Under McCain, Homeowners to Get a Direct Boost

"Under the plan, the government would buy failing mortgages from homeowners and provide new fixed-rate mortgages. As a policy matter, the plan would likely have greater support among Democrats than Republicans. Economists with the liberal Center for American Progress have been pushing a similar idea for some time.

[McCain economic adviser Douglas] Holtz-Eakin said the plan would help stabilize the plunging values of mortgage-backed securities that have been at the heart of the crisis in the financial markets.

'Sen. McCain believes this is exactly the right kind of policy,' Holtz-Eakin said. 'Provide direct help to homeowners; at the same time, support the financial markets and keep them from further damaging the availability of credit to Main Street America, one of the — the real threats to the economy at this point in time.

The Treasury's current plans for the money, however, could be well under way by the time a new administration is sworn in next year, leaving fewer options for a new administration.'"