Letters to the Editor
Stellaa
Published Letters: 186 Editor's Choice: 14
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Great Article
[Read the article: How close were Barack Obama and Tony Rezko?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Good job at putting together a complicated issue and getting some on the ground perspective.
As someone who has worked in affordable housing for over 30 years, there is a key element that is missing. The magnitude of the foreclosures and losses of public funds. These projects are typically designed to have reserves to protect from operating losses and guarrantees. Obama as the attorney for the non profit had the responsibility to make sure the reserves were funded. In most tax credit projects, the "developer fee" is used to fund these reserves. Obviously, the developer, the city and the attorneys were negligent when funding and structuring the projects in funding and planning for oversight of the reserves. Mr. Rezko basically walked away with about 6.1 million in fees .
This is the disturbing aspect of Senator Obama's role. He was asked this question by the Sun Times:
Q: Many Rezmar government-financed housing deals have ended up in legal battles, including foreclosure. Several Rezmar buildings are now boarded up, and others are in need of major repairs. Taxpayers have lost millions of dollars on these deals. While Senator Obama has called Mr. Rezko a legal client, campaign contributor and a friend, there's ample evidence that Mr. Rezko was a slum landlord. Was the senator aware then that Mr. Rezko's projects were deeply mired in physical and financial problems? Does the senator think it is fair to characterize Mr. Rezko as a slum landlord?
Senator Obama in his answer, please remember this is a self proclaimed community organizer first then politician, was the following:
A: Housing partnerships in which low-income-housing tax credits are syndicated frequently struggle financially. The reasons for the problems such partnerships struggle are complex but frequently include urban crime, demographic changes and social factors outside the control of any developer or owner. Senator Obama was not otherwise aware of financial and physical problems attributable to misconduct by Mr. Rezko
Translation, it was the tenants fault. It was the "demographics" aka low income African Americans. But no criticism of Rezko. No concern for the loss of housing. No action taken to make good the units lost. This is negligence and in my opinion, backing the man who gives you money before your community.
Now I am sure you can claim it was not illegal. You can claim it was innuendo. But, my case which no one has disputed, you don't take the side of the landlord, slumlord, over the community or the tenants. Which side are you on?
So, on judgement, experience and taking responsibility I give Senator Obama an F.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/353786,CST-NWS-rezquestions23.article
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To the mob
[Read the article: How close were Barack Obama and Tony Rezko?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]So, what if he wins? How will you deal with criticism? How will you deal with the first time the he makes a mistake? Will you shut down the presses? Will you only listen to your voices? Who will you take away first? Will you shut us all up who don't believe the story?
You read nothing from outside your peer groups. You read no original or analytical material. And yet you are so sure of the truth? No doubt. No conversation? So sure of yourselves.
If this is unity I sure as hell don't know what is so great about it.
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Mom Reality, what the baby books don't tell you
[Read the article: I get grossed out when I hear, "I'm a mom!"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]After you have the baby, you will not be who you are. You will be a mom. This is the trajectory Mom is great, you get to gain weight, you get to wear frumpy clothes, enjoy yourself and tell everyone to go eff themselves. After a few years you will get tired of it, or your husband will get tired of it , you will have a mid life crisis. You will get a lover, start buying sexy underwear, lose weight and look really hot. That's your forties, you will be at the horniest ever.
You will either get divorced or stay married, more likely divorced. You will then have to date again, so you have to start marketing yourself again. You will enjoy it for a while, but you will find out, that men are just the same. You will kick yourself for leaving the first husband since you were so comfortable being a mom. You will pine for your mom days with bursting boobs, with puky kids, with carpools and temper tantrums.
In the end, in your late 50's and 60's, you will be a mom again. Cooking for the holidays, waiting for phone calls, waiting for them to come. You will worry all the time and become a real pain, but they will come back home broke and expect to live home and make you drop your life. Your kids will not just call you mom, now you will be "oh, mom" or "OH MOM!!!!" or "Ohhh mom?"
The new husband will be jealous of your mom ways, and you will think, damn, let me be a mom.