Obama to bail out borrowers with TARP funds, ALG responds

April 9, 2012, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement responding to a new Obama Administration TARP program to bail out borrowers with taxpayer funds by reducing the principal owed on mortgages:

“This latest White House scheme to bail out borrowers with mortgage principal reductions using taxpayer funds is nothing more than a cynical election year ploy. This time, the goal is to build a constituency of borrowers underwater on their mortgages with the hope that they might — emphasis on might — be able to get some relief.

“Meanwhile, the Federal Housing Finance Administration under Edward DeMarco has thus far resisted such a bailout on the grounds that it would result in billions of losses to GSEs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — putting taxpayers on the hook. The Obama solution? Take the money out of another pot of taxpayer money, give it to Fannie and Freddie, and pretend it did not add to the deficit.

“All without any vote in Congress. This is yet another egregious abuse of executive power by Obama and Congress must demand accountability, and rein in these bailout programs once and for all. The House Appropriations committee should act immediately to defund TARP and any related bailout programs, and the House Oversight Committee should investigate these existing programs for any other wastes of taxpayer money.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Rebekah Rast at (703) 383-0880 or at rrast@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.