How nice - our government is bailing out all the big companies, banks, insurance companies and Wall Street.

The first thing the big CEO's are doing is lining their own pockets. After all they NEED their bonuses and perks.

So our government is jump-starting our economy.

So what do we get - $250.

Let's see - that can buy groceries for a week (maybe - depending on family size), or it can pay a monthly gas bill, it can pay for medications for someone for a month - maybe two (once again maybe depending on the meds), it may pay for having brakes repaired (not including rotors), or you can purchase 250 items from the dollar menu (as long as you have the money to pay the tax) - so do you think that is really going to jump start our economy?

Maybe we should send a big thank you note to the President for all his generosity - after all - it would be the best thing he would get - the unemployment rate is higher, more homes are being foreclosed (like his mortgage modification is working for anyone) and more businesses are closing down.

Gee - I wonder how his victory garden is doing? Maybe he should also give additional stimulus checks for everyone to have one of their own. But then again - the markets would scream that no one would buy their produce.

But that would also take away from the bailout monies needed for the banks, insurance companies, Wall Street and the car manufacturers. That would be a bloody disaster! (cough cough)

I wonder what country is going to bail us out so they can "own" us????

bye America..............

(we should have stuck to BUY America - and kept our jobs, businesses and manufacturing here instead of other countries.....)

It's a frustrating thing, mama- and I'm right there w/ ya.

I don't particularly lean strongly one way or another politically. I'm an odd mix and have attributes belonging to, and best served by both political "sides"... that said...

There was much about the last adminstration that left me wanting... and so far looks like there'll be things w/ this one that will leave me left wanting, too.

I was praying for some middle-ground, but maybe America is all done w/ middle-ground moderation?

If our future is extreme one way or the other, I'm afraid I'll be stepping back and taking interest less and less. I certainly don't feel my needs have been met at all on any level for quite a few years, now.

But I refuse to get angry over it like many I know do- lest I start soundling like some bitter, angry, whacko talk-radio nut-job w/ high blood pressure, and bulging veins popping out of his neck and forehead!... Ha! I have friends who I sometimes sense don't realize just how much they sound like the extremist radio-jocks most folks w/ real common-sense despise! Why can't our radio-waves make a graceful, tasteful, tactful return to wonderful, unbiased, honorable hosts like the late, great Paul Harvey?

You know Kev - I don't give a rats hiney who our president is - what church he belongs to, if his socks match or if he doesn't wear any. I don't believe that birth control, gay rights, abortion, or what we eat is any concern to anyone - period. Our beliefs are our beliefs on many topics. Many things have no right being dicussed in politics. Tell me - does a person's thoughts, feelings and opinions on abortion have anything to do with the economy? And don't try to drag in anything like - it will efffect our population or anything stupid - think about it - really - do any of the topics our candidates "sway" towards have anything to do with our free country, economy, high interest rates, the high unemplyment rate, etc? Do you think a gay couple that wants to get married has anything to do with our jobs going overseas? Does a woman having an abortion have anything to do with trans fats in our diets? Are the animal rights group responsible for nuclear power? How a person/people chose to live their personal life is their own business. What goes on behind their doors is their business. If a candidate smokes 6 packs of cigarettes a day does that mean he would not be able to unscramble the mess we are in? If a candidate goes to a catholic church does that mean a jewish person has no right to worship their way?

To me - I may be wrong - it seems like our politicians are not doing enough for our country as a whole. I don't care if the person next door to me has 25 kids or they live on birth control methods not to have any.

At the rate we are going - (and I've said this for years) with all these merges in the corporate world and the views our candidates are into - soon this world will be owned by one discount store (WalMart or Target), one department store (probably Sears), one car dealership (Ford), one bank, one insurance company, one grocery chain, one drugstore chain (if the grocery chain doesn't take that over too), one phone/communications company, one utility company, etc. Then we are all screwed. No more shopping around for anything. Just pay the price and shut up.

We will have to think alike publicly or suffer the consequences and live like droids.


hmmmmmm - think about the movie Planet of the Apes...........evolution in reverse
(NO I do not think our ancestors were apes! - it's just a thought.......)

Y'know, politicians are going to pander to the emotions of the moment. Why? Simple, they want to get reelected. The condition of the country and the people is secondary at best. This bail out mess is never going to work simply because they're handing out cash to the producers while the jobs leave and the consumers can't afford to buy. At the same time they pander to the mob mentality hoping to get more votes for the next election.

mama and Bubba both make great points.

For me personally, the first answer in a very long line of many is this: smaller government.

And we hear this all the time- but WHAT does it truly mean?

It means expect nothing/want nothing/ask nothing of the governemnt.

Every time we decide we want money for this or money for that- we're asking for something from Uncle Sam.

So the gov't starts up a new dept. and needs millions/billions to staff it and get it off the ground. And pretty soon they're "doing this for us".

Multiply this by millions- 'cause sooner or later danged near every citizen has something they want the gov't. to fund or take care of- and soon you have a HUGE government that needs damned near every dollar we all make to keep it all going.

AND to top it off- they can't manage any of it even semi-correctly ($1000.00 toilet seats for the Pentagon, and $800.00 hammers, anyone?)

So the bottom line is, we as individuals need to stop asking things of the government. The less the feds do for us, the less $$$ they need to do it. The more money we keep in our own pockets. The less of a chance they have to fail us.

But folks don't get this. They just keep asking and keep asking... One of the prettiest things in this world is a group of a thousand people all standing on the street- without a single one of them holding their hand out!