NPR Setting up Reason to Regulate Rental Pricing?

NPR, today, had a segment of their news broadcast explaining that landlords are finding themselves in the catbird seat:  able to increase rental rates in the current economy.  The report cited a very low figure of between  4% or 5% vacancy rate in rental properties.  This they said is because  people are not buying homes due to stringent credit requirements.  No one is lending.  


Furthermore, they  informed us that folks paying rent are now paying more than home-buyers pay. (I guess they mean per month.)

Keep the above in mind -A few minutes ago, I coincidentally ran across an article that made the case that Obama is in the process of  some serious vote buying by  the elimination (or restructuring) of mortgages through the use of a presidential or government panel’s magic wand.


From the article:  



 "It has not been reported.  It’s not gone beyond where I first saw it.  Well, I take it back.  It has appeared in one other place.  Our old buddy James Pethokoukis, who writes at Reuters and some other places, has discovered that one of the objectives Obama has with all these recess appointments is to — brace yourself here — essentially, when you strip it all away, if this happens, what Obama is planning on doing is essentially forgiving all mortgages."...


Here is a link to the entire article quoted from above.


Thumbs Down to Obama If he does this using his executive pen, or unaccountable-to-the-American- people-consumer-protection-czars, then what would stop him from regulating what landlords charge for rent?   Just think of the support he would get for violating the constitution.



After all, greedy landlords are bilking renters during these difficult times.  This seemed to be the NPR message.


Here is a link to the entire article quoted from above.



Maybe I'm missing something, but it seems to me that too many people don't understand the power grab he has just taken.  My problem with this  is not necessarily that he wants to regulate.  My problem is he wants to set precedent after precident for bypassing congress (the voice of the people).  


We are moving further and further away from individual liberty.  This is my problem:  Increasingly,   We the people are not being represented, we are being ruled.  Is this what you want?