I am a REALTOR® and just received the September/October 2012 issue of REALTOR magazine, put out by the National Association of REALTORS®. The headline at the top blares "EXCLUSIVE: OBAMA VS. ROMNEY ON REAL ESTATE" so of course I was interested to see how this relatively conservative organization would spin it without alienating those of us who are Democrats. In the first section, under "Home Ownership Incentives" is the following quote from Romney:
"We need policies such as 20 percent across-the-board cuts in tax rates, sensible regulation, and open markets that create a growing economy"
Say what? Follow me below the squiggle of Orange Satan to read more.
20 percent across the board tax cuts? Exactly how is that supposed to work, Governor Romney? Especially with the deficit your Tea Party is so determined to convince all of us is the most horriblest, scariest, awfulest thing that America ever faced? As Bill Clinton said so eloquently -- Arithmetic! And of course, it is across the board -- no fair for millionaires to get a smaller percentage share than the rest of us -- after all, it wouldn't be fair for the Waltons to own less than 40 percent of America, now would it?
I am completely amazed at the lengths that Romeny will go to in order to pander to special interest groups. By contrast, Obama discussed the expansion of the first time homebuyer tax credit, that more than 5 million homeowners have received mortgage modifications so far, and the new plan to help responsible borrowers refinance their mortgages.
Some more tidbits from the article:
On Lending Standards:
Romney:
The most important step the federal government can take to help credit-worthy borrowers is to repeal and replace the Dodd-Franik Wall Street Reform Act.
Obama:
We need to restore trust in the underlying foundation of the mortgage market...and that's why we're mobilizing all tools available to fix our nation's broken mortgage servicing and foreclosure processing system....That's why we're working through the FHA and with the Federal Housing Finance Agency... to provide greater clarity about lender's obligations...
On Underwriting Mandates:
Romney:
We need to encourage private markets to provide mortgage loans at reasonable interest rates
However, there is no explanation of how this encouragement would occur.
Obama:
We're committed to the goals of Wall Street reform, which includes ending an era of reckless lending by banks without adequate skin in the game.
There is lots more, but the gist of it is that Obama's answers are detailed and Romney's are all pie in the sky and more of the "less regulation will magically fix our health care system and lower health care costs and make mortgages affordable and lower everyone's taxes" without detail.
The National Association of REALTORS® did a good job I think of letting the candidates words be the story instead of interjecting an opinion. I just hope my fellow REALTORS® can see through the smarmy bullshit that is Romney's position on nearly everything.
UPDATE: Here is the link, hopefully this works for everyone.