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For companies with a seemingly straightforward mandate - to expand housing to low income households and to provide stability to the housing market by making a market for mortgages - Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have gotten themselves into an awful lot of trouble. Here's a rundown of the parties that brought us to this unhappy point.
By Colin Barr and Katie Benner

NEXT: Congress
Last updated July 18 2008: 4:35 PM ET
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