So far there has been one failed attempt to provide some sort of temporary solution to the mortgage problem. To their credit, enough members of the House (both Democrat and Republican) refused to be stampeded into approving a hasty mishmash of a bailout bill that included irrelevancies such as a huge grant for ACORN (known for its creative and sometimes illegal crusade to register voters, alive or dead or even fictitious) added to the bill by the Democratic leadership.

To be sure, is now anxious over the huge numbers of calls that their constituents have made over the last few days. Popular sentiment is reported to be overwhelmingly against any immediate bailout of those financial institutions viewed as contributing to the mortgage mess through greed and/or mismanagement.

Since over ninety percent of consumers are making mortgage payments regularly and on time, it is understandable that so many of them are questioning why their tax dollars should be spent shoring up those organizations that have glaringly shown their inability to handle financial matters in a responsible manner.

There are many in the media, in the current Administration and in Congress eager to pass some sort of legislation; after all, it is an election year and a thorough examination of the problem will reveal that issues have been building - and ignored or blocked - since the Carter Presidency. There have been numerous career politicians involved in preventing attempts to impose regulatory restraints upon the mortgage industry over the past four years and further publicity will only expose campaign contributions, "sweetheart deals" and other embarrassments for the Washington elite.

The public has been deluged with frantic warnings of returning to the Depression era, financial meltdown, destruction of America's credit base and other catastrophes that will ensue unless immediate action is taken. There is indeed a looming problem, for unless credit is stabilized many businesses will face bankruptcy without a line of credit to guarantee payroll and operating expenses. Unavailable credit will also create pressure for many households. But severe problems require carefully constructed solutions and most of all leadership.

Tonight the Senate is scheduled to vote on a revised plan that is reportedly more friendly to the consumer and less focused on aiding Wall Street, hedge funds and investment banking. Massive problems require carefully constructed solutions and, just as important, leadership. This will not be found from those heading Senate and House Banking and Finance Committees, who have for the last several years insisted that there were no problems with Fannie and Freddie and who have blocked numerous attempts to impose regulatory restraint on the practices of those two organization.

And this is not the time for partisan politics.

It is time for our elected representatives to do their duty for the people, not for those entities who buy their attention through large campaign contributions and lobbying efforts.

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