Letter: Misplaced blame

EDITOR,
In response to “Pointing the finger” (Bob McMurtry, Letters, Aug. 19), you are right in saying readers need to do more research on the political game-playing going on in this country today. George W. Bush is still being blamed for everything wrong in this country after three years of Obama. What has he done to fix anything?
Way back in 2001, the Bush administration began warning Congress about the danger signs of the size of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. John Snow, then Treasury secretary, also warned of the same thing in 2003, indicating there should be regulations. Barney Frank pushed back, saying he did not see any problems or any crisis. In 2005, Alan Greenspan also thought the mortgage giants were at substantial risk and were in serious need of regulation. Chuck Schumer also thought Fannie and Freddie were doing a great job. In 2006, John McCain pushed for regulation of government-sponsored enterprises to be reformed, but Democrats unanimously voted it down. The mess we’re in today might not have been nearly as serious as it is today if some of these warnings had been heeded.
I am not saying that Bush was perfect, either. He made a lot of mistakes, but blaming the war on him is not fair. He had the support of Congress in all of it.
Incidentally, when President Bush left office in 2008, the unemployment rate was under 5 percent. What is it now? As to taxing the rich (i.e., corporations), who are the people who hire workers? If you raise taxes on them, we the taxpayers are the ones who will pay for the increases. They pay for most of the taxes in our country as it is right now. Most of the so-called poor don’t pay any.
And, finally, speaking of blame games, when will the present administration stop blaming everything on George W. Bush and start doing something positive?
Lillian Wasson, Scotts Valley