I Think I've Come to a Direction

I think I've finally started leaning very strongly on the proposed "$700B" bailout. (The quotes are because we should probably quadruple any government estimates...)

Up until yesterday around noon, I was very conflicted. And like Sarah at Trying to Grok, I didn't feel smart enough to blog the bailout. I needed more information, and I needed to see clearly the "lesser of two weevils," as it were.

Then I heard more from Speaker Pelosi.

To paraphrase, since it was a radio blurb and I haven't yet seen it online: "we can't just bail out these companies and do nothing for the little people."

Oh, wow. That helped a lot.

Bailing out these companies is (theoretically, propaganda-ly) designed to keep us little people's savings and jobs and finances intact. Why would we need something else?

Then Congress introduced another massive stimulus package last night.

And oh, wow. That helped more.

This is absolutely not about "helping." This is about taking over our lives - in answer to our desperate plea to fix the mess that CONGRESS CREATED by sticking their fingers in the markets!!!

I don't WANT the government to own my house, if/when we buy one again.

I don't WANT the government to own my husband's work or his workplace.

I don't WANT the government to own my financial products.

I mean, name the last time government got involved and things got better.

Even the architects of it don't think it'll fix things - otherwise, why propose an additional stimulus package? (More debt and dependency....)

So... now that this bailout is revealed to be exactly what it sounded like before the confusing propaganda started, namely: an unconscionable power grab to socialize the country by blindfolding and holding hostage the American people; I DO feel smart enough to blog about it. At least on principle.

What's coming is UGLY. But I'm finally of the opinion that what Congress, the Fed, and the Executive branch are doing is not going to help.

And I oppose it.

-- Very interesting source (h/t Drudge) --
from http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13918.html:

• "one option would be to make clear that the secretary needn’t be confined to buying up bad debts" - oh, why in the world would we limit governmental power???
• "Pelosi will be reluctant to expose her members if House Republicans are sitting out the process." - if you're so sure it's right, Ms. Pelosi, GROW A SPINE and stand up for it!!! Looks like she's just afraid of being "exposed."
  
• "Those principles will include improved oversight of the program, as well as a plan to phase in the $700 billion investment in stages, while still assuring the administration a virtual free hand for at least the first $350 billion." (emphasis mine) Pardon me???
• "And when Democrats left to caucus in the Roosevelt Room, Paulson pursued them, begging that they not “blow up” the legislation. ... The former Goldman Sachs CEO [Paulson] even went down on one knee as if genuflecting, to which Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Cal.) is said to have joked, 'I didn’t know you were Catholic.'" EXCUSE ME?!?! Yeah, joke about it, Madame Speaker, but we don't kneel before other mortals in this country. And I'd prefer NOT to have our economy bowing to Congress.