HUD Secretary Jackson - Human Metaphor

by publius

Um, wow.

But critics say an equally significant legacy of [Jackson's] four years as the nation's top housing officer was gross inattention to the looming housing crisis. . . .

During Jackson's years on the job, foreclosures for loans insured by HUD's Federal Housing Administration (FHA) have risen and default rates have hit a record high.

All the while, Jackson enjoyed a chef and a full-time security detail that trailed him to Washington social events. His office launched a new $7 million auditorium and cafeteria at HUD's headquarters, money that some within the agency believed should have been directed toward housing for the poor. His office solicited an emergency bid to obtain oil portraits of Jackson and four other HUD secretaries at a cost to taxpayers of $100,000.

Comments

[Sarah J]

Wow.

Just, wow.

[RepubAnon]

Yeah, compassionate conservatism at its finest: "Stepping over the homeless, not on them."

At that, it sounds like so many start-up companies I've seen when the "professional administrators" replace the founders. Given the choice between funding the start-up's research and moving into "Class A" office space with an impressive lobby and executive suite area, the professionals choose looking good over actually meeting their performance benchmarks every time.

When the start-up runs out of money to meet its performance benchmark because too much money was spent on creating a "world class" lobby and executive office space rather than on research, the "professional administrators" blame the researchers and move on to give the next start-up the benefit of their management skills.

Here, the situation was even worse: Sec. Jackson undoubtedly felt that money spent on the poor was wasted (they aren't often Republican Pioneer-level donors). If that $100K could have attracted $10K in donations from a contractor, any loyal Bushie would know where that money should go...

[superdestroyer]

Isn't this what happens when people who campaign against racial set asides and quotas decide that quota blacks on the cabinet are a good thing? I wonder when the Republicans will learn that quota minorities are never a good idea.

[Slartibartfast]

Ack. Jesus, what a trainwreck.

[John Thullen]

Why do Sec. Jackson and his boss and his Party despise me so?

It's enough to make a small-town fellow like me take up religion so I can cling to the collection plate long enough to abscond with church funds and open a gun store, a militia being the surest way to get out of the house and drink beer with my buddies.

Am I feeling bitter or am I condescending to myself?

Which doubles my bitterness, because what I really want is for me to patronize myself.

And then vote for myself and kiss my babies.

Hope springs infernal.

[felix culpa]

Other choice cuts: "When Congress calls up and asks us, we'll give them advice," he said. "You have 534 massive egos up there, so unless they ask you, you don't volunteer anything."
And: Though all Cabinet members are entitled to security, some have eschewed the expense. Jackson sought a full-time detail.
And: HUD is updating the portraits of agency secretaries as part of the American tradition of "commemorating the contributions of our public servants."
And: Both complained to their staffs that punishing FHA lenders could backfire if they wanted those lenders' help in increasing homeownership.
And one more: Inside HUD, numerous staffers said, Jackson made clear that he believed overregulating and investigating mortgage lenders could harm the president's homeownership goals.
Second one more: some of the changes could distract the FHA from its affordable-housing mission while helping government-backed lenders reach high-end buyers.

There’s lots more.

John, maybe you’re looking for a sugar-coated bitter pill? Lemon or melon-flavored? We actually have a large selection for your swallowing pleasure. Side effects may include the following; nausea, dizziness, confusion, disease, debility, and death.

[OCSteve]

“Wow” hardly does it justice. $7 million could have bought 70 $100k homes.

Make it 71 with the paintings…

[felix culpa]

Ah, the simple life, high on the hog, back-slapping, wink-and-a-nudge simple life, poof!
No more good-time goodies for our pal Al.

How are the mediocre fallen.

Talk about bitter pills. Count yerself lucky, Mr. Thullen. Sorry about the disappearing roof.

Poor Al. The guy was just doing his job.

[JayS]

"He and Bush had been friends since their days as neighbors in Dallas."

This isn't part of a quota system, SD. It's a crony system. But then it can be used to "prove" both government and affirmative action don't work. A threefer.

[felix culpa]

Prolly a fourfer, him being the youngest of twelve in a blue-collar family.
Obviously he made it out of there pretty quickly. Couldn’t, obviously, be because he was so bright.

Gotta admire his success.

Like Gonzales though, he really wasn’t cut out for the job (despite his evident ambition to memorialize himself); and hand-picked by a certain chief executive whose judgment displays awesome consistency, at that.

The imagination reels, and face smeared with ashes we rend our garments begging “Tell us this story in your special way, sticky or not, or we will die a gruesome death, John.”

[JoshA]

Luckily, none of this makes him an elitist. Which is what's really important.

[Snarki, child of Loki]

His office solicited an emergency bid to obtain oil portraits of Jackson and four other HUD secretaries at a cost to taxpayers of $100,000.

Because nothing says EMERGENCY!!1! like the lack of oil paintings of the reigning boss.

Are you sure we didn't fall into an alternate universe that was designed by the staff of The Onion?

[felix culpa]

OT: “The transparently false US charges against Iran, of being behind most disturbances in the Shiite south, are apparently propaganda intended to prepare the way by Dick Cheney for a US attack on Iran. Cheney wants to do regime change in Tehran before he kicks the bucket.” Juan Cole today.

[Hartmut]

Well, given how far and fast the price of oil went up, they probably thought that is was an emergency. You can't expect that anyone would be content with a water colour portrait.