Obama’s mortgage plan

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Barack Obama’s $75 million plan to stop the carnage in the housing industry aims to help 9 million homeowners refinance mortgages or restructure loans in order to lower payments.

As Obama and Congress hammer out a bailout, to what extent should blame for the mess be considered?

One camp emphasizes culpability of lenders. Many took advantage of lax regulations to prey on vulnerable first-time homebuyers, goes the thinking. So, the lenders should bear the brunt of the clean-up pain.

Another camp maintains that homebuyers knew better than to go so deeply into hock. But they did it anyway and now are being rewarded for their recklessness.

Thoughts?

Or, should blame be left in the past?

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