Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Bachmann does not understand the rural economy

The Startribune ran a story on Sunday about the growing foreclosure problem in Anoka County.
There were 1,848 foreclosures in Anoka County in 2007, after only 849 in 2006 -- a rise of 117.7 percent, according to HousingLink. Only Carver County's foreclosures grew at a faster rate, but that may be attributed to Carver having had only 119 foreclosures in 2006 and then jumping to 287 last year -- an increase of 141.2 percent, according to HousingLink.

Last week, I was going through the local Herald Journal and Enterprise Dispatch newspapers when I stumbled across an eye opening epidemic.

9 full pages of foreclosure notices for Wright County alone.

152 homes and homeowners "on notice"

About $35 million in home foreclosures in Wright County alone, for Feb-Mar.

The food shelf in Annandale is seeing a significant growth in need in these tough economic times.
"January is by far the biggest month we've had in history," she said.

The food shelf distributed 10,300 pounds of groceries to 132 families that month, then gave out another 8,300 pounds to 112 families in February.

That's a 66 percent increase compared with 11,200 pounds of food given to 142 families in January and February of 2007.

How has Bachmann supported efforts to make our lives better?

Bachmann voted against H.R. 2895, a bill to establish the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund in the Treasury of the United States. It would provide for the construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of decent, safe, and affordable housing for low-income families.

Bachmann voted against H.R. 3648, the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007.

Bachmann voted against H.R. 1852, Expanding American Home ownership Act of 2007.

Bachmann voted against H.R. 2669, The College Cost Reduction Act of 2007.

Bachmann voted against H.R. 3567, Small Business Investment Expansion Act.

Bachmann voted against H.R. 3963, Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act.

Bachmann also voted against minimum wage increases.

Bachmann's votes against working and middle class Minnesotans are disturbing.

A close look at Bachmann's FEC report indicates who she really represents.

When you're in bed with the loan, mortgage and banking industry, how can she represent working and middle class Minnesotans?

Bachmann has called Wright County the "epicenter for the Minnesota Republican Party".

With the epidemic of foreclosures in Wright County, I wonder when people will finally figure out they cannot afford to vote Republican in Wright County?

1 comment:

eric zaetsch said...

Anoka County differs by locale. South along the River and Blaine, Fridley and Coon Rapids are built out more than Burns Township, for example.

The demographics of what's foreclosed where has not been reported. I expect townhomes are a major factor, since if you bought on an ARM and at bubble prices you might have negative equity and no cause but to walk away.

Two related Strib stories reported State legislative effort, and the initials DFL were more prominent in reporting than GOP; as if it's not viewed as a crisis on both sides of the aisle.

http://www.startribune.com/politics/state/16202472.html

http://www.startribune.com/local/16184612.html

From the reporting, foreclosures in some north Mpls. neighborhoods leave more vacant homes on adjacent blocks than occupied, and vandalism and looting become a problem against restoring occupancy.

Some families go homeless, some homes go unoccupied after foreclosures; and you wonder why it looks like some third world situation rather than the richest nation in the world.

Skewed distribution of wealth just might be a factor, although the GOP believes not.

And Anoka County's 1848 foreclosures is an interesting number. 1848 was an interesting year. Folks back then perhaps were even more desperate than we, for now, are. That or they had more moxie.