Too many here completely misunderstand the nature of this FnF-Govt-TSYHeist-C'ship fiasco. Most of you have been here long enough to understand some basic facts about the ability of shareholders to move the needle, but emotion and pollyanna beliefs too often carry the day, and a few of you are completely delusional about what posting here, or contacting officials, or the media will or can do.
- NOBODY, I repeat NOBODY, other than shareholders, especially any Congressmen, agency official, or influential policymaker, cares about the plight of shareholders. In fact, I contend that it is counter productive to contact ANY government official seeking any relief SOLEY on the basis of an appeal to shareholder plight. If you haven't learned why this is there is no hope to educate you in one or a hundred posts, but some of the following may help.
- Better and more effective would be to address the problems this country is facing with housing and high interest rates, then argue FnF's traditional role (the beneficial functions they provide to the market and home buyers), slide in there some facts on the egregious captial requirements, FnF's earnings power, their "retained capital", stress test successes, and finally the uneven, heavy-handed mistreatment vis-a-vis other financial institutions Treasury has executed. (All of these make a backdoor case for treating shareholders fair and respectfully.) THEN AND ONLY THEN mention constitutional issues regarding property rights, or takings, or other shareholder supporting arguments.
-------BUT BUT BUT - even if EVERY SINGLE SHAREHOLDER made this appeal I still contend it will not be enough to be a decisive factor UNTIL whatever is guming up the process on the inside is worked out by the insiders (NONE of us know what these issues are.)
------- Why do I believe this? There are multitudes of housing groups, including the non-establishment banking organizations which have been making these arguments, lobbying Congress, sharing their facts and figures with the media (and congress) putting their weight behind the effort on the HOUSING RELATED ISSUES AND FACTS. Even some congressmen and the former CFO have put their weight behind the housing related facts to move the process along, and NONE, I repeat, NONE to date have made a dent. See the bolded excerpt above. Treasury and the insiders will move WHEN AND ONLY WHEN ready or forced to do so by economic or legal forces.
- Cheerleading here is fine, on social media - meh - counterproductive other than rallying other shareholders to hang in there and maybe long-term a residual effect when they finally resolve this issue. But your ill-equipped soldiers face nothing but a mowing down against this government arsenal.
- If you all love the cheerleading here more power to you, if it helps you hang in there and find camaraderie, great! As they say misery loves company, but don't be fooled for an instant that you are making a difference to the powers with the boots on your neck. You have a better chance appealing as above, through the backdoor, but for Christ's sake do it smarter!
One can avoid reality, but one cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality.
