORECLOSURE. Don't worry, we already have the homeowners' reading, tweeting, and linking - that are suffering ....IN FRAUDclosure.

We need to educate the public.... on the truth .....and we need to do it now!

I have tried, in the past, to use a simple dictionary DEFINITION:

However - TODAY - I ask that you sit back and carefully read - probably the best researched and most complete picture...that explains......how we got here.... and.... what message we need.... to educate....in order to go forward so that history ......DOESN'T repeat itself !!

The TRUTH and great post from MY FRIEND -  Martin Andelman - is linked below & titled:

Our future hinges on just ONE thing…

TBTF - Too Big To Fail

Title:      "TOO BIG TO FAIL"
What:   HBO Films Docu(drama)mentary
Date:    Monday May 23, 2011
When:   9:00pm est
Where:  HBO Network
Why: If you really want to know how the "Wizards of Wall Street"
(Big Banks and Wall Street Investment Firms) Collapsed the entire world's economy
You must see this HBO Film - Documentary
               THE TITLE  -  SAYS IT ALL
HBO brings the whole sordid tale to the screen in the sensational original two-hour movie based on the book with the same name by Andrew Ross Sorkin
NEWYORK POST (Review by Linda Stasi)- Right click and Open in New Tab for review
...."They cheat. They steal. They lie. They leave hardworking families homeless. They undermined the entire economy of the United States for their own personal greed. They don't go to jail and still get billions in bonuses.  Who are they? They are the Wall Street SOBs who brought the US to its knees, that's who. Too bad to be true? No." The movie tells the minute-by-minute, seat-of-the-pants story of how Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson (William Hurt) tries to wrangle the arrogant CEOs of the giant financial institutions. It's like watching the meeting of the five families in "The Godfather," except that these five heads were part of the industry that brought not just their enemies, but the whole country, to its knees.
The group includes JP Morgan's Jamie Dimon (Bill Pullman), Goldman Sachs' Lloyd Blankfein (Evan Handler), Morgan Stanley's John Mack (Tony Shalhoub), Merrill Lynch's John Thain (Matthew Modine) and Citigroup's Vikram Pandit (Ajay Mehta).



More info - here - from HBO: "Too Big To Fail "- Right click and Open in New Tab to:  
Read movie Synopsis, Bios, and hear from the Cast and crew
Really Cool: Click here for "Source Documents" used by Andew Sorkin for his book
PDF document showing NYSE Dow Index compared to the "Timeline of the Crisis"

MAY 2010:  OHIO Senator Sherrod Brown (D): ....The biggest problem is the enormous size of the institutions being regulated. "Too big to fail" means they are simply too big, and shrinking them is not on the table.  Last month, Senator Sherrod Brown explained the size problem this way: "Fifteen years ago, the assets of the six largest banks in this country totaled 17% of GDP.  The assets of the six largest banks in the United States today total 63% of GDP, and that’s too (big) - we’ve got to deal with risk to be sure, but we’ve got to deal with the size of these banks, because if one of these banks is in serious trouble, it will have such a ripple effect on the whole economy." Representative Alan Grayson said,"Too big to fail means too big to exist. I don’t think the big banks will get appreciably smaller until after the next meltdown, and one is coming sooner than later Read the Rest Here..from USAWatchdog (Right click and Open in New Tab)

JULY 2010:  OHIO Senator Sherrod Brown (D): Sent a letter to the 4 largest banks, calling on them to work with homeowners facing foreclosure. (Text of letter Here) Nothing happened!

APRIL 2011:  OHIO Senator Sherrod Brown (D): Introduces landmark legislation titled  Foreclosure Fraud and Homeowner Abuse Prevention Act of 2011
(We covered - in detail - on this blog - Click HERE)

CHASE - Time is up - buses are rolling - LIVE UPDATES

National People's Action - New Bottom Line -  Make Banks Pay - Americans

                                   SHOWDOWN IN OHIO

      Tuesday May 17^th - 2011 - 10:30am - 1111 Polaris Parkway - Columbus Ohio

Buses are rolling!!! Americans are coming !!!                  We spoke LIVE at 11:00am - to two separate state contingents - they have full buses of concerned Americans, they're bringing the message to J P Morgan Chase:  Time is up. Its now time for your big bank to pay their fair share of TAXES!, Invest in our communities, and help stimulate the economy with real loans & real jobs.

 STOP the FRAUDclosures!

Chase- The following groups are bringing a message:
Ohio - Policy Matters Ohio, Northeast Alliance for Hope,
Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative
Empowering and Strengthening Ohio's People
Ohio State Baptist Convention, CWA District 4
CCISCO: Contra Costa Interfaith,
United Students Against Sweatshops,
National WAMU Homeowners Support Group
UFCW Local 75, Local 1059
SEIU Local 1, SEIU District 1199
Northeast Alliance for Hope, The AMOS Project,
Alliance to Develop Power, Kirwan Institute,

Illinois -  Illinois People's Action ,



Communities United for Action
Working in Neighborhood
Iowa - Citizens for Community Improvement
Minnesota- Take Action Minnesota
Michigan - Michigan Organizing Project
Grass Roots Organizing
Community Voices Heard' Lakeview Action Coalition
Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation
New York - PUSH Buffalo
Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition
South Austin Coalition Community Council
Sunflower Community Action, Syracuse United Neighbors
Voices of Community Advocates and Leaders
Farm Labor Organizing Committee
Single Payer Action Network
HVLGBTQ Community Center, The Carpe Diem Voice
Bailout Films, LLC, M.O.M.S. Movement

Allies:
OHIO FRAUDclosure, Virginia Organizing, Tubman Institute
Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project
Communications Workers of America
Moveon.org, USUncut
Center for Community Change

The Showdown in Ohio is organized by National People’s Action and the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, and is part of the New Bottom Line Campaign.
twitter: @NBLcampaign, @streetactionNPA

Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative tweet:
We're on the way down to Columbus for a #newbottomline for our economy. Going to #makewallstpay at the chase shareholder meeting.

STOP FRAUD in OHIO Foreclosures

STOP FRAUD in OHIO Foreclosures

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (Ohio) - calls it FRAUD

Foreclosure Fraud and Homeowner Abuse Prevention Act of 2011

Excerpts and Quotes from press release:
“Ending the foreclosure mill* requires stronger oversight, streamlined modification procedures, and meaningful penalties when servicers break the law".....“The rampant abuses, incompetence and outright fraud by mortgage servicers must end..."
* Yes -he said ENDING the FORECLOSURE MILL Attorney Firms (and drone local attorneys that "file paperwork" for them). **We the people-support this effort (list below)

OHIO JUDGES that continue to "Rubber Stamp" summary judgements - Please stop!!! Stop assisting in the fraud and wasting time by asking defending counsel and homeowners "when did you last make a mortgage payment" (to bogus plaintiff party before you) Stop repeating the nonsense that homeowners are in front of you to get a "free house" Please educate yourself on the "Rules of Evidence" (no more flawed affidavits or Fraudulent mortgage assignments) Please realize that by allowing default or fraudulent judicial foreclosures to take place that you're helping destroy your own city and community.

Quote below is from Senator Sherrod Brown's press release:
“This foreclosure crisis affects all of us – homeowners, families, neighbors, and state and local governments. It is clear that the current system isn’t working and unfortunately federal regulators have failed to bring meaningful reform to mortgage servicing,”

From Press Release:
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced this landmark legislation to prevent future servicer fraud (current servicer fraud ongoing) and errors (judges/trustees RE: inflated affidavits of amounts due and owing, large bogus servicer fees including attorney fee splitting)

(Click Here) OUTSTANDING letter outlining FRAUD and problems
Outline-Explanation of FRAUD and Problem

(Click below) Read this 35 page Senate Bill titled - Foreclosure FRAUD
FORECLOSURE FRAUD SB -824 bill

(Click below) Press release - Showing how this bill - has solutions - to stop FRAUD
PRESS RELEASE

**The Foreclosure Fraud and Homeowner Abuse Prevention Act of 2011 is endorsed by the Alliance for a Just Society, Center for Responsible Lending, Community Organizations in Action, National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA), National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients), Coalition on Homelessness & Housing in Ohio (COHHIO), Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland, and Columbus Housing Partnership (CHP)

We are fortunate in OHIO to have some elected officials that "Get it" The reality: If we do not continue to dedicate efforts to solve this historic problem (FRAUDulent Foreclosures) via the legislative and judicial processes, financial ruin will continue on individuals, families, and to our great state. If the problems with Banks, and Servicers remain unchecked - the FRAUDclosures - will continue to plunder our economy and nation into the dark abyss of a longer and deeper recession.

Please contact Mr Sherrod Brown (Ohio) by phone, email, or letter  - Thank a hard working elected official for trying to to effectuate change and stop the on-going SERVICER ABUSE & BANK FRAUD.
Contact Sherrod Brown - Click Here

OHIO "Foreclosure" and "FraudClosure"

Hello to OHIO "FRAUDCLOSURE" and "Foreclosure" victims.

You now have a resource & web-site to help STOP FRAUDCLOSURE
This blogger will have the best resources available, for you, and we will keep you up to date with the latest and best information, case law, and legal resources to help in the fight against FRAUDCLOSURE in OHIO

We are your resource - We will keep you informed, but ask for your help in spreading the word so that OHIO Courts and OHIO Judges will no longer allow the massive FRAUD to continue. They will read this blog.

To the large "Foreclosure Mills" - "Robo-Attorneys"  and "Bench Warmers" The party is over and we are going to expose you!!! We will be showing your firm, your name, and your documents - if you participated in FRAUD upon our courts.

NO MORE robo-signing and submitting of manufactured affidavits, no more using MERS (as mortgagee), or the LPS Default Solutions (Docx and Dakota county Minnesota manufactured mortgage assignments), No more "Bench Warmers" (local attorneys that only "show up" on behalf of the Mill Firms), No more FRAUD Plaintiffs that claiming to be the "Note Holder" (REMIC Trusts, Successor in interest, Successor Trustee). NO MORE FRAUD!

We will be showing examples of the massive FRAUD and posting the latest efforts by the great OHIO Supreme Court and Appellate Courts.....that simply refuse to be spoon feed ...FRAUD...by big banks and loan servicers.

FORECLOSURE MILLS- Tell you lazy attorney's they will have to find another place to catch up on their sleep...instead of at OHIO courts.

We will give you the names of good Attorneys, Legal-Aid offices, and connect you with other members...to help you in this fight. We will stop those trying to "steal" your home by FRAUD.