Did you hear about the man who helped Obama buy his house (made a huge house affordable)?

Question

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/14/us/politics/14rezko.html?ex=1182484800&en=354deb68b6c69cfe&ei=5099&partner=TOPIXNEWS

And when Mr. Obama and his wife, Michelle, bought a house in 2005, Mr. Rezko stepped in again. Even though his finances were deteriorating, Mr. Rezko arranged for his wife to buy an adjacent lot, and she later sold the Obamas a 10-foot-wide strip of land that expanded their yard.

* the Rezko's paid almost as much for that lot as the Obama's paid for their house & lot. The same person was selling both lots and this was just an easy way for Obama to afford a bigger house.

Answer 1

Typically the shady business owners will need the help of local government for Zoning issues ,health department ,parking , traffic lights and many other issues that effect their businesses and land holdings .
So a politician is an ally to be pampered and on your side .
If they can not get something done because the law prevents it then just change the law . This is how politicians become valued associates of local business leaders .
Expressway authorities and zoning boards can be manipulated but a congressman is much more capable of steering projects that will benefit certain individuals or investment groups that profit directly from the legistlation and funding provided by politicians .
This is nothing new and look into the background of any politician and you will find these types of contributors and benefactors going back to the founding of this nation .

Answer 2

Yes, but you falsely state that "the Rezko's paid almost as much for that lot as the Obama's paid for their house & lot"

In fact, Obama "paid $1.65 million for a Georgian revival mansion, while Rezko paid $625,000 for the adjacent, undeveloped lot."

http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/124171,CST-NWS-obama05.article

Later, the Obamas purchased a ten foot strip from Rezko to expand their yard.

Every politician, unfortunately, becomes involved, in one way or another, with shady businessmen. At first it seemed that Rezko was on the up and up, and his business projects and developments apparently succeeded. Obama should have refused contributions from Rezko at some point, but when is a candidate obligated to investigate his contributors? When Rezko's corruption was uncovered, Obama gave away the contributions he received for Rezko to charity (this is the proper way to do it under the law).

Campaign funding reform is needed, we should all agree on THAT. And we should all agree that it's dishonest to falsely exaggerate or make up "facts" to manipulate voters.

Answer 3

Sadly almost every Obama supporter knows of these things, but apparently being in cahoots with terrorist, racist, anti American people is not an issue. I think there is a major problem when a candidate running for the presidency of the United States refuses to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, won't sing the National Anthem refuses to wear an American flag lapel pin as all Congress and senate do and has a questionable past (birth name, birth citizenship, affiliations with terrorist, schooling in a radical Muslim school and on and on). I have to double check for typos since a mistake will open the door for BO supporters to attack me instead of addressing the facts.

Answer 4

What a clever way to hide bribes. Don't expect to see this in the main stream media. I wonder what Mr. Rezko got in return.

Answer 5

Obama is in the pockets of Aipac. Elect him and you are electing the Israel lobby. Expect their needs to be met first before any Americans.

Hilary is no better; in fact, all "top tier" candidates are heavily financed by Aipac...no matter who wins and loses..aipac always wins.

Ron Paul spoke of Aipac being the "bad kind" of lobbies in Washington....needless to say, he doesn't get one red cent from them. But he got 5 million in the last few months, so you never know.

Answer 6

This is just like George Soros (International Instigator) throwing Millions at Hillary so she can get plenty of TV time and other advertisements. If it wasn't for people like George Soros you wouldn't be hearing about Hillary that much since quite a few people don't like her

Answer 7

It's funny. If cons see an article they don't like in the New York Times they accuse the paper of having a strong liberal bias.
However that same paper all of a sudden has credibility with cons if they think it makes Dem's look bad.

Nothing in your question is illegal or unethical.

Answer 8

I don't know a person in America who doesn't scram the system or use it to their advantage.

Who cares? The housing market is inflated, where I live studios are going for 1 million+. Good for him.

Answer 9

Ah, the Republican operatives are out in force this morning, trying ance again to use the internet to spread their propoganda, disinformation and lies.

Answer 10

So what?

I'm not being flip; I really want to know why this matters? So Obama found a good deal. Great for him. Isn't that the American dream?