Don't Think This is a Done Deal

brian, you are the only one that seems to get it. we as americans are ticked off and our congress reps just seem to be doing whatever they want. here's an idea america. not only should we fire our congress members that vote yes, but lets take a stand. if they do pass this bill, i say we take all of our money out of whatever banks they are bailing out and put our money in the other banks and credit unions. these banks deserve to go out of business for their poor decisions and greediness. if the government wont do it, i say we as americans take a stand and stop these banks from ruining more lives and costing us more money.

This will not work and is a total deception of the American taxpayers. Regardless of what happens the market is going to loose money and self correct itself. A yes vote for this is political suicide...Guaranteed! Listen to your constitutes; banks in Philadelphia and South Jersey are aggressively advertising they are solid and have plenty of money to lend...if you're qualified. Seems to me, they have it right and you don't.

Stop the BS and let the chips fall where they may. If the financial institutions of America are unwilling to help themselves, then why should the taxpayers be expected to bail them out. This is not a "RESCUE". There is water in the canoe because of poor maintenance and even poorer oversight and the taxpayers are being forced to man the pails with their hard earned dollars. The executives and politicians brought this crisis into fruition, let them bail/pay their own way out. The solution is simple, force all the industry to pay a mere three percent of their worth into a fund. Use that fund to purchase the bad paper so that the books are clear. and credit can flow. If these people haven't got faith in themselves, why in the world do they think that the average citizen does? All the citizen sees is cronyism at it's worst. We have politicians and executives scratching each others back. Business got the politicians elected, now they expect the politicians to save their butts from their own mismanagement. The press only adds to the fiasco. Not one report that I have listened too, whether it be FOX, CNN, ABC, CBS, or NBC is offering unbiased reporting. We Americans are not as ignoraant as the press and politicians believe us to be. I have not seen one bit of objective reporting during this entire ordeal. We the people deserve much better than what they are getting and give the press credit for one thing, it does one fantastic job of obscuring issues. We all know that a poll can be worded in such a manner that the result is what you want it to be. Numbers are, have been, will continue to be manipulated to suit the bias of the broadcast moguols which control the press. Just look at the statistics presented to the public over the last two years. Now all of a sudden the Armageddon of worldwide financial disaster is at the door. Simply put, there is no believable truth in this great nation. A bailout is a bailout, there is nothing heroic in this so callled "RESCUE". The financial institutions, the politicians and the press have done eveything possible to convince the public that the wolf is at the door. If we are living in a straw hut, it is because these very people have forced us to accept this as a way of life because of their own greed. We apparently are going to let these overcompensated incompetent executives waltz off into the sunset under their golden umbrellas. No accountability for their actions at all. The finacnial world can save themselves and the politicians can force it to happen if they have the integrity to do so. Let the politicians demand that Wall Street contribute sufficient funds to bail themselves out and for once listien to the voice of the nation, We taxpayers do not want to shoulder the burden to save the wealthy. Based on the current figures, a mere three percent contribution into a fund could alleviate the entire mess. Let these institutions form their own "Bad investement Insurance Fund." Taxpayers should not be called upon to provide the funds to rectify this fiasco and any politician that wants to be re-elected, needs to heed the warning. What is the cost of this "bailout" now that evey Tom, Dick, Harry. Jane, Betty, and Sue have demanded to be appeased in order to get this passed, who knows? Instead of 700 billion, it is probably more like seven trillion over the long haul. Every item that could possibly be of benefit to citizens has been tacked onto this legislation, except for legislation dealing with veterans benefits. Now instead of working simply on the economic crisis we are voting for the taste of bacon. What a way to run a government and gain favor of your constituents. We tax payers are bearing the brunt again. We can't win, We won't win. Politics, press, and business won't let us win. There are no sacrifices being made by Wall Street. The cronies are working diligently, to convince the average taxpayer it is their "patriotic duty" to save the economy. It is not our duty, it is the duty of the people which casused the mess to begin with. If my canoe is sinking, I have to bail the water and repair the hole, let Wall Street do the same. Wall Street is playing games with our mind in an effort to convince us that a bailout using taxpayers money is the only solution. Let the principles of this fiasco be the patriot. Let them fail and clean some of the chaff from the horizon. Our nation was built on the premise that the strong survive, why are we being asked to change the rules at this late date.? I was always told " poor planning leads to poor performance. " It is not my emergency, it is Wall Street"s, in this case though, I am not 9-1-1. Stop your bleeding before you call on me to patch you up. Taxpayers deserve truth and respect. Maybe if we vote everyone out it would prove a point. We have no voice in government because we can't "buy your vote" as the sepcial interest groups can. It is a shame that the government of our entire nation, from local to federal, is at the mercy of the largest contributors. We now have government of the people, by special interests, for big business. What a shame that this great nation can no longer claim being democratic in principle.

Continue to email/call your congressmen!! If they vote for the bill - email/call them stating that they will be fired! And follow through, communicate with all your friends and family to vote these people out of office! Instead of a bailout of poor business practice, they should be cutting taxes - fuel, sales, capital gains, estate and personal property.. That would put money in people's pockets and spending would start again!

GEORGE SHOUD BE ASHAMED FOR TRYING TO PULL OFF THIS CHARADE. ALL I CAN THINK IS THAT HE MUST BE GETTING TERRIBLE ADVICE FROM THE "ECONOMIC EXPERTS". EVEN WITHOUT ALL THE LARD THE SENATE HAS LAVISHED ON THIS SKUNK TO BUY VOTES IT STILL STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN. THE SENATE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT ECONOMICS, THEY HAVE BEEN TOO BUSY FEATHERING THEIR OWN NESTS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THIS CRISIS. SO THEY ARE SCARED THEIR HOUSE OF CARDS WILL COLLAPSE BEFORE THEY GET THEIR JUST DUE: (RETIREMENT, SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS, AND FREE MEDICAL CARE FOR LIFE, ALL OF WHICH THEY VOTED FOR THEMSELVES). I HAVE SERVICE CONNECTED DISABILITY TO THE POINT WHERE I CAN HARDLY WALK BUT I STILL PUT MY 24 YEARS IN PROUDLY SERVING MY COUNTRY BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. THERE IS A GROWING NUMBER OF FOLKS IN THE USA THAT FEEL SHAT UPON BY THEIR GOVERNMENT AND SOON THERE MAY BE ENOUGH TO TAKE ACTION. I HOPE THAT DAY NEVER HAPPENS BUT I WILL BE PREPARED.

I was aghast at the vote last by our Senators (with VERY few exceptions). as others have stated earlier, there have been other alternatives that have been brought forth and not even looked considered. Henry Paulson wanted to scare the American Public (which obviously DIDN'T work) but evidently did get to scare our "elected" officials, into this debacle. It is amazing that our officials think that we are chattel who will follow the herd into this blindly... but then, the way things stand, we are going to be brought into this by the $700 billion (no wait, the last figure I heard it was now $850 billion) nose ring. This President (who I am ashamed to admit I voted for in 2000) has stabbed the American People in the back with his economic policies and GIVING away our jobs for the sake of GREED. I'm sure many of us have heard at one time or another... "We are moving your job to China, India... someother place, to increase shareholder value!" I was one of the shareholders, and I wasn't happy. The Congressional Leadership thinks that we need to be cajoled into this pathetic economic package because of their elitist attitudes (when did we stop being a Democracy and start being an Oligrachy?), and it's being touted by China and India... heck we basically gave those governments the money (through Corporate Greed and on the backs of the American People) to take control of our economy and pressure us to make this idiotic bailout... basically weakening us even more. Right after 9/11, I started telling anyone who would listen that if you want to hurt the United States in a way that won't cause the ire of the American will to stand up, be counted and take appropriate action, just try economic terrorism... which we have been doing for at least 8 years. And of course, our wonderful President (again, I apologize America) who has acted as a Neville Chamberlain when it comes to our Economy... appeasing the Multi-Nationals by giving away our economy. Okay, sorry, didn't mean to rant, but as all of us on this blog, I am ANGRY! Thanks everyone for your time and patience.

Instead of pork perhaps Congress should include the solution to the problem, i.e. retracting mandates to banks to initiate insecure loans, with the purposed solution ($700 Bil)in the "Bail-out" bill. Unfortunately our govt.runs on lard instead of logic.

If there is a liquidity problem with banks help them with an infusion of cash and leave the housing debacle for later.

Why is it the media is now toting this "bailout" as a "rescue." I hope our house of representatives still has some backbone and knocks this down!

Comment for Walter Rudy who asked " How can the government pick and choose which companies they’re willing to protect (AIG) and who they’re willing to let fail (Lehman Bro)? Goldman Sachs has a 20 billion dollar investment in AIG.. Paulson is the ex-CEO of Goldman... He invited the current CEO of Goldman to the meeting on how to handle the AIG situation... INSIDER TRADING... Martha Stewart did jail time for this!!! NO BAIL OUT

If this doesn't wake up "We the People" nothing will. Where are today's George Washingtons, John Adams, and Thomas Jeffersons? We can't pass $700 Billion but we can pass an $800 Billion Plus. Gotta love DC.

I want to know who slipped all the pork into this bill.

This bailout is a bunch of garbage. Why should Jon Q. Taxpayer have to pay because of some greedy banking executives that were careless with their money? I think the Government should force them to take money out of there multi-million dollar buyouts (can we say WAMU)to help pay for this mess. Then shut down our borders to foreigners with "work" visas and give those jobs to Americans. Lastly, lets take a substantially smaller sum of money and put it into energy companies, U.S. automakers, help start small businesses, and maybe put some into the pockets of Americans so they can put it back into our economy. Maybe it wouldn't be all that bad if we went back to a Pre-Depression America, then maybe we would learn something in this country.

How does PMI insurance figure into all of these so called toxic loans.

I feel that, no matter where the blame lies (there's plenty of culpability on all sides to go around for government and business alike), that members of congress are acting irresponsibly by interfering with the market. Those companies that made poor, irrational or fraudulent choices don’t warrant government intervention and should be forced out of the market. The fraudulent ones should be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible. It’s sad that the government was so quick to make sure that mortgages were being placed with persons not qualified to get them without first mandating that they receive the education and tools to manage their household finances. This may have helped ensure that these people were fiscally responsible and accountable for the repayment of their mortgages. I further feel that many of the members of congress are just trying to protect their own jobs and interests under the ruse of trying to help those of us on “Main Street” who are ultimately affected. I laud those of you who are actually voting the will of the people. If our financial system were truly a “house of cards”, it would have collapsed long before now. I also believe this was a ploy for President Bush to salvage a portion of his presidential legacy. After all, the banks are in the business of extending credit. Those individuals and businesses that are creditworthy will get it. It may cost more but that’s the current environment. I also understand that 93% of mortgagees are current and only 2% are in foreclosure. This is far from a disaster. Those that are less creditworthy should have less credit available to them. How can the government pick and choose which companies they're willing to protect (AIG) and who they're willing to let fail (Lehman Bro)? This "crisis" didn't happen overnight and can't be corrected overnight through hasty actions. The failure in the administration's and the congress' oversight of the banking & finance industry is truly egregious. Their fiduciary responsibility to the public has been breached to the point that there is little trust by the public in congress' and the administration's ability to effectively handle this situation. Tough times are on the way for those of us on ”Main Street” regardless of the action that the congress and the administration plan to take in the next few days. Pathetically, Walter R. Rudy Wadsworth, OH

Why do I get the feeling that the magician is waving his left hand in the air grabbing my attention while he picks my pocket with his right hand? I am so disappointed in our supposed "leaders". It's time for a change.

It'll pass. The citizens don't run this country. We are government property. The IRS, FBI, CIA, DEA, ect. are the overseers and we are the slaves on the plantation. The master is a collection of international financiers (known by some as the illuminati) that create money out of thin air and loan it at interest. I have hope though that one day the slaves will break from their chains and put the heads of their masters on a platter.

This is good news to me Brian. I like Bernie Sander's idea best. Too bad they shot him down.

WE need to know who put the pork on the bill,not just what the pork is,so we can send them home. Gary McDade Lake Havasu City Az

This is totally rediculous. Mainstreet USA will not see much difference in the economy with or without this bailout. Ask the financial professionals that have NO personal interest in this. But hey....at least we can afford wooden arrows and a race track.