Last year the Wall Street Journal joined the chorus of voices emphasizing the importance of home ownership in America today, with an article titled "10 Reasons to Buy a Home." Earlier this month the Journal again weighed in, emphasizing the importance of housing to the nation’s economy, in "We Can’t Ignore Housing Anymore." We need to keep housing first on the nation’s public policy agenda, because housing and home ownership issues affect all Americans. Issues like the mortgage interest deduction, foreclosures and short sales, affordable financing and available credit don’t just affect people who own a home – home ownership shapes communities and strengthens the nation’s economy.