Five percent of Americans are running late on their mortgage payments. But 95 percent are not.
Thirteen percent of subprime borrowers are running late on their mortgages. That means 87 percent are not.
My point is not to excuse bad numbers, but put them in perspective. They're not the worst they've ever been. They're the worst they've been in four years.
There is a difference, saying things have never been this bad, then correcting yourself and saying, "Well, actually they were worse than this back in 2003."
Because to besmirch an entire group of borrowers for the sins and slip-ups of a few, does the many more good an unconscionable bad.
Further, it dries up opportunities for those who rightly deserve their crack at the American Dream — owning a home.
Most who take out a mortgage pay that mortgage, on time, all the time.
Most who figure they got in on an adjustable rate that starts out low, have figured for themselves whether they can afford the payments when they're "not" that low.
They're smart. They're shrewd. But right now, they're screwed. Because some weren't that smart, or that shrewd, or that prudent, or that careful.
It's a damning indictment to say the people have failed the system, when it's some overzealous lenders who failed the people. Because 95 percent of Americans are doing the right thing. And 87 percent of risky borrowers are doing the right thing.
We live to report on those who don't. I regret we're not fair and balanced enough to commend those who do.
Watch Neil Cavuto weekdays at 4 p.m. ET on "Your World with Cavuto" and send your comments to cavuto@foxnews.com
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