These scary numbers are all from the Automatic Earth blog that is listed in my blog links. Every day they post a very informative "Debt Rattle" with linked articles on the world's finances and economics. I won't vouch for their absolute accuracy because I haven't done the research myself, but I trust the bloggers have done their homework. I quote directly from their blog:
"And when you're done reading the numbers, you might want to check your wallet.
Cost of the various US housing bail-out programs to date, through the Federal Reserve, the Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal Housing Administration and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.: $1.46 trillion.
Increase from 2006 to 2007 in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac part of the bail-outs: $621 billion (expected to be much higher this year)
Total new financing the Fed has made available to markets: $446 billion
Cost for (non-Fan and Fred) housing part of the The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. a new program at the Federal Housing Administration for refinanced 30-year fixed loans: $300 billion. Homeowners "rescued": 400,000. Cost per home: $750,000.
Increase in US debt limit to accommodate the bill: $800 billion, to $10.6 trillion from $9.816 trillion .
Time the bill will be implemented: Summer 2009
Taxpayers cost for explicit government guarantee for Fannie and Freddie: more than $1 trillion
2008 salary Fannie Mae CEO: $13.4 million
Increased amount of what FHLB calls “advances” to member banks: $274 billion
Total advances: $914 billion (second quarter of 2008). NOTE: the FHLB has a "Superlien" with the FDIC. When banks go belly-up, they get their money first, before depositors do. The FHLB boasts that it has never lost a penny on a loan to its member banks.
Decrease in average home value in the past two years in South Florida: $100,000, $4,100 a month, $136 a day, or $5.70 every hour.
New record US budget deficit for period starting October 1: $490 billion
George W. Bush February deficit forecast: $407 billion
Funds required to meet the US transportation infrastructure demand: $225 billion a year
Current spending: $100 billion per year
Bridges in the U.S. that are either "functionally obsolete" or "structurally deficient: 25%
Budget for House bill passed Wednesday for highway and mass-transit projects: $8 billion
Expected 2009 Congress transportation bill: $400 billion over 6 years
Worldwide asset writedowns and losses: $469 billion in the past year
Capital raised: $345 billion
Cost of payments distributed under US economic stimulus package: $168 billion
Cost of invasions Iraq and Afghanistan: $10 billion to $12 billion a month
Decrease in miles driven by Americans in past 7 months: 40 billion, 3.7%.
Number of days one third of UK adults can survive on savings: 11
Forecast increase UK unemployment: 1.6 million to 2.5 million over the next two years.
U.S. Treasury securities outstanding: $4.67 trillion
Amount held by Japan and China: more than $1 trillion combined."
Needless to say, I haven't gotten out my calculator. I think it would explode! How the he** do these numbers add up?! They add up to ridiculous.
The other day CNN.com had a poll asking what we thought of the so-called "Homeowner Bailout". They had two possible answers to choose from: a) it's necessary to keep the economy going or b) it's an unfair bailout of irresponsible homeowners. There was not even the choice of: "it's an unfair bailout of irresponsible, criminal, fraudulent bankers"! I was disgusted. Who's going to be walking away from this mess with their pockets still loaded? And with taxpayer money? Why, the banks of course.
Yes, most of us are still living happy, good lives. And I expect to continue that, whatever is happening around me, money or not. But it is criminal that money is being stolen from our children and our children's children so that the banks with their lax and predatory lending standards can walk away with trillions of dollars.
Just the other day another bridge on a major highway in the Twin Cities had some problems. Some large chunks of concrete fell off and hit a couple of cars. Fortunately, no one was injured but that's lucky. We are coming up to the one-year anniversary of the Minneapolis bridge collapse, and I must say it's a good thing most of us can't afford to drive much anymore because it's getting hazardous out there. Still, when we do drive we need our roads and bridges to be safe. Even on minimal errands and other driving trips we all drive over and under bridges all the time. Do I now have to worry about chunks of concrete falling on me?
My Grandpa, who was a bridge-building foreman for the railroad, is probably rolling over in his grave. When we were kids in the 70s and out driving with Grandpa, whenever we'd pass under a bridge he'd reach his hand up to the ceiling of the car and say "hold the roof". But he was just joking.
"And when you're done reading the numbers, you might want to check your wallet.
Cost of the various US housing bail-out programs to date, through the Federal Reserve, the Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal Housing Administration and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.: $1.46 trillion.
Increase from 2006 to 2007 in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac part of the bail-outs: $621 billion (expected to be much higher this year)
Total new financing the Fed has made available to markets: $446 billion
Cost for (non-Fan and Fred) housing part of the The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. a new program at the Federal Housing Administration for refinanced 30-year fixed loans: $300 billion. Homeowners "rescued": 400,000. Cost per home: $750,000.
Increase in US debt limit to accommodate the bill: $800 billion, to $10.6 trillion from $9.816 trillion .
Time the bill will be implemented: Summer 2009
Taxpayers cost for explicit government guarantee for Fannie and Freddie: more than $1 trillion
2008 salary Fannie Mae CEO: $13.4 million
Increased amount of what FHLB calls “advances” to member banks: $274 billion
Total advances: $914 billion (second quarter of 2008). NOTE: the FHLB has a "Superlien" with the FDIC. When banks go belly-up, they get their money first, before depositors do. The FHLB boasts that it has never lost a penny on a loan to its member banks.
Decrease in average home value in the past two years in South Florida: $100,000, $4,100 a month, $136 a day, or $5.70 every hour.
New record US budget deficit for period starting October 1: $490 billion
George W. Bush February deficit forecast: $407 billion
Funds required to meet the US transportation infrastructure demand: $225 billion a year
Current spending: $100 billion per year
Bridges in the U.S. that are either "functionally obsolete" or "structurally deficient: 25%
Budget for House bill passed Wednesday for highway and mass-transit projects: $8 billion
Expected 2009 Congress transportation bill: $400 billion over 6 years
Worldwide asset writedowns and losses: $469 billion in the past year
Capital raised: $345 billion
Cost of payments distributed under US economic stimulus package: $168 billion
Cost of invasions Iraq and Afghanistan: $10 billion to $12 billion a month
Decrease in miles driven by Americans in past 7 months: 40 billion, 3.7%.
Number of days one third of UK adults can survive on savings: 11
Forecast increase UK unemployment: 1.6 million to 2.5 million over the next two years.
U.S. Treasury securities outstanding: $4.67 trillion
Amount held by Japan and China: more than $1 trillion combined."
Needless to say, I haven't gotten out my calculator. I think it would explode! How the he** do these numbers add up?! They add up to ridiculous.
The other day CNN.com had a poll asking what we thought of the so-called "Homeowner Bailout". They had two possible answers to choose from: a) it's necessary to keep the economy going or b) it's an unfair bailout of irresponsible homeowners. There was not even the choice of: "it's an unfair bailout of irresponsible, criminal, fraudulent bankers"! I was disgusted. Who's going to be walking away from this mess with their pockets still loaded? And with taxpayer money? Why, the banks of course.
Yes, most of us are still living happy, good lives. And I expect to continue that, whatever is happening around me, money or not. But it is criminal that money is being stolen from our children and our children's children so that the banks with their lax and predatory lending standards can walk away with trillions of dollars.
Just the other day another bridge on a major highway in the Twin Cities had some problems. Some large chunks of concrete fell off and hit a couple of cars. Fortunately, no one was injured but that's lucky. We are coming up to the one-year anniversary of the Minneapolis bridge collapse, and I must say it's a good thing most of us can't afford to drive much anymore because it's getting hazardous out there. Still, when we do drive we need our roads and bridges to be safe. Even on minimal errands and other driving trips we all drive over and under bridges all the time. Do I now have to worry about chunks of concrete falling on me?
My Grandpa, who was a bridge-building foreman for the railroad, is probably rolling over in his grave. When we were kids in the 70s and out driving with Grandpa, whenever we'd pass under a bridge he'd reach his hand up to the ceiling of the car and say "hold the roof". But he was just joking.
Comments
Amen.