Matt Weidner – Fighting For The American People

Posts Tagged ‘homeowners bill of rights’

Here it is folks, version 2.0….your president speaks.

But where are the indictments? Where are the perp walks?

Why are homeowners and defense advocates and attorneys being pounded on, abused, persecuted?

NOTHING CHANGES UNTIL JUSTICE IS DONE.

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

EMBARGOED UNTIL DELIVERY

February 1, 2012

 

Remarks of President Barack Obama – As Prepared for Delivery

Helping Responsible Homeowners

Falls Church, Virginia

February 1, 2012

 As Prepared for Delivery –

Hello, everybody!  It’s good to be here.  Thank you for having me.

Last week, in my State of the Union Address, I laid out my blueprint for an economy that’s built to last.  Don’t worry; I’m not going do the whole thing again this morning.  It’s a blueprint that puts a new focus on restoring what have always been our greatest strengths.  American manufacturing.  American energy.  The skills and education of American workers.

And most importantly, the American values of fairness and responsibility.

We know what happened when we strayed from those values over the past decade – especially when it comes to the massive housing bubble that burst.  Millions of families who did the right and responsible thing – who shopped for a home, secured a mortgage, and made their payments each month – were hurt badly by the irresponsible actions of others.  By lenders who sold loans to people who couldn’t afford the mortgages; buyers who knew they couldn’t afford them; and banks that packaged the mortgages up and traded them to reap phantom profits.

It was wrong.  It triggered the worst economic crisis of our lifetimes.  And it has been the single biggest drag on our recovery from a terrible recession.  Crushing debt has kept millions of consumers from spending.  A lack of building demand has kept hundreds of thousands of construction workers idle.  The challenge is massive in size and scope, and economists can tell you how it’s affected all sorts of statistics, from GDP to consumer confidence.

But what’s at stake is something more important than just statistics.  It’s personal.  I’ve been saying this is a make-or-break moment for the middle class.  And this housing crisis struck right at the heart of what it means to be middle class in America: our homes.  The places where we invest our nest eggs, raise our kids, plant roots in our communities, build memories.  We need to do everything in our power to repair the damage and make responsible families whole.

Now, the truth is, it will take more time than any of us would like for the housing market to recover from this crisis.  Home prices started a pretty steady decline about five years ago now.  And government certainly can’t fix the entire problem on its own.  But it is wrong for anyone to suggest that the only option for struggling, responsible homeowners is to sit and wait for the housing market to hit bottom.  I refuse to accept that, and so do the American people.

There are more than 10 million homeowners across the country right now who, because of an unprecedented decline in home prices that is no fault of their own, owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth.  Here in Falls Church, home values have fallen by about a quarter from their peak.  In places like Las Vegas, more than half of all homeowners are underwater.

It will take a while for those prices to rise again.  But there are actions we can take, right now, to provide some relief to folks who’ve been making their payments on time.

Already, the housing plan we launched a couple years ago has helped nearly one million responsible homeowners refinance their mortgages and save an average of $300 on their payments every month.  I’ll be honest – it didn’t work at the scale we’d hoped.  Mortgage rates are as low as they’ve been in half a century, and when that happens, homeowners usually flock to refinance their mortgages.  But this time, too many families haven’t been able to take advantage of the low rates.  Falling prices locked them out of the market.  So last year, we took aggressive action that allowed more families to participate.

Today, we’re doing even more.  I am sending Congress a plan that will give every responsible homeowner in America the chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortgage by refinancing at historically low rates.  No more red tape.  No more runaround from the banks.  And a small fee on the largest financial institutions will make sure that it doesn’t add to the deficit.

I want to be clear: this plan, like the other actions we’ve taken, will not help the neighbors down the street who bought a house they couldn’t afford, then walked away and left a foreclosed home behind.  It will not help those who bought multiple homes just to speculate and make a quick buck.

What this plan will do is help millions of responsible homeowners who make their payments on time but find themselves trapped under falling home values or wrapped in red tape.  If you’re ineligible for refinancing just because you’re underwater on your mortgage, this plan changes that.  You’ll be able to refinance at a lower rate, saving hundreds of dollars a month you can put back in your pocket.  Or you can choose to use those savings to rebuild equity in your homes – which will help most underwater homeowners come back up for air more quickly.

To move this part of the plan, we need Congress to act.  But we’re not just going to wait for Congress.  We’re going to keep building a firewall to prevent the same kinds of abuses that led to this crisis in the first place.

Already, we’ve set up a special task force I asked my Attorney General to establish to investigate the kind of activity banks took when they packaged and sold risky mortgages; it’s ramping up its work.  We are going to hold people who broke the law accountable and restore confidence in the market.  We are going to speed assistance to homeowners.  And we are going to turn the page on an era of recklessness that hurt so many hardworking Americans.

Today, I’m also proposing a Homeowners Bill of Rights – one straightforward set of commonsense rules of the road that every family knows they can count on when they’re shopping for a mortgage.  No more hidden fees or conflicts of interest.  No more getting the runaround when you call about your loan.  No more sneaking fine print under the noses of young families who don’t know better.  New safeguards against inappropriate foreclosures.  New options to avoid foreclosure if you’ve fallen on hardship or a run of bad luck.  And a new, simple, clear form for new buyers.

Think about it.  This is the most important purchase a family makes.  But how many of you have had to deal with overly complicated mortgage forms with hidden clauses and complex terms?  This is what a mortgage form should look like.  Now that our new consumer watchdog agency is finally running at full steam, they can move forward on important protections like this new, shorter mortgage form.  Simple, not complicated.  Informative, not confusing.  Terms are clear.  Fees are transparent.  Americans making a down payment on their dreams shouldn’t be terrified by pages and pages of fine print – they should be confident they’re making the right decision for their future.

There’s more we’re announcing today.  We’re working to turn more foreclosed homes into rental housing, because as a lot of families know, that empty house or for sale sign down the block can bring down prices for an entire neighborhood.  We’re working to make sure people don’t lose their homes just because they lost their job.  And these steps will make a difference.

But as I said earlier, no program or policy will solve all the problems in a multitrillion-dollar housing market.  The heights the housing bubble reached before it burst were unsustainable.  It will take time to fully recover.  And it will require everyone to do their part.

See, as much as our economic challenges were born of eroding home values and portfolio values, they were also born of an erosion of some old-fashioned American values.  An economy that’s built to last demands responsibility from everyone.  Government must take responsibility for rules of the road that are fair and fairly enforced.  Banks and lenders must be held accountable for ending the practices that helped cause this crisis in the first place.  And all of us must take responsibility for our own actions – or lack of action.  So I urge Congress to act.  Pass this plan.  Help more families keep their homes.  Help more neighborhoods remain vibrant and whole.  Help keep more dreams defended and alive.  And I promise you that I will keep doing everything I can to make the future brighter for this community, this commonwealth, and this entire country.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

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Across this state judges, their assistants and clerks of courts are jumping to their feet, stopping what they’re doing and bending over backwards to meet the needs of the foreclosure mills who have dumped a big fat steaming pile of garbage in their chambers.

Such unprecedented–and unfunded–burdens are absurd in any case, but it is particularly absurd when one of the largest purveyors of this garbage and this mess–The Law Offices of David Stern in Broward County is apparently raking in obscene profits.

According to an article in the Tampa Tribune, David Stern’s Foreclosure Mill reported a $250 million profit since this crisis began.

A key message we’re bringing to Tallahassee today is we want our judges, their Judicial assistants, the Clerks of Courts and their staff to be properly funded.  I personally want to see the abuse of these public servants at the hands of the foreclosure mills stopped IMMEDIATELY.

The abuses are clear and well documented….for objective details of those abuses, read the Florida Supreme Court’s Task Force on Residential Mortgage Foreclosures.  For a start, let’s begin by canceling all telephone hearings.  Let’s enforce the rules in place that require ATTORNEYS TO MEET TO TRY AND RESOLVE ISSUES BEFORE HEARING.

and now the biggie…..

THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA PASSED A RULE THAT THE FORECLOSURE MILLS HAVE DECIDED THEY CAN JUST IGNORE.

APPARENTLY, THE FORECLOSURE MILLS HAVE DETERMINED THAT MANDATORY RULES OF THE SUPREME COURT DO NOT APPLY TO THEM….

WRONG, THEY DO!

Today we will give our legislators the truth about foreclosure as practiced by the mills.  With that information, I want the Legislature to give our judges the political cover they need to understand this crisis.  Next, I want our legislature to properly fund our judges to give them and their staff the resources they need to do their jobs properly.

IT’S JUST THE RIGHT THING TO DO!

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So many groups have lined up to support a very simple message….fight for the rights of homeowners.  This one just hit my inbox tonight….don’t know who the group is, but I like their talking points…..they’re certainly welcome to join us all in Tallahassee.

This is a “come as you are” old fashioned grass roots political event.  The only requirement is that you come prepared to speak your mind to your elected leaders. (Please do so with respect and dignity.) Mark Stopa has sponsored a bus out of Tampa that will be leaving at 3:00 am Wednesday Morning. (see press release here)

Team Ice and Foreclosure Hamlet have the east coast all locked and loaded.  For information on their bus, contact them at ForeclosureFraud@gmail.com.

I just thought I’d share the following talking points with you……they’re great.

MORTGAGE JUSTICE GROUP

46, N. Washington Blvd. , Sarasota, Florida 34236

mortgagejustice1@yahoo.com

1. The Florida Bankers Association is attempting to use the power of the Florida State Legislature as an instrument to commit fraud upon its citizens and House Bill 1523 is inappropriately named The Homeowner Relief and Housing Recovery Act.
2. This Bill and its sister Bill in the Senate SB 2270 will not relieve any Homeowners and neither will it aid any Housing Recovery.  On the contrary these Bills, if enacted, will add to the personal burdens of this States’ citizens, deepen the recession, add to the destabilization of communities, the breakup of families, an increase in blue collar crime and hundreds of millions of Dollars in lost Court revenue to the State.
3. HB 1523 adds to the deception in its introduction by adding to the ‘deadbeat borrowers myths’ [whereas it was deliberately planned and executed by Wall Street Investment Banks, Main Street Banks, mortgage lenders and their cohorts], falsely suggests that the cure is to expedite foreclosures to bottom out the market and that somehow this unsupportable economic theory will revitalize the economy, allow citizens to pay their taxes and Housing Associations to maintain communities.
4. If enacted, the passage of these Bills would shift the burden of proof to foreclose from the foreclosing parties to the homeowner, thus denying those homeowners their existing rights of due process and simultaneously, circumvent the recently imposed Supreme Court of Florida’s requirement placed upon foreclosing parties to substantiate under penalty of perjury that they have the legal authority to foreclose on real property given as security in a Mortgage to the true Owner of a Promissory Note and to engage in mandatory mediation.  These requirements are the real reason for these proposed laws, because they can no longer hide their crimes from our Courts.
5. Because all members of the legislature are unaware of the fraudulent intent behind the Florida Bankers lobbyists who proposed this draft legislation we have concentrated most of our detailed efforts upon exposing the frauds rather than pointing out the serious deficiencies of the Bills as we know that other groups and individuals are adequately bringing such reviews to the attention of the legislature.
6. However, of paramount importance is the fact that lines 216 to 225 of the original draft clearly backdates the effect of these proposed laws to time immemorial.  By the clever use of the words “agreed in substance in the security instrument” the drafters are seeking to remove the requirement contained in Florida Mortgages in clause 22 that all foreclosures must be conducted through the Judicial system by obliquely [but not specifically] referring to clause 16 in which the signor has acknowledged that the whole document is subject to Federal and State Law.  The intent of the signing parties of all such Mortgages was that clause 22 of that unilateral contract would apply for the life of that instrument and that imprecise words such as “agreed in substance” would not be used in future laws to imply that they had agreed to a major change in the terms of those Mortgages and if enacted it will negatively impact basic human, property and contractual rights guaranteed under the Federal and State constitutions.
7. Mortgage Justice wishes to reveal that the truth behind the mortgage meltdown is:-

(a)                The Housing Bubble was deliberately planned and implemented by Wall Street entities and the Main Street Banks.

(b)               Mortgage and other loans were deliberately set up to fail.

(c)                The lenders shown on Promissory Notes and Mortgages were not the Lenders, but were misappropriating the use of their licenses to transact mortgage business in the various states and were funded by Wall Street Brokers from the proceeds of the sale of Derivatives in wrongly described AAA rated Mortgage Backed Securities, for which they were paid excessive ‘yield spread premiums’ as a commission.

(d)               Notes and Mortgages were not sold in the secondary market, neither were they transferred into securitized mortgage pools. It was impossible for pretend lenders to sell what they did not own.

(e)                Contrived sales in the secondary market were documented in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s public records to entitle these pretend lenders to avoid paying federal taxes upon their profits by appearing to comply with IRC 860 and ‘selling’ loans into Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits (REMIC).  Documents filed in the SEC provide proof that all these mortgages failed to comply with IRC 860.

(f)                SEC documents establish that none of the mortgage loans that they say were put into REMIC Trusts, ever reached those Trusts and that the majority of the ‘so-called’ Trusts were not Trusts but a form of perpetual LLC with zero reporting requirements filed in the State of Delaware for the benefit of those major Banks and/or GSEs, as the true beneficiaries of all the frauds.  These ‘Trusts’ are named Delaware Statutory Trusts, they are neither Statutory, nor are they Trusts.

(g)               The true beneficiaries of the frauds also sold undisclosed and unregulated multiple default insurances and credit default swaps sold through the International Swaps and Derivatives Association on every new mortgage created to guarantee receipt of multiples of sums they had pretended to lend as and when the planned defaults occurred.

(h)               It is therefore a fact that in almost every mortgage foreclosure action the foreclosing entity is not the owner of the Note or the Mortgage, never lent any money, is an integral part of a criminally motivated group has already reaped criminal profits, will share in multiple proceeds from insurances, all the Notes have been deliberately eliminated as admitted to the Supreme Court of Florida by the Florida Bankers Association and all Notes are already paid in full.

1. Mortgage Justice understands that the above text contains major allegations of fraud levied against some of the biggest and most powerful institutions in the land and does not make these accusations lightly.  We are fully prepared upon request given adequate notice to furnish irrefutable documentary evidence supporting those accusations and if required to justify them with documentary evidence are willing so to do in order to demonstrate why this proposed legislation must be unanimously rejected by the Florida Legislature for the benefit of its present and future citizens.
2. We also request Public Hearings be scheduled prior to any passage of these proposals and we suggest inviting all interested parties, including representatives of finance and banking who are apparently promoting these Bills, consumers and their advocates.

10.  Finally, we refer you to informative videos that can be accessed via the Internet. In our opinion the most reliably informative and professional presentations of the truth behind the housing bubble are those involving the eminent Academic, Criminologist, Economist, Lawyer, Accountant, author of the book entitled ‘The Best Way to Rob a Bank is to Own One’ and a former lead regulator during the savings and loans crisis. Professor William [Bill] Black.  To authenticate what we have revealed, please watch Bill Moyers’ PBS interview of Bill.  WE BELIEVE this interview OFFERS AN EXCEPTIONAL OVERVIEW OF THE CAUSE OF THE ECONOMIC MELTDOWN AND FRAUD PERPETRATED BY THE BANKING INDUSTRY ON THE AMERICAN CITIZEN AND WE BELIEVE IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU WATCH AND HEAR THIS VIDEO.

11.  Bill Black submitted himself to further questioning in a recent five-part interview on an Internet news channel, Real News.   Please watch and listen to these questions and answers also.  Political rhetoric, spin and sound bites are no answer to the serious crimes exposed in these interviews.  He speaks openly, with a sincere honesty and integrity, almost extinct in our country today.  His interview makes us starkly aware that the Banks are striking at the heart of our Republic and government, in all of its branches, but especially the judicial branch.  Now that Courts are more closely examining foreclosure cases filed against homeowners in Florida and other jurisdictions the truth is beginning to emerge. Courts in Florida and in many states are finding that the banks lack standing, are filing frivolous lawsuits and are unable to prevail when a homeowner enters a properly pled defense.  Mortgage justice strongly believes that the preservation of citizen rights to defend these actions is as vital to the Citizens of Florida as it is to the banks to destroy it.  Preserving those rights will establish the truth, disclose extensive violations of state and federal laws by the banking industry, put an end to the power of the banking industry in our state legislature and the resultant backlash of public opinion will reverberate throughout our nation and the world.   After nearly destroying the Global Economy, after lowering by twenty percent the net worth of our citizens, and after borrowing billions from them and reaping record profits without any legislative reform or inquiry they now attempt to make it even easier to take the homes of the citizens and deprive them of their legal rights.  We urge you to carefully consider, investigate and reject this proposed legislation on behalf of the homeowners and citizens of Florida.

Sincerely,

MORTGAGE JUSTICE,

for our members and the Citizens of the United States, April 12, 2010.

P.S. Internet links – Please copy and paste the following links into your browser:- www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04032009/watch.html

Then listen to – To rob a country, own a bank Pt5 – put this into Google and follow the links to 5 part video of Black on Real News.

Also essential viewing and listening to the latest on MSNBC,

http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=170712

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Today the final details of our trip~our pilgrimage~will be worked out and published.  The buses are probably filled, but there will be plenty of room to carpool and you are of course encouraged to drive on your own.  Spend today making sure you know who your legislators are….then call them to let ‘em know you’ll see them at the Capitol (Near the Old Capitol), Wednesday April 21 beginning at 9:00 a.m.

Great work to everyone who has worked so hard to put this together “on the fly”.

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It’s official people…the little homegrown rally you started has caught the attention of the national press…click here for the just-released article that appears in the Huffington Post.

Forward the article to your friends, family and….local news media…now that the Nationals have picked it up, we are officially a For Real Live Movement! (Oh those Fat Cat Yankee Bankers…they’ve stirred up a good old fashioned Florida Cracker Hornet’s Nest!)

If you’re in foreclosure…join us at the Rally in Tally!

If you can’t get a modification….join us at the Rally in Tally!

If you’re sick of the Fat Cat Bankers stealing from the people….join us at the Rally in Tally!

If you’ve lost your job cause the Fat Cats gave it to someone abroad…join us at the Rally in Tally!

If you’re sick and tired of the lies and the fraud and the cons and the games…join us at the Rally in Tally!

If you’re good with the way things are….just stay home!

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