Roach Killer to Fix Housing Mess . . . .

Per McClatchy today:

Bush names former pest-control exec as housing secretary
Kevin G. Hall | McClatchy Newspapers - April 18, 2008

WASHINGTON — President Bush's nomination Friday of Steve Preston to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development came under fire for the nominee's lack of housing experience amid the worst national housing downturn in memory.

Critics and some key lawmakers said that Preston, who heads the Small Business Administration, was a lawn-care and pest-control business executive before Bush put him at the SBA in 2006.

"In seeking to fill this important Cabinet post I looked for a leader with an impressive background in finance; someone who understands the important role the housing market plays in the broader economy," the president said. "I sought a reformer who would act aggressively to help Americans obtain affordable mortgages ... and be able to keep their homes."

One key Democrat wasn't impressed. Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, which holds jurisdiction on many housing issues, said the agency needed a strong leader who could keep troubled homeowners in their homes and restore confidence in the sagging mortgage market.

"These priorities call for a leader with expertise in housing issues, yet the president's choice has no apparent housing background, which raises questions," Dodd said in a statement.

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Before the SBA, Preston served as executive vice president of the ServiceMaster Company. Among its businesses are TruGreen ChemLawn, the nation's largest lawn-care company, and the pest-control company Terminix.

Preston steered clear of controversy when he appeared Friday before the cameras.

"As we help people pursue the American dream, we need to have a market to operate fairly and effectively for all Americans," he said. "And our solutions must restore confidence in our markets while not erecting barriers to future entrepreneurs, investors and home buyers."

Well, I guess a bug killer is just the person to fix the US' housing mess.

After all, an expert at dispensing chemicals would be perfect to fix a toxic situation.

Sheesshh, this crew is really scraping the bottom of the barrel to finish out their eight years of destruction . . . .