Date: Sun, 22 Jan 1995 09:46:26 -0600 (CST) From: Censored Girls Anonymous <carolb@barton.spring.com> Many companies are already founded on "a web of debt". "Sallie Mae (Student Loans), Ginnie Mae (General Loans), and Freddie Mac (Real Estate Loans)," all come to mind at the moment. They're nicely formatted, processed and make even more money for investors as the interest rates change. Student Loans (at least GSLs) and GNMA loans are backed by ``the full faith and credit'' of the US federal government. As far as an investor is concerned, loan default looks the same as if the loanee paid their debt off early. The `web of debt' suggestion posted here doesn't seem to follow the same model unless you count virtually every form of financial transaction -- including buying a cup of coffe with a dollar bill -- as fitting the model. As a side note, GNMA (Ginnie Mae) is not for `general loans', but rather VA and FHA primary residence mortgages with various restrictions. GNMA, FNMA (Fannie Mae), and FHLMC (Freddie Mac) all exist to provide secondary markets for various kinds of real estate debt. -- Rick Busdiecker <rfb@lehman.com> Please do not send electronic junk mail! Lehman Brothers Inc. 3 World Financial Center "The more laws and order are made prominent, the New York, NY 10285-1100 more thieves and robbers there will be." --Lao Tzu