It's not your typical Puritanical scandal over marital infidelities, however. You just can't have the head of the CIA in a compromised, clandestine relationship. I once had a U.S. defense dept. clearance, and you learned that the common vulnerabilities for spy infiltration involved drug use, gambling debts, and extramarital affairs.
The Profumo Affair was a big deal for a reason, and it had nothing to do with the U.S.
I think sub-prime lending was a contributor, not sole reason. Address this and how easy it is for people to get financing with poor credit or high risk lending to be more specific. Attempt to lower oil prices to assist in increasing productivity.