White House Taps Former Bush Official for Housing Post

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: The Wall Street Journal

The White House has taken an unusual tack in filling a key housing policy post, turning to a former Bush administration official who later helped design President Barack Obama’s response to the foreclosure crisis.

Seth Wheeler, a former Treasury Department official under the both Bush and Obama administrations, joined the National Economic Council earlier this month as senior adviser on housing policy, a White House spokesman said.

The move comes amid questions about the administration’s housing policy going forward and whether it will turn its attention to deciding the fates of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , the government-sponsored enterprises that were placed in conservatorship during the 2008 financial crisis. The administration has been largely silent on the issue, having studied options for a new system of mortgage-guarantees to replace Fannie and Freddie, but opting not to publish a detailed recommendation thus far.

Earlier this month, Mr. Obama nominated Rep. Mel Watt (D., N..C.) to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency, which regulates Fannie and Freddie. That nomination has already run into criticism from Republicans on Capitol Hill, who argued that Mr. Watt lacks the necessary experience in mortgage markets.

Read more: http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2013/05/31/white-house-taps-former-bush-official-for-housing-post/

---

[djean111]

1. WTF?

From the outset, housing advocates criticized the response of both administrations as inadequate, and the Obama program has helped far fewer people than initially promised. Nevertheless, Mr. Wheeler won praises for being receptive to criticism and suggestions.

“When we sought improvements to the HAMP program, Seth was an eager listener and very detail-oriented in his analysis,” said Alys Cohen, staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center in Washington. “He seemed interested in trying to understand the real problems on the ground.”

They better be careful, walking around in the White House - the bar is now just flat on the ground.

[sofa king]

7. My guess:

A former Bush goon is much more likely to get the nod from Republican Senators. If they continue to oppose the nomination, that works for the President, by sowing internal dissent in the GOP and forcing Republican lobbyists to fight it out with one another.

If the guy doesn't pass the nomination process, that person is effectively denied any chance of a future nomination (because Democratic Senators won't forget and will hold up any future nominations), so his potential usefulness is denied to Jeb Bush at no cost to President Obama.

If the former Bush goon does win the nomination, then the guy gets to sit down with the President's people, where they are going to present the goon with a large empty binder, point out that it should have been filled with the documentation from his previous tenure during the Bush years, that it's a violation of the NARA Act to have failed to do so, and that if the sonofabitch doesn't do exactly what the President tells him to do, that person will be burned at the stake for it.

If the Bush goon doesn't bust his ass to repair the damage he caused, he'll be gone the next day, wide-open to charges from his annoyed employer, and the resulting scandal will do at least as much damage to Republicans as it will to the President himself--who doesn't care anyway because he's a lame duck.

Either way, the Bush goon is President Obama's bitch, yet another Republican tool that the President has picked up and used to bludgeon the Republican Party.

[bahrbearian]

9. Why would Obama bludgeon the party he likes to Identify with.

[sofa king]

15. Come on, man.

If the President were a closet Republican, do you really think he'd be tapping the Bush Administration for talent? Why would he go to the shat-in well for that?

The President is dipping in the shit because he can totally control the shit. It doesn't matter what party the piece of shit identified with before, the piece of shit will work under the direction of this President.

He's not going to have dinner with the asshole and say, "thanks for ruining America and I hope you can find a way to fuck it up worse now."

This President is far more likely to tack a lawyer to the guy as his "assistant," inform the new appointee that his assistant will be conveying the wishes of the President, and that the appointee is not permitted to act on his own, ever, in any capacity. And then the President will run the goddamned office himself.

[Myrina]

32. No, he's going to have dinner with the asshole and say "I like what you did under Blivet ...

.... please continue".


I don't know why people cannot or will not see that this President is not, never was, and never will be a Democrat in the tradition sense, let alone a liberal or a progressive.

[sofa king]

35. We may get our chance to see.

If The President can help bag a Democratic House and at least the threat of a Senate supermajority in 2014, we'll finally get to see what this President really wants to do.

To date all of his achievements have been through some of the finest trickery I have ever seen, in the face of vile and hateful opposition from the people you accuse him of aspiring to emulate.

It makes no sense at all to see that happening and simultaneously accuse this President of being a secret collaborator with those awful people. They are so clearly in direct opposition that your statements defy reason.

And it is highly damaging to our collective cause to make such an obviously false accusation. You should consider retracting it.

[Archaic]

51. Let's say get gets a super majority

Is that going to change his appointments? Will they start being reasonable people without horrible policies?

If a Republican wins in 2016, will they appoint the best person available, sometimes a Democrat? Not a chance. They'll say thank you for hitting pause on any decent reforms, and now I don't have to work so hard to make it harder on poor folks. They won't be taking away anything, because nothing will be gained by these appointments.

[Phlem]

52. I do

and I feel ya. Every fucking day the obvious escapes them. I'm with ya, your not in this alone.

-p

[awoke_in_2003]

59. Puff, puff, pass. nt

[Doctor_J]

70. Still believing in 13D chess, huh?

Don't you love how the president has "bludgeoned" the Repukes with HeritageCare, Bush tax cut extensions, fracking support, ozone regulation rollback, proposed SS/Medicare cuts, FAA funding, and so on?

God, some times the apologists are as dumb as the freepers.

[rhett o rick]

88. So you are saying that Pres Obama isnt picking who he wants, he is picking who the Republicans want.

So instead of fighting the damn Republicans he is caving in to their pressure. And the Republicans are so stupid as to confirm someone that the Pres can "bludgeon" them with.

Face it, the president supports the ideologies of the Republicans. Even Penny Pritzker isnt a real Democrat, but a DINO.

Your rationalizations fall short. Regardless if our president is hapless or helpless, we have a republican administration.

One more thing. You said, "If the guy doesn't pass the nomination process, that person is effectively denied any chance of a future nomination (because Democratic Senators won't forget and will hold up any future nominations), so his potential usefulness is denied to Jeb Bush at no cost to President Obama." In what reality do you live where Republicans will act such as to not piss off the Democrats "because Democratic Senators won't forget......"?? Republicans dont give a shit what the Democrats might do. The fact is that the Democrats probably will forget.

[Doctor_J]

92. He's picking who the Republicans want BECAUSE IT'S NOT REALLY WHAT THEY WANT

See?

The apologists' logic has gone completely off the rails. You can no longer even communicate with them - they're nuttier than Backmann's fan club

[rhett o rick]

93. We should feel bad for them. Their carefully crafted reality bubble that is based on "D" equal good,

and "R" equals bad is being burst when their god is choosing R after R. Their rationalizations are getting wilder and crazier. They are lost souls.

I keep asking the apologists to explain the difference between Penny Pritzker and Mit Romney. I get nothing.

[pmorlan1]

2. Unusual?

The White House has taken an unusual tack in filling a key housing policy post, turning to a former Bush administration official who later helped design President Barack Obama’s response to the foreclosure crisis.

What's so unusual about President Obama turning to former Bush officials for appointments? His administration is full of former Bush officials.

[Poll_Blind]

4. ^ This. nt

PB

[cstanleytech]

16. Nope, nothing unusual about a president nominating people with experience to do the job.

Especially not unusual that its ones he thinks will have an easier time getting the confirmation from the senate thats legally required as past presidents have done and will continue to do as long as the senate has to confirm the nominations.

Would it make you feel better though if it was changed so that in the future no president has to get senate confirmation for a cabinet position and can appoint anyone they want?

[pmorlan1]

27. LOL

Well silly me. How dare I point out that the Obama administration is filled with former Bush officials. I should have known that making a factual observation like that would end up getting me a condescending pat on the head.

No it wouldn't make me feel better to amend advise and consent. What would make me feel better is for people to actually admit that Obama really wants to appoint these people and is not doing so because the mean old Republicans won't let him appoint who he really wants.

[Myrina]

33. ^^ Pmorlan1 for the win ^^

Thank you.

[cstanleytech]

37. No, pmorlan1. What you want is for more people to

Last edited Fri May 31, 2013, 03:37 PM - Edit history (1)

believe what you believe but unless you are telepathic and have read the presidents mind the only one who knows what president Obama wants is president Obama.

[nashville_brook]

39. smack to the down.

[bitchkitty]

77. Best post of the day. n/t

[Doctor_J]

73. Nope, no experienced Dems available

or even non-Bushies.

Wow.

[alp227]

99. Shoddy WSJ reporting...the right wing WSJ doesn't KNOW obama nt

[L0oniX]

3. I guess there's just not enough qualified Dems to fill positions for Obama.

[Pragdem]

11. Except when he nominates "qualified Dems," there's always some bullshit...

6-degrees of separation story from some obscure blog that gets the mouth-breathing plebes up in arms.

[L0oniX]

25. Well there ya go ...appoint all R's then. Problem solved.

[cstanleytech]

38. Or get the senate to redo the rules and do away with things like secret holds and any other

ways the senate or congress for that matter uses to kill nominations and or bills.
That and reverse all the gerrymandering that has been done across the nation.

Of course the likelihood of all that happening is probably higher than the odds of me hitting a billion dollar lottery jackpot with the only ticket within the next year.

[awoke_in_2003]

61. Harry doesn't want the rules changed...

he wants to be able to blame republicans instead of his weakness (or complicity) as leader. Harry Reid is a pathetic joke.

[rhett o rick]

95. He isnt alone. At least enough Senate Dems support his complicity to keep him in power.

58 Democratic Senators wont be enough to break the filibuster. If it was, Harry would change the rules to make it 65 votes to break the filibuster.

[awoke_in_2003]

96. Yep, I agree...

I am getting more cynical with age, and part of me thinks they don't want to change one damn thing. I sometimes think that DC is nothing but a facade to make us think we are still a republic.

[rhett o rick]

97. IMO many Democratic Senators are tools of the Ruling Elite.

They may throw us a bone now and then, but when push comes to shove, they dont struggle very hard for us.

[rhett o rick]

94. When you say "qualified Dems" do you mean like Penny Pritzker? The Mit Romney of the

Obama administration?

By the way, is pragmatic Democrat code for disgruntled Republican. Seems to me that there are a lot of disgruntled Republicans ending up in our party.

[MannyGoldstein]

5. I thought it was trouble when Obama filled his administration with Clinton folks

As cynical as I am, I never thought the bar would hurtle downwards from there...

[n2doc]

14. And of course, there won't be many "former Obama admin officials"

for the next Dem prez to choose from. Given the track record of former Clinton officials that might not be such a bad thing, but only because of the moderate centrists both Clinton and Obama love.

[L0oniX]

19. Well the controllers plan to have a R potus next so Obama is just following orders.

[L0oniX]

24. It's a free fall ...with no parachute.

[bahrbearian]

6. Can we now call it Bush's 3rd term.

[byeya]

8. You have my permission and support. He's making Pres Carter look better each day.

[truebrit71]

12. I have been for quite some time now...

...I'm just waiting for him to make it official and pull an 'anti-Chafee' and declare himself a republican..

[Doctor_J]

71. Probably not, since now a lot of so-called Dems are supporting these travesties

but that's the only difference.

[Sirveri]

90. Technically it would be the 4th term. I know I wanted Bush Lite when I voted for Obama.

Totally sold me, all that talk about how he was going to expand Bush policies. Yep, perfection...

Do I need it...

[Autumn]

10. What would really help ease tensions between Republicans and Obama

would be for Obama to appoint Dick fucking Cheney to an important position, he's still "alive". If that's the goal of this administration.

[cstanleytech]

18. Hey I fully support that idea of nominating Dick to a position.

Do you think he would accept an ambassadorship to Iran, N Korea or Syria?

[L0oniX]

22. Silly ...McCain wants that ambassador to Iran job.

[Autumn]

31. No, those positions would be very bad for all living people.

I think theres a flight leaving for Mars and since they found a "rock squirrel" there it might be just perfect for him, and any other fucking republican.

[n2doc]

26. Only if Obama then resigned and made Cheney Prez.

Because these assholes won't be 'satisfied' with anything less than Obama removed from office and Jailed on some trumped up charge.

[Autumn]

28. Now, see how smart you are? You get exactly how the pukes are.

Too bad Obama isn't that smart when it comes to stuff like that. He keeps thinking that he can ease tensions and make them happy. It's a lost fucking cause to even try.

[Pragdem]

13. Cue the mouth-breathers to express outrage.

"He helped design what became the Obama administration’s signature loan modification effort, the Home Affordable Modification Program, which uses money from the 2008 bank rescue to subsidizes borrowers’ loan assistance plans."

What a real DICK.

[Autumn]

29. Cool phrases Bro,

mouth-breathers and mouth-breathing plebes :


Of course I think mouth breathers are way better than ass- breathers. IMO

[burnodo]

55. so, being the pragdem that you are...

you don't think all Republicans are bad and/or have bad policies?

[Beacool]

17. Didn't he just appoint a Republican to the FBI top spot?

[pmorlan1]

23. Oh yeah...

He did, indeed. One who signed off on warrantless spying, torture and other assorted lovely policies.

[Doctor_J]

74. Shhh! You don't understand chess. By moving even farther to the right, the president

is forcing the Repukes even farther to the right, so the backlash will eventually result in a moderate government!!!111!

It just might take a few decades

[Beacool]

75. I think that he's trying to extend a hand to him.

The problem is that it always gets chopped off. He never gets any concessions from them. They don't know the meaning of compromise.

[myrna minx]

20. When's he going to tap Rumsfeld and Cheney? Apparently he doesn't find

people in his own party on par with his views and qualified for these positions, so he needs to seek out Bushies.

[Beacool]

41. That's cold...........

[2Design]

21. doesn't he know any democrats

I hate having Bush III

[tularetom]

30. Why the fuck does he keep appointing these guys

There's another post today about another of his proposed appointees who is quoted as saying something to the effect of "Walmart is a 'progressive success story'".

Where the hell does he find these douchebags? Why doesn't he just go ahead and hire Karl Rove?

[DeSwiss]

34. :-|

[valerief]

36. Because the country needs more Bush officials.

[RC]

42. Absolutely. It worked so well for the last administration, so why not this one also?

I voted for a Liberal and all I got was this moderate Republican.

[okaawhatever]

40. I think this guy is good because if he doesn't shape up the mortgage relief programs it can be hung

around his neck. It's a difficult position. The mortgage loan modification programs aren't working the way they were supposed to. The investigations of the banks stalling, losing paperwork, delay until it's too late, etc. are a reflection of that. Seth is either going to have to fix it or be the poster boy for its failure. If he gets the job done Obama will get credit. If he doesn't we need to make sure he gets all the blame. He helped design the program for mortgage mods under both Bush and Obama. Let him finsih it, and force the banks to comply, or buh bye.

[kidgie]

43. I would not be surprised if President Obama changed to a Republican as part of some strategic plan.

[erpowers]

44. What the Heck is Going on Here

The Obama Administration is begining to look like the Bush Administration. I do not vote for President Obama to get the Bush Administration. Can he not find people not linked to the Bush Administration to run things? I get that he is trying to show that he is willing to reach across the asile, but how many Democrats and/or Clinton appointees did Bush appoint to positions?

[John2]

48. All you have to do is find

a candidate to challenge Hillary or Biden. It can be done, because everybody thought Hillary was a shu in against Obama. Obama was not only African American, but he ran to the Left of Clinton. He pounded her with that vote on Iraq. I remember everyone was claiming, that she was no different than the Republicans and Obama was new. A lot of celebrities supported him also like Oprah Winfrey. Ot is the first time I ever saw her get that active politically.

[dflprincess]

91. And he said he opposed the mandate to buy health insurance that Clinton supported

oh boy, were we played for fools.

Twice.

[blkmusclmachine]

45. Glad I didn't vote for this Fraud

behavior last year.

Bipartisanship sucks.

[blkmusclmachine]

46. Wow. Candidate Obama was a total fabrication.

[burnodo]

56. Candidate X is a total fabrication

Anybody running for any office says what needs to be said to get people to vote for him/her. After the win, they say "Eh... Well, you know. I don't have the votes!"

[DCBob]

47. Im fine with this.

The more Republicans Obama converts to our side the better.

[fredamae]

79. Or, the flip side

Is he converting Dems to the GOP side in the Dems never ending march to the "Right"? Sometimes looking at the Opposing logic is where the answer lies.

[DCBob]

87. What Democrats are converting to the GOP??

The GOP tent is shrinking smaller and smaller. Soon it will just be the RW crazies.

[forestpath]

49. Like Goundhog Day. Every day, Obama chooses a Republican for SOMETHING.

[Occulus]

50. Nice drive-by, Freddie

You didn't even have to post a smug little pithlet.

The only thing missing is the blue dog painting you used to have in your sig line.

[Freddie Stubbs]

53. You don't think that this is a newsworthy story?

[Occulus]

54. Of course it is.

I simply don't trust the motivation behind posting it.

I know your history, Freddie. You can't unring the bell.

[Freddie Stubbs]

57. My motivation is to keep Democrats informed about important news

What is your motivation?

[fascisthunter]

62. sure it is... I bet you enjoy rubbing it in

so much time spent doing so... weird.

ooops... readers know what your motivation is, and it's not to inform. You aren't as clever as you think you are.

[Freddie Stubbs]

100. Rubbing what in?

The lady doth protest too much, methinks.

[Occulus]

80. My first motivation is to stop blue dogs like YOU, Freddie

[Freddie Stubbs]

101. How do you like the House of Representatives since all of those Blue Dogs lost in 2010?

Any idea on how to win those districts back? Why aren't far-left liberals stepping up and winning those districts back?

[Occulus]

104. As to your final question, because people like YOU insist they're unelectable

and then set out to make certain that's the case!

As to how to win those districts: we win them by making people like YOU irrelevant, we win those districts back by putting people like YOU in a place where you can influence nothing, and we make sure people like YOU aren't participating in democratic campaigns, period!

You are everything that is wrong with the Democratic Party, Freddie. You and everyone who believes as you do.

YOU ARE THE PROBLEM, you and every other so-called "blue dog democrat" (but I contradict myself with that turn of phrase; "blue dogs" are not now and were not ever democrats). You always have been. You always will be. And you NEED to be defeated so completely, and demoralized so thoroughly, that you and your fellow rabid, toxic mutts never taint our party ever again!

[Freddie Stubbs]

105. So, you plan to grow the party by shrinking it

Brilliant!

[Historic NY]

58. Is this a Republican administration?

[fascisthunter]

60. rightwingos disguised as dems are happy

congrats goofy.

[PSPS]

63. It is shit like this that will cost us the senate in 2014 and scuttle any House dreams.

Just like in 2010, Obama's actions will demoralize the base and they will stay home on election day 2014.

Obama should have cleaned house (including all the AG's nationwide) in January, 2009. It is standard practice. Well, it was standard practice until Obama.

[1KansasDem]

64. Please explain your second paragraph.

Scratching my head......

[YeahSureRight]

65. It is very demoralizing and I know many who are questioning why vote for Dems any more

when all one gets in return for supporting Dems is continued GOP polices.

The longer this BS continues the better and better independent and democratic socialist candidates are looking to people who support liberal and progressive policies.

The Democratic Party needs to figure out what it wants to be. Does it want to be party that represents and fights for the people or does the Democratic Party want to continue being nothing more than a pro-choice version of the GOP?

The party will do what it does regardless of my opinion just like I will do what I have to do now when I walk into the voting booth and if you want my vote you best be liberal and progressive otherwise, I am not wasting my vote.

[DCBob]

67. Actually I think it will help us.

Sure it pisses off many here on DU and the most liberal left. However, the rest of world hardly gives any notice but the subtle takeaway is that President Obama is the adult in the room trying to work with Republicans while the Repulbicans are seen as hyper-partisan and uncompromising on anything in a foolish attempt to score cheap political points at the expense of the country. That message will garner some votes for Democrats in my opinion.

[Doctor_J]

72. Yep, just like it did in 2010

1. President enacts Bush policies and appoints Bush crime family members to the government
2. People who thought we'd voted the Bushes out of office realize they were lied to. Don't understand why "the only adult in the room" consistently caves into the others (presumably children). get discouraged and decide not to vote.
3. Right wing Dems blame "most liberal left" for the carnage.

Living in fantasy land has gotta get harder and harder as the evidence from reality continues to mount.

[DCBob]

86. the bad economy was the main reason for loses in 2010.

Last edited Sat Jun 1, 2013, 06:41 PM - Edit history (1)

The current situation is much different now.

[Doctor_J]

66. What a train wreck

He's nothing but a bad joke at this point.

[24601]

68. Not another radical! Don't these people know this guy worked for Habitat for Humanity?

What would help is a little more research and a little less reactive response.

The implication that everyone is a political activist just doesn't hold up. And when you advocate that everyone needs to be political, you get things like the IRS flap.

Look at Wheeler's service, he's got a lot more time in the Obama Admin than in Bush's (Wheeler was brought in in 2008). He looks far more like a number-crunching wonk than a political dude.

[olddad56]

69. when will he appoint Cheney to the Secretary of State position?

[bitchkitty]

76. Oh, for fuck's sake.

Is this another chess move, apologists? If so, I submit that our President find another game. He sucks at chess.

[fredamae]

78. So, let me get this straight

Last edited Sat Jun 1, 2013, 12:52 PM - Edit history (1)

Obama doesn't nominate qualified Dems because of the GOP-so he nominates GOP/BushCo folks because he has no other strategic choice? That, to me, seems like he cedes power to the GOP and they're in a Majority position and in charge but still the "minority"?
As I understand what I'm reading-This is what some rationale seems to indicate...
Hmmm

[hrmjustin]

82. LOL! Welcome to DU my friend!

[HappyMe]

83. Would that scarlet letter happen to be an 'R'?

[HappyMe]

85. lol!

Just poking at you a little.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

89. Another Morgan Stanley alumni.

Good job Obama.

[magical thyme]

98. at this point, I don't care if the guy is R or D.

I do care that everything I read about his HAMP program was that it was beyond a failure. In many cases I seem to rememer reading that it lured honest people into a trap that enabled the Banksters to foreclose on homes that weren't in default or at risk to begin with.

Nothing like failing up the ladder, and all that.

[kestrel91316]

102. YAYYYY!!!!!! ANOTHER RWer to monkeywrench from the inside. Way to go.

[MrSlayer]

103. All you can do is laugh at this point.

Another position, another Republican appointee. We've been punked by Reagan junior and there is never, ever going to be another President that gives a fuck about the People.

I'd rather have Nixon at this point.