I don't like to get into politics on here, but I couldn't ignore John McCain's vote-buying suck up to home owners in last night's debate.

In an otherwise pretty solid performance, McCain talked about the government refinancing mortgages to reflect declining home values. He claimed he was saving seniors, who, lo and behold, vote in disproportionate numbers.

Leave aside the fact that such government intercession is already part of this summer's housing rescue package. Leave aside the fact that seniors, thanks to good habits and a reluctance to relocate, have been hit less by foreclosures. Aside from all that I confess I'm sick and tired of government sucking up to irresponsible home buyers.

Let my own home buying experience serve as an example. Regrettably, we bought near the top of the market. We needed a larger house for our growing family. The house has fallen in value $100,000, but since we put more than $100,000 down, we're still not "upside down" on the mortgage.

Wouldn't it have made sense, apropos of McCain, for us to have used most of our down payment for European vacations, cars and boats? Then our mortgage today would exceed the home's value. Voila. We'd be instant victims ripe for a "rescue."

You get my drift: These suck-up plans reward the profligate. If home owners can cut deals with the banks to lower the principal on their loans, more power to them. But why should the government bank roll what in many cases was a consumer orgy?