Sunday, June 22, 2008

"The Bank of America Bailout Bill"

On Tuesday, the United States Senate is expected to vote on the Dodd-Shelby Bill. The bill is officially named the "FHA Housing Stabilization and Homeownership Retention Act of 2008," however some congressional insiders are calling it "The Bank of America Bill" because of how it would benefit the bank. Bank of America even has a discussion document to promote the bill in Congress.

Examiner.com gives details on Senator Chris Dodd's sweetheart mortgage from Countrywide Financial, as well as Bank of America's political contributions. Bank of America is buying Countrywide.
Countrywide's VIP loan to Dodd, which saves the Banking Committee chairman $75,000 over 30 years, smells like a potential quid-pro-quo now that Dodd has pushed a bill that will save the company from itself, but what about Bank of America's behavior?

Bank of America's political action committee (PAC) has donated $20,000 to Dodd since he became chairman of the banking panel 17 months ago. From January 2007 to March 2008, Bank of America employees have donated at least $50,400 to Dodd's campaigns, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. So, while Dodd's sweetheart loan from Countrywide saves him personally $200 per month, his chairmanship earns him politically more than $1,000 per week.

These aren't bank tellers funding Dodd, either, as contributors include Bank of America's director of government affairs John Collingwood and Barbara Desoer, who oversees the merger with Countrywide and will "run the combined companies' mortgage operations," according to The Los Angeles Times.

Only Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have received more Bank of America money than Dodd during the current election cycle. Republican nominee John McCain slightly trails Dodd, with $64,000 in reported Bank of America contributions.

Between the PAC and individual employees, Bank of America has showered $1.3 million on presidential and congressional candidates, according to the Center for Responsive Politics....

Bank of America stands to profit most from a bailout. It will take on Countrywide's bad loans, and under Dodd-Shelby, it could shift the worst ones onto the shoulders of taxpayers, via the Federal Housing Authority. Basically, Uncle Sam will buy Countrywide's stinky loans off of Bank of America.

Bank of America is kind of like an investor trying to "flip" a house: they buy a run-down property (Countrywide) for a discount, shell out some campaign contributions and earn some "sweat-equity" through lobbying. If Dodd gets his way, it will be a good investment for Bank of America.
To make things worse, the Associated Press is now reporting that President Bush may actually sign the bill despite his veto threat.

Again, you can very easily contact Congress and President Bush with a pre-written email opposing the bill by clicking here.