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ERROR: type should be string, got "https://preview.redd.it/rzlthqorllve1.jpg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b8a6153f78c0930860bceb686f50fe6f91f089b3\n\n***Photo above -*** *\"Toto . . . Zillow says that home prices are about to fall, and we can finally move out of Auntie Em's and into a place of our own . . . \"* \n \nPresident Trump might soon achieve what has eluded Fed Chairman Jerome Powell over the past 11 years – affordable housing. Well, affordable-ish. Prices might decline 2% this year according to Zillow. See link below. \n \nYes, this is the SAME Zillow that almost went bankrupt a couple of years ago. Because their brainiacs couldn’t predict housing prices, and ended betting the farm trying buy up “undervalued” homes and flipping them to investors and budding Airbnb tycoons. That crash and burn episode cost Zillow 25% of their headcount and all their free cash. \n \nFed Chairman Powell has been playing mumbly-peg with interest rates since he was nominated to the fed in 2014 by President Obama. As “Jerry” likes to remind anyone, *“I can’t be fired”*. Well, Trump is again threatening to do just that, so we’ll see where it goes this time. \n \nIn any case, anyone who ALREADY owns a home is probably happy with the past decades’ outlandish housing inflation. Anyone who is a renter (or homeless) . . . well not so much. \n \nMore people own homes than rent, so you'd think there would be huge delight at skyrocketing housing costs. But the 60% of people who statistically own a home - that's a number which only applies to whoever is the primary breadwinner is in that household. Non-earning adults (spouses, partners, adult children, brother-in-laws down on their luck) probably don’t agree with the head of household on home inflation. In fact, the breadwinning head of households might even want lower home prices – and mortgage rates – if it means they can get rid of their brothers in law and adult babies without turning it into a fiasco. \n \nThis is a complicated situation. When housing prices do go down, Zillow is going to blame and/or credit Trump. Fed Chairman Powell, being the incoherent and over credentialed government bureaucrat he is, will probably be torn between two impulses: (a) taking credit, and shouting “success” from the podium at some press conference, or (b) going “oh shit” to himself, and resigning, to let Trump blow in the wind. \n \nHousing prices were already falling, even before Trump put huge tariffs on everything from Gazpacho soup to Brazil nuts. People are fleeing hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, wildfires, spiraling real estate taxes, and soaring electric bills. Even trending retirement locations like Ashville, North Carolina can fall out of favor after a single hurricane party. Property-Casuality insurance companies are going to milk this trend for all its worth, and ratchet up nationwide rate increases, until congress starts holding hearings. None of this will make housing affordable again, of course. \n \nLast month, Zillow was still trumpeting even more soaring home prices. In just 30 days they’ve done a 180 degree U-turn, and are saying the opposite. Hmmm . . let’s agree that they're not the smartest guys in the room. And not a credible source of info. In fact, Zillow might even be worse than Jerome Powell. \n \nI’m just sayin’ . . . \n \n[**Zillow turns full-blown housing market bear—just look at its new forecast - Fast Company**](https://www.fastcompany.com/91318758/housing-market-zillow-turns-full-blown-housing-market-bear-new-forecast) \n \n[**Zillow to exit its home buying business and cut 25% of staff | CNN Business**](https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/02/homes/zillow-exit-ibuying-home-business/index.html)"

ERROR: type should be string, got "https://preview.redd.it/80nrngehrsld1.jpg?width=370&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=85a553ee5e0a267a5e477bde5b3f708b56b29c87\n\n***Photo above -*** *20 police cars pursue John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd in The Blue Brothers. They apparently didn't have insurance . . . ?* \n \nI don’t mind paying car insurance based on my own driving record. Well, I probably would mind if I had a bunch of speeding tickets, or DUI arrests. But my insurance is going up anyway, because speeders and drunk drivers are dropping their own insurance after they get arrested. See link below. \n \nThis should surprise no one. The last time I was in an accident was over 10 years ago. Some dude in a Cadillac Escalade rear ended me at a traffic light. Then promptly pulled around and fled the scene. A helpful bystander got the tag number. When apprehended at home several days later, he was – of course – found to be driving without insurance. A man who knows a man told me that the driver’s excuse was he couldn’t afford insurance on top of his $600 a month Escalade payment. Remember, this is 10 years ago, so we’re talking about an Escalade with a serious level of bling here. \n \nSomeone back into my mom's car even longer ago. Minivan vs compact car. The soccer-mom minivan driver couldn’t see out the back, and maybe didn’t even look. A 5-mph fender bender. The driver provided a xerox copy of her insurance card and motored off before police arrived. It was later determined that the insurance card was counterfeit. All this in a church parking lot, mind you. My mom’s insurance company paid the whole $4,500 repair bill. \n \nNeither of these were DUIs accidents. But risky driving certainly leads millions of people to get insurance rate increases. And then they drop insurance entirely. What happens when you get caught by police driving without insurance? You get a ticket as long as it wasn’t accident. The police don’t actually arrest anyone and tow their car. As long as they’re sober at that moment. \n \nWhere am I headed with this? It’s another rant against the failure of government to carry out its customary and expected functions. The DMV is notified if someone's insurance is cancelled. But then . . . nothing. They don’t send someone around to make sure the scofflaw fixes it. They also don’t stopped sending police to mass shoplifting events. They don’t evict squatters from Airbnb house takeovers. The don’t arrest streetwalking “ladies of the evening” right outside my office when I'm getting off work. The police DO patrol in pairs, in $55,000 Ford Explorer “interceptors”, waiting for an accident call on their radio. It makes MUCH more sense to investigate a collision on the interstate than to respond to some Target mass shoplifting call. The shoplifters were already gone in 30 seconds. \n \nHere's my solution. Revoke the driver's permit of anyone who has failed to replace cancelled insurance in 30 days. Send an officer, or deputy, or public safety aide 'round to get the license. If threats are made, arrest him and confiscate the car. \n \nYes, it actually IS that simple. Why should my insurance rates go up 50% because people drive drunk then cancel their insurance? \n \nI’m just sayin’ . . . \n \n[**More motorists are dropping insurance. Guess who pays the price? (msn.com)**](https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/more-motorists-are-dropping-insurance-guess-who-pays-the-price/ar-AA1pEWMq?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=66040986b0fd44a5fb0ce8bfccc49bc7&ei=89)"