If mortgage companies start to feel like they're losing elbow room, it's probably because they're starting to get nudged by the Obama administration. The folks in the White House are planning to kick off a campaign to squeeze mortgage companies to lower payments for even more borrowers who are in trouble. The $75 billion program, financed by taxpayers, to keep homeowners from falling into default appears to be in trouble.

Mortgage lenders have increased their efforts to modify borrowers' mortgages, but most of them are still in a trial stage, which will last up to five months. Only a handful have been made permanent, which isn't good enough for Washington. The Treasury Department's assistant secretary for financial institutions, Michael S. Barr, told the New York Times, "The banks are not doing a good enough job," continuing, "Some of the firms ought to be embarrassed, and they will be."

E*Trade Financial Corp. (NASDAQ: ETFC) imploded today after the company warned of worse-than-expected earnings and a Citigroup (NYSE: C) analyst said that the company might have to file for bankruptcy protection.

Shares of the company, which has cut earnings forecasts four times this year, plunged to levels not seen since 2003. E*Trade, which lost $58.5 million, or 14 cents a share, in the period ending September 30, expects 2007 profit of between 75 cents and 90 cents, a range big enough to drive a tractor-trailer through. Shares of the New York-based company have plunged 53%.

In a note to clients, analyst Prashant Bhatia said that poor management has "put the viability of the franchise at risk" and that "bankruptcy risk cannot be ruled out," according to Bloomberg News. He cut his rating on the stock to "sell" from "neutral."

Investors bailing on Thornburg Mortgage (NYSE: TMA) are being short sighted. The stock is well on its way to recovering ground it lost on Monday when trading was halted after the stock lost 50% when ratings agencies downgraded it. The stock closed Thursday at $12.38, up $1.82 for the day, having already gained back 50% of its loss.

Why did the ratings agencies downgrade the stock? Perhaps because of the word "mortgage" in its name. But Thornburg Martgage has nothing to do with the subprime mortgage mess. Thornburg Mortgage writes only jumbo mortgages, average mortgage is just shy of $1 million, and only for high net worth individuals with superior credit. Delinquent loans total a mere 0.21% of Thornburg's $24.7 billion portfolio. This delinquency level is one-tenth of the average comparable portfolio's default level.

Up until Monday, Thornburg Mortgage was doing very well, originating $1.7 billion in new loans in 2Q 2007. The company presently has more than 20,000 customers, and holds just under $14 billion in loans. During the quarter, net income rose 20% to $83.4 million, interest income jumped 27% to $102.3 million, and operating expenses remained very low, 0.19% of assets. Not a single security in Thornburg's portfolio has been downgraded. Rather several dozen securities have been upgraded. The ARM portfolio is 94.6% AAA or AA rated. The problem is clearly not one of quality of the stock, but the fact that securitized mortgage bundles are no longer as liquid as previously anticipated.

CEO Garrett Thornburg has stated that the company will be able to self-finance as of mid-September after it has received August payments. It will pay out the quarterly dividend at that time. Garrett Thornburg's personal money is involved here, as is his reputation as a philanthropist in his howmtown. He is not about to risk either one. Contrarian investors need to look over Thornburg Mortgage quick while it's still a bargain.