Article Contributed on: 8/29/2009 10:16:34 PM
While posting over at
Longmont Foreclosures I thought this weeks entry was relevant to the upcoming election. Not only do we have a councilmember (
Karen Benker - and she's not alone) who wears her "helping the homeless" badge a little too prominently, and the
possibly unethical political influence with the whole HOPE situation, but also a candidate (
Kaye Fissinger) who benefited from the affordable housing program under Ms. Benkers watch.
It's no wonder the whole concept of
public financing of campaigns was brought up, why not? You've
subsidized at least one candidate already (via a house), how much more would it cost to buy someones signs and advertisements? A pittance by comparison. Did you also know some of those subsidized homes have been foreclosed on? Pay in the beginning, and again at the end - what a deal! How much better can it get?
(remainder from Longmont Foreclosures August 29 report)
Ward 2 (
Karen Benker's ward) had double the other two wards
combined in new foreclosures this week.. There were
11 new foreclosures reported in Longmont this week, with a total of
60 in the paper. Ward 2 is not far behind the leader (Ward 1) in foreclosures, and will soon top 100 since this site began in April.
Councilmembers (especially Ward 2's
Karen Benker) continually try to get more people into homes they probably can't afford. These public
do-gooders do anything but good for these peoples pride, which is probably permanently damaged by getting into a home (or car, see
Cash For Clunkers) they never would be able to make payments on consistently, and the subsequent humiliation of default. To those people, I say these government types who you think are your friend, giving you subsidies that they can later brag about and campaign on, only
exacerbate and continue the cycle of poverty for most of the people they encounter.
Helping people in off the street and out of the cold is one thing. Exploiting people for personal gain, and putting them in a potentially financially destructive situation is another.
Just a setup for failure - the more people that figure it out the better. And sooner rather than later.
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©2009 Chris Rodriguez/Wrongmont.Com
(Chris Rodriguez is a Longmont resident, and the editor and publisher of Wrongmont.Com, a community website that raises local issues to increase public awareness and interest)