Dear Congressman Baird: tell me again why *I* should bail out other homeowners?

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I checked my "in box" and found the following sitting in my bin, so to speak:

Help For Homeowners March 24, 2009 Dear Friends, We're facing some of the most trying times since the Great Depression. Many families in Southwest Washington find themselves one mortgage payment away from disaster; you might be one of them. However, help is on the way. President Obama has introduced his plan to assist homeowners with their mortgages during this economic downturn. The Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan will offer assistance to homeowners in Southwest Washington and across the country who are making a good faith effort to keep current with their mortgage payments. You can learn more about President Obama's plan and find out if you qualify at the Department of Housing and Urban Development's page. You can also see a list of foreclosure avoidance counselors in Washington State by clicking here. It's truly an honor to represent and serve you. If you ever need anything, or just want to let me know about an issue that concerns you, please feel free to contact my office. Sincerely, Congressman Brian Baird Representing Washington's 3rd District * CONTACT MY OFFICES * Vancouver Office O.O. Howard House 750 Anderson Street, Suite B Vancouver, WA 98661 Phone: (360) 695-6292 Fax: (360) 695-6197 Olympia Office 120 Union Avenue, Suite 105 Olympia, WA 98501 Phone: (360) 352-9768 Fax: (360) 352-9241 Washington, D.C. Office 2350 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-3536 Fax: (202) 225-3478

Nice piece of work. Now, Mr. Baird is my Congressman. He's had the job since 1998. I've had some concerns with how he uses his power, detailed here, here and here, among others.

Mr. Baird has voted for all of these programs and expenditures. No stranger to earmarks, Mr. Baird has taken particular pride in "bringing home the bacon" for the Downtown Vancouver Mafia.

That said, Mr. Baird, I've got to tell you: why is it again that *I* should use MY money to bail someone else out for YOUR political expedience?

I bought my home 3.5 years or so ago. We settled on a home at least one-half to 40% the cost we were pre-qualified for.

As a result, we aren't having any problem paying our still-substantial, but quite reasonable house-payment.

In arriving at this position, when we pre-qualified, we didn't lie about our income. We have pretty good credit. We didn't try to buy a mansion based on our income. We make our payments on time EVERY month.

Now, Mr. Baird... tell me again how it is that I bear ANY responsibility of ANY kind for those who lied about their income? Or got too greedy when it came to not having the income to support their house payment... or who received a mortgage not on their ability to pay... but instead, on their ability to breathe.

Why am I responsible for that?

And, as I gaze into the future that you and Our President have provided, where massive, bottomless deficits are the order of the day... how is it that *I* need to pay for the decisions and actions of OTHERS?
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