How is the Community Reinvestment Act to blame for this mess?

Question by BrianthePigEatingInfidel: How is the Community Reinvestment Act to blame for this mess?
In 1995, as a result of interest from President Bill Clinton’s administration, the regulations for the CRA were strengthened.

These revisions were credited with substantially increasing the number and aggregate amount of loans to low- and moderate-income borrowers for home loans. These changes were very controversial and as a result, the regulators agreed to revisit the rule after it had been fully implemented for seven years. Thus in 2002, the regulators opened up the regulation for review and potential revision.

Part of the increase in home loans was due to the emergence of lenders, like Countrywide, that do not reduce loan risk with savings deposits like traditional banks do, using the subprime authorization that was in the CRA. This is known as the secondary market for mortgage loans. The revisions allowed the securitization of CRA loans containing subprime mortgages. The first public securitization of CRA loans started in 1997 by Bear Stearns. The number of CRA mortgage loans increased by 39 percent between 1993 and 1998, while other loans increased by only 17 percent.

Other rule changes gave Fannie and Freddie extraordinary leverage, allowing them to hold just 2.5% of capital to back their investments, vs. 10% for banks. By 2007, Fannie and Freddie owned or guaranteed nearly half of the $ 12 trillion U.S. mortgage market.

Now, since the CRA is entirely a creation of the Democratic party and its leftist elements, how can anyone pin the blame on the Republicans, who actually tried to reform it in 2003?
Yes, Joan. But unlike the countries that you have wet dreams about, the ones with their epaulet-laden “el presidentes for life,” being president of the United States accords no such dictatorial powers. And get this, EVEN IF his own party is in power, he still doesn’t have control unless his party has a 2/3 supermajority. And at no time since Gingrich delivered the house to the republicans did they ever have a supermajority.
Deb M: Interesting you say that dems in power now can’t get anything done because republicans are blocking it, but then ask why republicans couldn’t pass reforms in 2002-2003. Funny you should apply such a double standard without even wincing.

Fact is, the republicans TRIED to reform it. It was blocked by the two biggest recipients of Fannie Mae contributions, Barney Fwank and Chuck Schumer.

Just because you have a simple majority does not mean you can do whatever you want.
gabriel bell: There was no bill that brought the changes in 1995. The original act in 1977 gave broad regulatory powers to three agencies: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of Thrift Supervision, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. They made the regulatory changes within the power they already had under CRA 1977. It did not require congress to approve.

Best answer:

Answer by Joan S
Yeah. That must be it. Never mind that Bush has been in office for nearly 8 years. Not like he had any opportunity to have an impact?

What do you think? Answer below!

Why are people still hoodwinked into believing the Community Reinvestment Act is major reason why we’re here?

Question by Change Now: Why are people still hoodwinked into believing the Community Reinvestment Act is major reason why we’re here?
What a load of propaganda crap that the right has plopped on the American psyche.

There are people out there who actually think that the CRA brought down our economy. What fools,

The CRA was created at a time when subprimes could be easily absorbed into the market. They would make up less than 5% of all mortgages.

The current catastrophe was caused by SECURITIZATION of mortgages. Harvard MBA’s used derivatives and came up with a mathematical model for rich people to get richer because they weren’t making enough money thru other fixed returns like T-Bills.

The banks made tons and tons of money by packaging this load of crap and selling them onto pension funds, etc. all around the world.

When people couldn’t pay the monthly minimums and the underlying asset prices stopped rising and began to fall, the whole house of cards came crashing down. The CRA loans to poor folks with small loan balances played a small role. Most of the bad loans were on speculators or on big mortgages

Best answer:

Answer by M Taylor
The root of the problem is that the average American is a moron. Its not PC to say this and plenty of people who profit from those morons will be quick to feign indignation if anyone says it, but it doesn’t make it any less true.

There is a reason that you have more votes for American Idol then the next President of the United States.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

Q&A: has Obama repealed the Community Reinvestment Act yet, since it is what caused the crisis?

Question by Iceman: has Obama repealed the Community Reinvestment Act yet, since it is what caused the crisis?

It is the biggest thing. The subprime mortgage crisis was the foundation for this mess.
future fate – obviously you know nothing about the Community Reinvestment Act. Several economic experts point to this forcing banks to give out bad loans.

Best answer:

Answer by Believe in Possibilities
I wish it were that simple, but it is not what caused the crisis. That is right-wing propaganda.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

What is the significance of the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (passed during the Carter Administration)?

Question by abe frohman: What is the significance of the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977 (passed during the Carter Administration)?
How did the changes to the law in 1995 (Clinton Administration) affect this law?

“The 1995 revisions were credited with helping to substantially increase the amount of loans to small businesses and to low- and moderate-income borrowers for home loans. Part of the increase in the latter type of lending was no doubt due to increased efficiency in the secondary market for mortgage loans. The revisions allowed the securitization of CRA loans containing subprime mortgages. The first public securitization of CRA loans started in 1997.”

Best answer:

Answer by Jack Hoff
Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe the significance is an old, old wooden ship used by the pioneers in the Civil War Era.

Give your answer to this question below!

Why do people still think the economic meltdown was caused by Jimmy Carter’s Community Reinvestment Act?

Question by Change Now: Why do people still think the economic meltdown was caused by Jimmy Carter’s Community Reinvestment Act?
This is the most ignorant thing I have heard so far from this economic meltdown.

Don’t people know that securitization of residential and commercial mortgage and the out of control derivatives is what caused this mess.

The CRA contributed, but an extremely minor role. I heard that as little as 1 out of 20 bad mortgages were attributable to the these type of subprimes.

If someone can provide evidence to the contrary, I would be grateful.

Best answer:

Answer by Proud Texan
Fox fictional News and Rush Limbaugh told them to believe it without question.

Give your answer to this question below!