>>Not according to factcheck.org --- but this is something that I really don't know much about. I do know that the GOP is big on deregulation though - which of course can cause all kinds of problems (and does).
>>
>>Actually, the meltdown was caused by MORE regulation during the Clinton years. That was when the Ninja loans were mandated....
>
>Never heard the term "Ninja Loans" before, but it cracks me up.
>
>When I googled "Ninja Loans" this one page summary came up:
> http://russp.us/subprime.htm
>
>It fits with what our mortgage banking customers told us at the time.
>They did not fall into a moral abyss - they were pushed!


There is no question that GWB played a role in this. But since he is an 'R', most people equate his actions with "laissez-faire". One only needs to look at his famous philosophy of using "the mighty muscle of the federal government” to expand home ownership. This is not "free market capitalism", this is the same kind of government intervention that contributed greatly to the great depression (government manipulation of monetary policy).