Truly the US economy is in rough times now. The current housing crisis is a bigger problem than many of us realize. For one, the stock market is based on the mortgage industry, in other words, mortgage paper holds up the stock market. The two are intimately intertwined. The current housing slump combined with the credit crisis (high interest rate maxed out credit cards) leads to an explosive combination - and the time-bomb is a tickin'. I do understand that government officals feel that they need to do something, but I have to disagree with their methods. Policy is being created to put a chock-hold on lenders that will have a very negative effect. Specifically, efforts are under way to limit Yield Spread Premiums (compensation paid BY LENDERS/BANKS to Brokers - it is the difference between the wholesale rate the Broker is able to obtain and the final retail rate to the borrower). Unknown to borrowers (and apparantly politicians) is that Brokers are able to obtain loans on behalf of borrowers BELOW RETAIL INTEREST RATES. REMOVING YSP WILL ELIMINATE THE ABILITY OF BROKERS TO OFFER BORROWERS RATE BELOW WHAT BANKS OFFER AT RETAIL. What does this mean? It means that borrowers will no longer have a choice on the rate they pay - only 100% retail rates. There goes to concept of competition to create competive pricing right out the window. Great job elected officials! If you really wanted to help borrowers, you would put limitation on CREDIT CARD COMPANIES WHO ALLOW BORROWERS TO BORROW TO THE HILT MAKING MINIMUM PAYMENTS ON 10 DIFFERENT CREDIT CARDS UNTIL THEY ALL MAX OUT LEAVING CONSUMERS STUCK WITH DEBT THEY CAN NEVER PAY OFF! Add a car and a house to that and you have a recipe for disaster.