(Btw, the answer he gives to the question, about the vice presidents, was right.)

Every time I see someone in politics, I seriously think—You know how we’re supposed to be the lunatics of life, people like you and me, anyone in show business…comics, writers, directors, dancers, musicians, announcers, actors, we’re supposed to be the lunatics of life. But you know who is, really, to me? Anyone who gets up in the morning, looks in the mirror, and thinks, “Maybe I’ll lead! Yes! I’ll be the leader! Everyone will be following me!” Serious maniac…seriously unwell people.
[...]
I mean, think about it: any city council in any city in the United States, any school board in any city—does anyone seriously think they mean anyone well?!

A commenter in the YouTube thread says:

wouldn’t destroying homes help the housing market? the banks can take the hit on their defaulted assets and then prices on houses can hit bottom sooner since they are taking excess inventory off of the market. what is causing the problem in the market is no regulation, they should have regulated the amount of homes they built based on the real demand that is out there, and im not talking about demand for pizza delivery guys looking for 300k homes.

Later, the same commenter quotes verses from the Bible and (apparently) the Koran against “usury.” This is the level of intellect that is permitted to have a say in public policy. This is democracy, laid out bare for all to see.

Here were some others:

josh
But the extra business for the crane operator means a boom for the economy *ducks*

Matt
i think we’re missing a real chance here for the government to help. They should buy these assets from the bank, then finish them (employ carpenters), decorate them (employ furniture manufacturers, interior designers etc.), landscape them (employ landscapers etc.). they should then sell them back and forth between various government agencies (realtors fee anyone?), THEN they should destroy them (employ demoltion experts). We could keep a couple hundred people in continual employment just in this one subdivision.

Haas
Mr Obama “TEAR DOWN THESE HOMES”

J Cortez
The video and some of the comments posted on the video are depressing on many levels.

Haven’t you learned? Never read the comments to a YouTube video.

WASHINGTON, DC—According to a report released Monday, the cost of American freedom has soared from its previous 1779 high of bravery, sacrifice, fighting for what’s right, and 25,071 human lives, up to a record bravery, sacrifice, fighting for what’s right, 321,932 human lives, personal privacy, peace of mind, honor, liberty, comfort, and $14.2 billion. Even as it reaches unprecedented levels, most Americans have no choice but to pay for the intangible commodity.

“I suppose you need freedom,” said Nancy Holstrom, who was forced to send her two eldest sons to Iraq last month to help defray rising freedom costs.

Government officials said they are committed to exploring all viable alternatives to freedom, including converting to a military dictatorship.

Friedrich Hayek and Joseph Schumpeter led those “Austrian” economists who tried to build theories in which government attempts to cure recession caused more harm than good. Behind Hoover and Hayek stands the figure of Karl Marx, who critiqued the coming of modern central banking at its origin in the 1840s and thus stands at the head of the Marx-Hoover-Hayek axis.

The policies recommended did not turn out well. We can dispute what should have been done in the Great Depression, but hands-off was the wrong policy. The lesson of the Great Depression was reinforced by the experience of Japan in the 1990s, where governmental hesitancy in taking action in the hope that the market system would soon cure its own diseases was not rewarded.

Yes, he’s being serious, and don’t call me Shirley.

Hat tip: Bob Murphy.