This is a generational phenomenon. The housing-market racket of the late '90s and early 2000s was a case of a large, dominant generation (Baby Boomers; b. 1943-

This is a generational phenomenon. The housing-market racket of the late '90s and early 2000s was a case of a large, dominant generation (Baby Boomers; b. 1943-58ish) enriching itself at the expense of a small, recessive generation (Gen X; 1958-80). It occurred during a period when the Baby Boomers were selling houses (that they inherited from parents, or that they were selling in order to downscale to smaller, more maintainable dwellings), when young families (Xers) were buying them, and when Millennials were (thankfully, from my perspective) still renting. All of these bailouts, in my opinion, are the same thing. Bush-style "conservatism" is clearly not future-oriented, and not very conservative either. Cutting taxes while starting a war? Come on. It's a bunch of obnoxious Baby Boomers with no foresight plundering the future.