Althouse: Drudge juxtaposes the Presidents.

२२ ऑक्टोबर, २०१०

Drudge juxtaposes the Presidents.

What feelings are stirred?

९४ टिप्पण्या:

Wannie म्हणाले...: George Bush has a strength and dignity that Mr. Obama simply does not possess.; २२/१०/१०, १२:१५ PM
अनामित म्हणाले...: Hatred and longing...; २२/१०/१०, १२:१६ PM
Moose म्हणाले...: Once again I'm pissed at the Democrats for foisting off another clown for President and winning this time.

Makes me want W back in if only to have a guy that would at least stand a chance in a bar fight.; २२/१०/१०, १२:१६ PM
AFG म्हणाले...: One racked up billions of dollars of debt helping plunge the country down the shitter. The other racked up billions of dollars of debt trying to pull it out.; २२/१०/१०, १२:१७ PM
Irene म्हणाले...: Frustration versus resolve.

Tantrum versus conviction.

(Miss me yet.); २२/१०/१०, १२:१८ PM
coketown म्हणाले...: Is that an audience all bokehed in Bush's background? Bush has a crowd and Obama stands alone. Bush looks at-ease and Obama looks angry--fist clinched perhaps to cling to guns or religion?

One of these days, will you pull the Linda Richman shtick and say, "I'm feeling a little verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves; I'll give you a topic. Druxtaposition: Obama and Bush. Dicuss."; २२/१०/१०, १२:१९ PM
Calypso Facto म्हणाले...: I don't dare say what I "feel" or I might get fired...; २२/१०/१०, १२:१९ PM
अनामित म्हणाले...: Drudge's　juxtaposition of Potus 43 and 44 presents Obama as a bully and Bush as someone trying to escape from being bullied. 哉。; २२/१०/१०, १२:२५ PM
Bruce Hayden म्हणाले...: One racked up billions of dollars of debt helping plunge the country down the shitter. The other racked up billions of dollars of debt trying to pull it out.

Yeh, but the one plunging us down the shitter has spent significantly more, per year, and that spending extends as far as we can all see.; २२/१०/१०, १२:२५ PM
Joe म्हणाले...: (The Crypto Jew)
Too Class, you need to be more specific, here...Who did what?; २२/१०/१०, १२:२६ PM
Bob म्हणाले...: For all his considerable faults I miss the adult on the right. We just endure the child on the left.

Wannie framed it well initially.; २२/१०/१०, १२:२७ PM
Bruce Hayden म्हणाले...: I don't think that very many expected to be nostalgic so quickly for George W. Bush and his Presidency.; २२/१०/१०, १२:२७ PM
The Drill SGT म्हणाले...: I wasn't a big Bushie fan, but he's starting to look a lot better in comparison.

By 2012, Obama will single-handedly have rehabilitated Bush and the Left will hate both of them because of it; २२/१०/१०, १२:३० PM
Titus म्हणाले...: I am thinking about the fact that I haven't jerked off in over two weeks. It might not be that the picture is "stirring" this I am just thinking about it in general.; २२/१०/१०, १२:३४ PM
MadisonMan म्हणाले...: What a thankless job.; २२/१०/१०, १२:३६ PM
Phil 314 म्हणाले...: none; २२/१०/१०, १२:४६ PM
Dust Bunny Queen म्हणाले...: One of these days, will you pull the Linda Richman shtick and say, "I'm feeling a little verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves; I'll give you a topic. Druxtaposition: Obama and Bush. Dicuss."

I guess you haven't read Althouse for very long. That is SOP here and actually why many of us hang around.; २२/१०/१०, १२:४७ PM
अनामित म्हणाले...: "It might not be that the picture is "stirring" this I am just thinking about it in general."

Titus you could always perform some controlled experiments to see where the truth lies. Set up a room full of Obama pictures and another room full of Bush pictures and another room full of pictures in general and lots of tissues in all the rooms and learn where your thoughts lead you. My money is on Bush as being the culprit, ironically.; २२/१०/१०, १२:५२ PM
I'm Full of Soup म्हणाले...: It's a thankless job because the White House occupants tend to believe they can do everything and should do everything.

I'd prefer a president who knows when to say "that's not the govt's job" and who was confident enough to clam up every so often. So we don't have to hear his name every stinking day on the news. But I guess that would freak out the MSM.; २२/१०/१०, १२:५३ PM
Opus One Media म्हणाले...: guy and the left looks like a fighter anddetermine so i like that. guy on the right looks like the guy from mad magazine and i'm less inclined toward him.; २२/१०/१०, १:०१ PM
MInTheGap म्हणाले...: Both are looking off somewhere, but whereas Bush looks introspective, Obama seems demanding-- perhaps scared because of what he faces.

It's definitely an interesting couple of photos.; २२/१०/१०, १:०३ PM
Hagar म्हणाले...: Harry Reid's line is funnier.; २२/१०/१०, १:१० PM
traditionalguy म्हणाले...: This is like the Michelle alongside Barry clip. Obama has no magic left compared to whomever there is. The stampede you hear is GOP candidates rushing in to file claims to the nomination that no one, except Palin, wanted to touch with a ten foot pole a year ago.; २२/१०/१०, १:११ PM
Tank म्हणाले...: I don't get a warm fuzzy feeling from either of these guys. The guy on the left gives off a vibe evocative of .......[insert name of crazy European leader who you are not allowed to mention on internet because his name ends all threads] The guy on the right looks like he might not make it to the next rest area.; २२/१०/१०, १:१७ PM
Dust Bunny Queen म्हणाले...: Guy on left is throwing a temper tantrum with his itty bitty closed fists because he can't get all the cookies.

Guy on the right is looking with determination and channeled emotion towards a goal.; २२/१०/१०, १:२२ PM
jaed म्हणाले...: Druxtaposition! What a wonderful word.

Why *does* Bush do that lips-sucked-in thing? It looks so odd.; २२/१०/१०, १:२४ PM
Irene म्हणाले...: "Why *does* Bush do that lips-sucked-in thing?"

He's trying to look like Bill Clinton.; २२/१०/१०, १:२६ PM
former law student म्हणाले...: George just missed his putt, while Obama is rallying the voters.; २२/१०/१०, १:२६ PM
David म्हणाले...: Pride. Any American boy can grow up to be President, even if he becomes an alcoholic or drug abuser along the way.

Yes, I believe that Obama is an American.

And I apologize for calling him boy.; २२/१०/१०, १:३१ PM
Chip Ahoy म्हणाले...: No feeling to speak of, but I do see two invisible sets of enemies.

One set of enemies are all gathered under the man's nose to his immediate right, and the man's enemies are spread out and far away.; २२/१०/१०, १:३४ PM
Phil 314 म्हणाले...: George Bush has a strength and dignity that Mr. Obama simply does not possess.

guy on the right looks like the guy from mad magazine

Rhorschach; २२/१०/१०, १:४० PM
Phil 314 म्हणाले...: HD;
You were referred to this, correct?; २२/१०/१०, १:४१ PM
jungatheart म्हणाले...: I didn't appreciate Bush, but I do now.; २२/१०/१०, १:४३ PM
Chase म्हणाले...: By 2012, Obama will single-handedly have rehabilitated Bush and the Left will hate both of them because of it

Drill Sgt., you won the thread.; २२/१०/१०, १:४४ PM
David म्हणाले...: Moose said...
Once again I'm pissed at the Democrats for foisting off another clown for President and winning this time.

Well said.

Carter, Dukakis, Mondale, Gore, Kerry. And of course Obama.

What are they thinking?

I do not think Clinton is a clown. He's an acrobat.; २२/१०/१०, १:४६ PM
Unknown म्हणाले...: Desperate demagoguery on the left (literally) as opposed to grim determination on the right.

Nice metaphor.

tooclass said...

One racked up billions of dollars of debt helping plunge the country down the shitter. The other racked up billions of dollars of debt trying to sink it completely.

Fixed it.

Irene said...
"Why *does* Bush do that lips-sucked-in thing?"

He's trying to look like Bill Clinton.

No, ma'am. That's Texican; Texans suck it up when things get tough. Willie just pouts and sulks.; २२/१०/१०, १:४७ PM
jungatheart म्हणाले...: I move that Drudgedy be replaced with Druxtaposition henceforth. Is there a second?; २२/१०/१०, १:४८ PM
Alex म्हणाले...: guy and the left looks like a fighter anddetermine so i like that. guy on the right looks like the guy from mad magazine and i'm less inclined toward him.

Of course you'll say any crap to support a Dhimmicrat. Truth be damned.; २२/१०/१०, १:४९ PM
Phil 314 म्हणाले...: In searching for the Alfred E. Newman picture I came across this, pretty funny:

Newspaper Runs Out Of Anti-Bush Headlines....
As a result, the once elaborate and artistic headlines in the papers are being commonly replaced today by such bland and meaningless titles as "Bush is Bush" and the rather implausible "Bush Eats Condors For Breakfast."; २२/१०/१०, १:४९ PM
Alex म्हणाले...: Obama is all about the fear, Bush was always about real hope, dignity. I don't care that he wasn't able to hold the line on spending or mis-managed the wars, he was a good decent man.; २२/१०/१०, १:५० PM
Blue@9 म्हणाले...: Uhhh, I'll take neither?

fls:
George just missed his putt, while Obama is rallying the voters.

Did you really just make a golf reference as a put-down of Bush?; २२/१०/१०, २:०१ PM
Kirby Olson म्हणाले...: Obama is a fanatic.; २२/१०/१०, २:०७ PM
former law student म्हणाले...: Did you really just make a golf reference as a put-down of Bush?

Don't believe me? Here's another picture of Serious George, on the course:

http://tinyurl.com/295jcll; २२/१०/१०, २:११ PM
Blue@9 म्हणाले...: Don't believe me? Here's another picture of Serious George, on the course:

Hehe, I believe you. It's just odd that in a thread comparing Obama to Bush, it's Bush who's the one golfing.; २२/१०/१०, २:२० PM
Joe म्हणाले...: (The Crypto Jew)

So, Math OR Current Events are not your strong points, FLS? After all as Obama has played as much or more golf in 21/22 months than Bush played in 96 months.; २२/१०/१०, २:२१ PM
The Dude म्हणाले...: hdhouse - seriously, what the fuck was that? Your meds are out of whack - you are making even less sense than usual. Call your attendant.; २२/१०/१०, २:३४ PM
former law student म्हणाले...: Joe, I just think it's funny that people are reading all kinds of noble characteristics into Bush's expression, when to me it says, "Dang, it didn't go in."; २२/१०/१०, २:३७ PM
Joe म्हणाले...: (The Crypto Jew)
Joe, I just think it's funny that people are reading all kinds of noble characteristics into Bush's expression, when to me it says, "Dang, it didn't go in."

My advice, avoid the golf images. Again, when I read the post, I read, “Obama, dang missed the putt”…not Bush. Because after all who’s saddled with Golfing whilst Rome Burns? Oh yeah, Obama…will not cease work until the hole is filled, UNLESS I’m on the links, Obama.; २२/१०/१०, २:४३ PM
Patm म्हणाले...: W, like him or not, was a man in full.

O, like him or not, is a wuss.; २२/१०/१०, २:४४ PM
victoria म्हणाले...: They both look a little pissed off; २२/१०/१०, २:५० PM
jr565 म्हणाले...: Coketown wrote:
Bush looks at-ease and Obama looks angry--fist clinched perhaps to cling to guns or religion?

My guess he's blaming Bush for something. Either that or fat cats on wall street, or do nothing republicans who won't help out, but who can't have the keys to the car because they can't drive and caused the whole mess anyway.; २२/१०/१०, २:५१ PM
अनामित म्हणाले...: DAILY SCHEDULE, POTUS
10/22/2010

7:00 - 8:00 AM Morning Polling Briefing
8:00 - 9:00 AM Waffles on WH portico. Wha? C'mon guys, can't he just eat his waffle?
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Golf
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Watch Whatever is on ESPN
4:00 - 5:00 PM Hang with LeBron James
5:00 - 6:00 PM Sneak Out for Smoke and a Burger Before "Dinner"
6:00 - 7:00 PM Push Vegatable from WH Garden Around on Plate, Feed to BO when FLOTUS Not Looking
7:00 - 10:00 PM Hang w/ Paul McCartney and Trade "43 Was Dumb" Jokes
10:00 - 11:00PM Smeak out for Smoke and a Beer
11:00PM SportsCenter and Bed.; २२/१०/१०, २:५७ PM
Big Mike म्हणाले...: @Moose, a small correction. You could trust the one on the right to have your back in a bar fight. The other would be watching out for his own skin first, last, and only.; २२/१०/१०, ३:३६ PM
Bart DePalma म्हणाले...: What feelings are stirred?

In intense desire to switch the channel.; २२/१०/१०, ३:४३ PM
jimspice म्हणाले...: Isn't that one of the photos of Obama that RushL called demonic? Not a fair comparison.; २२/१०/१०, ४:०५ PM
jimspice म्हणाले...: Isn't that one of the photos of Obama that RushL called demonic? Not a fair comparison.; २२/१०/१०, ४:०५ PM
अनामित म्हणाले...: Obama: And when we find the traitors, splittists, and wreckers in our midst, we will crush them!

Bush (thought balloon): I've held my tongue for two years, but keep on with this crap and one of these days you'll be spittin' out teeth ...; २२/१०/१०, ४:३१ PM
ricpic म्हणाले...: I wish Bush had followed through on that clenched jaw look and kicked Paulson and Bernanke out of the Oval Office when they proposed their giant theft scheme to save "our people"...but he didn't.; २२/१०/१०, ४:३८ PM
Kirby Olson म्हणाले...: Bush has a sense of humor.; २२/१०/१०, ४:४५ PM
virgil xenophon म्हणाले...: You want a juxtaposition?? I GOT YOU A JUXTAPOSITION!!! EVERYBODY go to:

http://2parse.com/?p=561

(Pics of young McCain & Obama); २२/१०/१०, ५:२६ PM
Phil 314 म्हणाले...: Virgil;
sorry but that choice has passed us by. You'll just have to wait till 2012.; २२/१०/१०, ५:५४ PM
MathMom म्हणाले...: That's the look W had just before he threw that strike over home plate right after 9/11.

Compare and contrast Obama in Mom jeans throwing the ball, uh, somewhere...; २२/१०/१०, ६:०० PM
KCFleming म्हणाले...: Goofus and Gallant.; २२/१०/१०, ६:३० PM
KCFleming म्हणाले...: ही टिप्पणी लेखकाना हलविली आहे.; २२/१०/१०, ६:३३ PM
Cedarford म्हणाले...: "What feelings are stirred?"

Glad Bush is gone, can't wait to be rid of Obama, no regret that McCranky pants McCain lost.; २२/१०/१०, ६:३३ PM
virgil xenophon म्हणाले...: Not the point, C3, just couldn't pass up the chance to high-light the diff between a true Patriot (deficiencies aplenty tho he undoubtedly had/has) and a post-modernist, post-colonial, leftist neo-Stalinist who at heart detests this nation as presently constituted and is striving mightily to change it into a leftist nirvana his jumped-up --she of her late no-show $300,000/yr job--affirmative-action wife can be proud of..; २२/१०/१०, ६:३७ PM
Cedarford म्हणाले...: The Drill SGT said...
I wasn't a big Bushie fan, but he's starting to look a lot better in comparison.
====================
That is like Ford being damned with the faint praise that Jimmy Carter was so bad he was making Ford look smart and Presidential by comparison.; २२/१०/१०, ६:३८ PM
Clyde म्हणाले...: @ Mathmom

On the other hand, Obama looked like Nolan Effin' Ryan compared to Charlie Crist's wild pitch during this year's Tampa Bay debacle in the playoffs. That's the difference between major league sucking and Hall of Fame sucking.; २२/१०/१०, ७:३८ PM
Harry म्हणाले...: No Bush nostalgia here. Bush nearly destroyed the Republican Party with his "compassionate conservative" cognitive dissonance. Open borders, giant deficits, federal meddling in education, nation-building projects, etc., all in the name of conservativism. If it hadn't been for Bush, we wouldn't have had Obama, so I see them linked.

Thank god for the Tea Party, which, as Peggy Noonan pointed out the other day, is removing the "Bushism" from the GOP.; २२/१०/१०, ८:१३ PM
Harry म्हणाले...: ही टिप्पणी लेखकाना हलविली आहे.; २२/१०/१०, ८:२३ PM
Ambrose म्हणाले...: Here's a thought. I like them both. Decent intelligent men with the wherewithall to get elected President. Not perfect, but no one is. Doing the best they can.; २२/१०/१०, ८:३२ PM
Ned म्हणाले...: boy...MAN; २२/१०/१०, ८:४५ PM
Synova म्हणाले...: Tooclass:

"One racked up billions of dollars of debt helping plunge the country down the shitter. The other racked up billions of dollars of debt trying to pull it out."

Notice... the Democrat gets credit for TRYING while the Republican has to stand on results.; २२/१०/१०, ९:३० PM
AST म्हणाले...: One racked up billions of dollars of debt helping plunge the country down the ______. The other racked up billions of dollars of debt trying to pull it out. You mean "the other racked up TRILLIONS of dollars falsely promising to pull it out." The liquidity crisis was temporary; the national debt is eternal, unless we pull the plug on the government's power to borrow.

My feelings at viewing the photos are "Here goes Althouse on another of her Drudge feng shui musings." One is facing right. The other is facing leftward, but I think he's playing up the "demonic" angle with the photo of Obama. Those lines on his face seem to be enhanced.

wv: bearc - the ark that carried all the losers in HHGTTG; २२/१०/१०, ९:५५ PM
KCFleming म्हणाले...: I meant "Between Scylla & Charybdis.".; २२/१०/१०, १०:२४ PM
jungatheart म्हणाले...: AST, it's dirty pool anyway to capture someone in mid-word. Anyone can be made to look idiotic that way.; २२/१०/१०, १०:४८ PM
Rt1Rebel म्हणाले...: I am of the impression that Bush did stupid for what he believed was best to preserve our nation. I am almost certain that Obama does stupid to change our nation.; २२/१०/१०, १०:५० PM
Fen म्हणाले...: Obama has no class.

And Bush didn't spend his first two years whining about all the problems Clinton left behind.; २२/१०/१०, ११:०५ PM
former law student म्हणाले...: And Bush didn't spend his first two years whining about all the problems Clinton left behind.

Sure, just like he didn't whine as a kid, when he came downstairs and saw all his presents under the tree.

Clinton reduced the National Debt as a percent of GDP for the first time since the Carter administration.; २२/१०/१०, ११:२१ PM
Anne M Ford म्हणाले...: One racked up billions of dollars of debt helping plunge the country down the ______. The other racked up billions of dollars of debt trying to pull it out. Obama has racked up trillions. That's like getting the same candy bar Bush sold us for $1.00 at the new low price of $1000.00 under Obama.; २२/१०/१०, ११:२४ PM
former law student म्हणाले...: I am of the impression that Bush did stupid for what he believed was best to preserve our nation.

First thing Bush did was roll back taxes for people in his and his dad's income bracket, reversing Clinton's progress at decreasing the National Debt.

Second thing Bush did was invade Iraq. There are three theories why he did that:

1. To finish the job of spanking Saddam Hussein his dad was not allowed to do.

2. To distract Americans from his inability to avenge 9/11.

3. To put the fear of God into jihadis who saw how easy it was to strike at the heart of America.; २२/१०/१०, ११:२५ PM
Fen म्हणाले...: ही टिप्पणी लेखकाना हलविली आहे.; २३/१०/१०, १२:२१ AM
Fen म्हणाले...: FLS: There are three theories why he did that:

1. To finish the job of spanking Saddam Hussein his dad was not allowed to do.

2. To distract Americans from his inability to avenge 9/11.

3. To put the fear of God into jihadis who saw how easy it was to strike at the heart of America.

Those are the "theories" of small-minded idiots.

We liberated Iraq to 1) remove Saddam from power, 2) disable his WMD programs and 3) create a counterpoint (as per West Berlin) to radical Islam.

History will compare that with Obama letting Iran get the Bomb and find Obama wanting - because every administration after him will be hamstrung in the Middle East.; २३/१०/१०, १२:२३ AM
Fen म्हणाले...: Really FLS, stay away from foreign policy discussions. You don't know what the fuck you are talking about.; २३/१०/१०, १२:२४ AM
Fen म्हणाले...: ही टिप्पणी लेखकाना हलविली आहे.; २३/१०/१०, १२:२६ AM
bagoh20 म्हणाले...: They look vaguely familiar. Are they those guys that sell stuff on my TV late at night? I don't trust that whole thing they do. They seem to promise too much.; २३/१०/१०, १:३७ AM
jamboree म्हणाले...: Not a damn thing for either one of them.

We most likely are too far gone to fix things and need full revolution in this country, a new OS kernel, rewrite the bill of rights to include rights (and formalized checks and balances) against our corporate as well as our government masters- nuke corporate personhood - as well as rights against International Tyranny etc. etc. -

but I'm coming up on middle age and slowing down just a bit, and someone else will have to do it because I frankly don't have the energy to even seriously wish for it anymore.

But that's my best, most truthful call when I look at both their faces juxtaposed like that - oh and I don't personally hate either one of them.

I also don't think we currently have the brainpower in motion to do it right, so we'll just limp along awhile longer on the older, broken system which still might be better than anything we could put together now.; २३/१०/१०, १:५० AM
Pamela म्हणाले...: ही टिप्पणी लेखकाना हलविली आहे.; २३/१०/१०, ५:४८ AM
Pamela म्हणाले...: http://www.nunoftheabove.info/?p=1956

a better link, compare contrast.; २३/१०/१०, ५:५२ AM
Valerian म्हणाले...: 1. Am I not pretty? My whole family is so pretty. Take heart. Have hope. Up is down; that is my pledge. What's more, I can easily speechify for four years.

2. Shh, I'm listening to God. He's telling me... where Bin Laden is... and how to beat Al Qaeda... and how to save our economy... my daddy is God... they tried to kill my daddy... they tried to kill God.; २३/१०/१०, ९:०२ AM
jr565 म्हणाले...: Former Law Student wrote:
Clinton reduced the National Debt as a percent of GDP for the first time since the Carter administration.

But Clinton also deregulated the banks, the very thing that the dems now say brought down the economy. He also expanded housing for poor people by opeing up the CRA. And it was only a projected surplus anyway. Not an actual one.
But I can see dems taking credit for the economy, but why not the bad parts too? You take the good and the bad, and there you have the facts of life. The facts of life.; २३/१०/१०, १२:१७ PM
former law student म्हणाले...: We liberated Iraq to 1) remove Saddam from power,

Why at that moment, and not when he had invaded Kuwait?

2) disable his WMD programs and

Fen still believes that BS justification. He probably still writes letters to Santa.

Hint: There were no WMDs in Iraq, and hadn't been for years and years.

But there was a crazy dictator with honest-to-God WMDs who did starve his own people, who we left the hell alone -- Kim Jong-Il.

3) create a counterpoint (as per West Berlin) to radical Islam.

Iraq had been holding Iran at bay, so wby throwing Iraq into chaos, we removed a vital counterpoint, not created one. Now Iran is a bigger threat to Israel than ever. Heckuva job, Georgie.; २३/१०/१०, १२:३४ PM
former law student म्हणाले...: But Clinton also deregulated the banks, the very thing that the dems now say brought down the economy. He also expanded housing for poor people by opeing up the CRA. And it was only a projected surplus anyway. Not an actual one.

So much misinformation, so little time. Let's start with the Clinton surpluses.

Correcting for inflation, budgets from the Clinton administration were in surplus for 1998-2001.

Surpluses by year (Billions of constant 2005 dollars)
1998 82.1
1999 146.8
2000 269.5
2001 142.7

Then the very first time we gave Bush the keys to the economy, he ran a deficit:
2002 -172.7
It just got worse from there as W's tax cuts combined with the Iraq war expenses:
2003 -402.8
2004 -428.0
2005 -318.3
2006 -239.6
2007 -151.1
2008 -415.8
2009-1279.6; २३/१०/१०, १२:५० PM
former law student म्हणाले...: Source for surplus/deficit info: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy11/hist.html

The chief villain in the economic meltdown was not the repeal of Glass-Steagall, but the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000, which passed as a rider to the 2000 budget bill in the lame-duck session in December. This deliberate decision not to regulate structured finncial products such as credit derivatives nearly toppled the world economy.

Janet Tavakoli, author of two books on structured finance, has perhaps the best handle on what happened. Please read her articles.

My understanding:

Low interest rates made all debt instruments unattractive investments. The junk bond era was over. Sub prime mortgage loans were about the only paper that paid a decent return, but as with junk bonds, the risk of the borrowers' defaulting was priced into them -- hence they were sub-prime.

Some genius decided by bundling a lot of risky loans together they would create a low-risk investment -- while any individual was likely to default, they couldn't all default at once, could they? Backing up this belief, the bundlers assumed the borrowers would pay back the loans as if they had been prime conventional borrowers: 20% down/30 year loans.

The geniuses who created these divided them into tranches, and got the bond rating agencies to arbitrarily rate some tranches at the highest investment grade.

But not only, that, they created credit default swaps that shoved the risk of borrower default onto someone else. In fact the creators of the loan bundles actually were betting their creations would become worthless.

And the people they sold the swaps to sold swaps to other people, and so on.

The whole thing was a massive house of cards. But everybody who created and sold one of these turds got handsomely paid for doing so.; २३/१०/१०, १:०७ PM