WhatCausedTheFinancialCrisis?

　　Ithinkwecansumupthecauseofourcurrenteconomiccrisisinoneword—GREED.Overtheyears,mortgagelenderswerehappytolendmoneytopeoplewhocouldn’taffordtheirmortgages.Buttheydiditanywaybecausetherewasnothingtolose.Theselenderswereabletochargehigherinterestratesandmakemoremoneyonsub-primeloans.Iftheborrowersdefault,theysimplyseizedthehouseandputitbackonthemarket.Ontopofthat,theywereabletopasstheriskofftomortgageinsurerorpackagethesemortgagesasmortgage-backedsecurities.Easymoney!

　　andwhatwentwrongwithourfinancialsystem?Thewholethingwasonebigscheme.Everythingwasgreatwhenhousesweresellinglikehotcakesandtheirvaluesgoupeverymonth.Lendersmadeiteasiertoborrowmoney,andthehigherdemanddroveuphousevalues.Higherhousevaluesmeansthatlenderscouldlendoutevenbiggermortgages,anditalsogavelenderssomeprotectionagainstforeclosures.Allofthistranslatesintomoremoneyforthelenders,insurers,andinvestors.Unfortunately,manyborrowersgotslammedwhentheiradjustablemortgagefinallyadjusted.Whentoomanyofthemcouldn’taffordtomaketheirpayments,itcausestheselenderstosufferfromliquidityissueandtositonmoreforeclosuresthantheycouldsell.Mortgage-backedsecuritiesbecamemoreriskyandworthlesscausinginvestmentfirmslikeLehmanBrotherstosuffer.Moreover,insurerslikeAIGwhoinsuredthesebadmortgagesalsogotintrouble.

　　Theschemeworkedwell,butitreversescourseandisnowcomingbacktohurteveryonewithavengeance.