Video - Ratigan with Merkley - Aired Feb. 1, 2011

Merkley must be a front for the home builders; he introduced legislation last week to help homeowners and boost housing, and the headline component is a a permanent tax credit for first-time homebuyers. Housing obviously needs more federal subsidies. This is absolute insanity. We should not tilt an already unbalanced tax code even further in the favor of houseowners vs. renters.

Renters are America's most maligned class, and Merkley's proposal should be considered a 'non-starter' until the permanent homebuyers' tax credit is removed from the legislation.

For a more sane alternative, read Patrick.net for truth on housing. He covers these issues everyday.

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When your proposal leads off with a permanent tax credit for homebuyers, you expose yourself to the world as a tool of the NAR and homebuilders.

http://merkley.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/?id=B46BF5B9-64E4-4A53-9BDD-9911E0D93A2E

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And this real estate tool thinks it's a great idea...These people should be drawn and quartered for even suggesting a permanent tax credit. I'm a houseowner, so don't mistake my anger. This is a bad bill and will remain a bad bill UNTIL the tax credit is dropped.

http://activerain.com/blogsview/2112035/senator-merkley-of-oregon-proposes-bringing-back-first-time-homebuyer-tax-credits-and-more

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This group of housing plankton loves the idea...big surprise...

http://nationalmortgageprofessional.com/news23378/sen-merkleys-proposal-seeks-simplify-loan-mods-and-provide-bk-judgement-cram-down-power

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