Congress is complicit, and it must pay

To the editor:

As the world equity markets continue to plunge, it is estimated that U.S. citizens have lost more than $3 trillion in home equity, retirement funds and investments. Millions of citizens have been ruined, and the financial markets will not come back for years, perhaps many years.

Most analysts indicate the main reason for this man-made national disaster emanates from two government-controlled mortgage companies that bought up bad mortgages from banks and thrifts. One of these, Fannie Mae, was found to have cooked its books, and the guilty CEO got a slap on the hand but made about $100 million. Millions of dollars were spent to lobby Congress to block reform efforts. No one went to prison.

Now, with all the damage done, we have typical Washington lies. These elected vermin only deny, point fingers and seek political party protection. We are only provided a highly partisan dog and pony show by Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., trying to shift blame.

These sleazy Washington politicians usually clamor for independent or special prosecutors at the drop of a fedora. Why not now, when millions of citizens lost everything probably due to many criminal acts? Is it because these very rats in Congress and the administrations were complicit?

We need a tough prosecutor with extensive authority to review the entire fiasco, and, if criminal acts occurred, put the bums in the slammer.

JOHN TOBIN

LAS VEGAS

Lords of the manor

To the editor:

Congress, over the past 20-some years, has not gotten the discredit it deserves. To suggest that lawmakers have let this country down is to understate the damage they have done.

They created a crisis in the Social Security program by looting the funds held in reserve. Why? More money for them to spend.

They have failed, over the past 20 years, to control the illegal immigration problem. This has created myriad problems impacting our social welfare system. Why? Catering to special interest groups.

They have created a convoluted tax code that no one understands. Why? In the interests of lobbyists and their clients.

They legislated against the best interests of the nation by restricting our oil companies' ability to drill where oil can be found. This has forced us to send billions of dollars to countries unfriendly to this nation. Why? To benefit environmental lobbyists with deep pockets.

They expanded pork into what is now referred to as "earmarks" Why? To pay off their constituents for re-election purposes.

They constructed a retirement program for themselves that we the people could not even dream of. And they made themselves eligible after just one term in office. How? They control the money and they make the laws. They are the most powerful branch of government.

Now they may have topped themselves. They created an environment within the financial system allowing people who can't afford it to buy a home to buy a home. Why? Ask those in Congress who were paid off by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Our government representatives are no longer the servants of the people. They are the lords of the manor, and after a few years in Congress, they know it.

PAUL E. WEBB

BOULDER CITY

Homeowner associations

To the editor:

I would like to add some historical perspective and comments to Adrienne Packer's Oct. 5 article, "Legislator alleges HOA snake oil":

The 1973 Legislature passed Senate Bill 126, which established planned-unit developments and master-planned communities. It was a bipartisan bill; three Republicans and two Democrats were the sponsors. The vote was a slam dunk, 20-0 in the Senate and 34-0 in the Assembly. One of the reasons given for this law to exist was to further the public health, safety, morals and general welfare of the homeowners.

Was Big Brother around then?

Because the Legislature did not know anything about homeowners associations, it delegated authority to developers, unlisted and unaccountable people, to create these communities, organize associations and set the rules. Through their attorneys, the developers created mandatory contracts where the homeowner had no input on the language, forcing homeowners to obey rules and restrictions on their private property. The signing of the contract placed an automatic lien on your property.

By ignoring the Nevada Constitution and the separation of powers doctrine, the Legislature permitted judicial responsibility to be delegated to unelected persons who could foreclose on a home if the owner failed to pay a fine assessed by a board of directors.

Allowing nonjudicial foreclosures was serious activity in the '70s and caused plenty of pain. This convenient lack of constitutional oversight from experienced lawmakers could lead a suspicious person to think this law was created solely to ensure permanent employment for attorneys in this highly profitable, growth industry.

Good luck to the feds on their investigation into public corruption involving homeowner association boards, contractors and construction-defect litigators.

EDWARD R. DUFFY

LAS VEGAS