and howard glaser, farmer counselor to the hud secretary, president clinton. you're going to come back in the next segment. i just want a quick tease. is the bottom in housing about to crack lower? howard, you first. >> critical and dangerous spring for the housing market. we've got the withdrawal of mbs from the fed, the housing tax credit expiring, and we have 3 to 4 million homes and shadow inventory. we have a problem ahead if we're not careful. >> all right. so steve meister, do you agree with that? is the bottom going to crack lower? it's going to crack lower, larry. unless the democrats have figured out a way to repeal the law of supply and demand, we're going to go lower. there is a lot of mortgage foreclosure inventory, shadow inventory, coming on. and we are going to have to see lower prices in order to deal with that increased inventory, no question. >> gentlemen, stay right where you are, please. when we come back, i want to pursue this. i want to ask, with all the federal assistance to housing, why isn't the market stronger? much more with our gues