Was playing golf with a top guy from the Northern Trust, which, by the way, is in pretty good shape, who had a great response when asked why they seem to be holding up so well. His off the cuff remark was "good bankers don't make loans that they think aren't going to be paid back".
Pretty simple. Of course bankers who originated, packaged, sold, and insured these loans are to blame for their current miseries. Why wouldn't they be? If you make a loan and it doesn't perform, you did poorly at your job.
As far as the people who took the loans out, they are to blame for their personal financial woes as well. Like it or not, when you are an adult, your decisions have consequences. It is your responsibility to educate yourself about the products you buy and the investments you make. Why should it be any other way? Of course, when you have the government, loan oficers, and they mainstream media going on and on how Real Estate con only go up, maybe your lack of education serves you poorly in making a good decision.
The real question is, how are we ever going to come back? Back to the past, two year car loans, 20 percent down on a mortgage held by your local bank. We better get used to no to slow growth for quite a long time. Oh, and 50 years is not a "long time".
FJMcC