Paola Sapienza and Luigi Zingales
2.25 million foreclosures were filed last year and at least 1.7 million are expected this year. This dramatic housing crisis is at the origin of the current financial and economic woes our country is experiencing. But if you were to look at Washington, you would hardly notice. Last February, Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced a proposal to redesign Chapter 13 in an attempt to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. In the past year his proposal was largely ignored. In the meantime, Congress approved a $168 billion tax cut for the first stimulus package, $700 billion to help banks, and even held an emergency session after the election to help General Motors and Chrysler. Compare it to HOPE, the limited program for homeowners approved only in October with nominal success to date.
