If we really wanted to get out of the housing 'crisis' uncle sugar could...
Prop up any bank who agreed to..
Allow the underwater homeowner [or any home owner] to repay their mortgage without interest except for a 1% loan management fee with the 1% being a fixed %age of the initial loan for the life of the loan i.e. a 200,000 dollar loan would require the borrower to repay a 2,000 dollar 'loan management' fee for the life of the loan.
Thus a 200,000 dollar 20 year loan would require a monthly repayment of 833.00 + the 'loan management fee of 167.00 which would make a monthly payement of 1,000 dollars which is approx. equal to an apt.rental unit in LV.
In 20 yrs. the bank would recoup 240,000 dollars for the house that they are repossessing today and reselling for approx. 100,000 bucks.
Uncle sam could treat any mortgage that functioned under this repayment plan as a CAPITOL GAINS investment with taxes collected on it when the house is sold or the owner takes out a equity loan except for educational loans or medical bills.
My home is payed off so I'm not suggesting this idea to 'feather' my nest.

There is enough water going into the gulf of Mexico from the Missippippi
river to supply all the water the dry American southwest could ever use!
West Texas is enjoying another drought so a pipe could/should have
support from Texas to California and every state between.
If you have driven around rural Nevada you will have notices millions of
acres of flat land the could have unlimited potential and most of this
land is owned by all Americans so a pipeline wouldn't be held ransom by
few private interests.
Right now America has billions of dollars worth of construction equiptment
setting idle and thousands of experienced construction workers who need
a job.
If our politicians can back a train to nowhere [LV to Victorville] that will benefit
very few people they should be able to back a project that would eventually
benefit millions of Americans.

Miter
You are acting exactly as I have stated [repeatedly] the people who support Ron Paul act when confronted by a question that ,if answered intelligently , would end Mr Pauls 'run' in a heartbeat and the fact that he hasn't a prayer proves that this is true.
Asking a question with a question isn't an answer it's ducking the question.
As to Ron Pauls increase in net worth IF the gold standard was re-enacted.
Denying that Paul has a vested interest in raising the worth of gold isn't acting silly it's just plain dishonest.
It would be like me owning 500 57 chevys and campaigning with the idea that, if elected, I would put out an executive order making all 57 chevys worth a million dollars [for the good of the country of course].
If a Pauloonie wants to make a rational statement about how we would fuction with a return to the gold standard then let her fly... hourly wages?... worth of todays dollars?.. price of a new auto?home? weeks groceries?how many dollars would an ounce of gold buy?how many ounces of gold does the USA own???
If you cannot answer a simple question then you have zero respect from me and most Americans who have busted their azzes all of their lives to get one step out of the gutter and we don't intend to get pushed back there be a senile old fool and his band of underachievers!
Bet on it!

Blissmiles
You have given the typical Pauloonie non answer to my question which is why I have zero respect for you Pauloonies and your hero.
I wouldn't be suprised if some strange person who quotes dead people and NORMALLY hates religion and people who use religion to get their point across decided that Mormons who like Ron Paul are cool in spite of their support of Harry Reid.

Question for Ron Paul and/or Pauloonies [that they will never answer]?
How many pennies would one of todays dollar bills buy if we went back to the gold standard?
Bonus question [that won't get answered either]?
How much would Ron Pauls net worth increase if we went back to the gold standard?

Question for Ron Paul and/or Pauloonies [that they will never answer]?
How many pennies would one of todays dollar bills buy if we went back to the gold standard?
Bonus question [that won't get answered either]?
How much would Ron Pauls net worth increase if we went back to the gold standard?

If I were a sports betting person I would bet part of my pittence on the Giants since they easily pounded the 'Pack' but I don't bet my meager earnings on which group of millionaires can best the other one because the loser there will still be a millionaire and I would be that much poorer!