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Predatory Lending and Inequality

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Predatory Lending and Inequality
For many years, the American dream has been deteriorating for several reasons. Paul Krugman, author of “Confronting Inequality,” blames the “inequality of our income distribution.” He explains how and why the differences between wages of the poor and wealthy are a major conflict in today's society. Constance M. Ruzich and A. J. Grant, authors of “Predatory Lending and the Devouring of the American Dream,” argue that the downfall of the American dream has occurred because of predatory lending acts. According to the authors, predatory lending and inequality play a very significant role in the corruption of the American dream.
Predatory lending has caused many conflicts in the American society. Victims who fall for predatory lending are usually low income homeowners or those having financial difficulties. Consumers do not realize that mortgage payments are impossible until 3-4 years after predatory lending. This imposes a significant role in the destruction of the American dream. Constance M. Ruzich, a teacher at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, and A. J. Grant, also a teacher at RMU, state in their essay, “Subprime mortgages are home loans made at higher rates of interest to burrowers who represent higher credit risks and have lower credit scores.” People with subprime mortgages have a difficult time paying their taxes. Predatory lending, or subprime mortgages, has significantly taken part in the downfall of the economy. Ruzich and Grant say, “Ten years ago, few Americans had heard of subprime mortgages or predatory lending, but by 2008, a survey of economists had identified the effects of the mortgage crisis as the number one threat to the U.S. economy, greater than that of terrorism or conflict in the Middle East.” This statement shows how these lendings have affected the economy at a reasonably rapid rate. The economy of the United States has crumbled at a very accelerated rate like a house on fire. It is no longer what it used to be and in only getting

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