Economic Soapbox

I realize that I have already mentioned the $700 billion bailout/rescue plan several times and I realize that most people are just as sick and tired of it all as I am; but I just can't let it go. So here are some more random thoughts and my $700 billion cents worth:

Why would anyone give Hank Paulson a $700 billion blank check? Was he not a part of the Goldman Sachs Group? And they haven't exactly been stellar in their management of other peoples monies. Personally, I kind of like Paulson. I tend to relate to gruff, frustrated men and can generally understand where they are coming from, but a blank check with access to the citizen's money is not a good idea. Not to mention that this creates a larger government.

And why do some people not want a larger government? Do many people have a personal philosophy on the role/size of government anymore? Or do many people hide behind words like "capitalism" or "free markets", just as many scoundrels hide behind the flag and cry patriotism. What do these words mean to you as you read this? Do we still have faith in Adam Smith's invisible hand or do we need the government to help guide that hand along?

And what will government do with the hand? They will appropriate fingers to the "mistreated" and assign fingers to committees and tax the fingers and redistribute the fingers under the guise of social programs. Then they will use one finger to point at partisan politics and use another finger to help get themselves elected or forward an agenda. Not long after that, the hard working citizens will finally get a finger; and we all know which one that will be. And I am personally tired of "getting the bird" from our government. We need to let the hand guide itself by listening to the "real"markets of Main Street as well as Wall Street. Let the economy correct its own path.

The market will correct itself. All of the economic bubbles from the Clinton administration and the oversights of the Bush administration will become less and less of a factor. "it will all come out in the wash", so to speak. It may not happen as fast as we like it to, but it will straighten out.

And people will suffer. At least suffer as we know it. Not considering those at the age of retirement, how many of us will truly suffer? We may have to make do with two phone lines instead of three or four and we may have to eat beans for supper once a week, but how many will go to bed hungry or cold or afraid? I'm not talking about mad or spoiled or even disenfranchised; many do that anyway.

Some will lose homes, but will not become homeless. Jobs may be lost, but all will not become unemployed. Sacrifices will have to be made...But it is time to pay the piper. We can no longer dance to the tune of rhetoric or theory.

Again, I would like to point out that things aren't that bad. Things can always be better, but things aren't as bad as some members of the media and government are trying to sell us. If things were "that bad" would they continue to play such petty, partisan politics? Is our government so self-serving that they would use the American people as leverage and place our individual futures in the middle of presidential race politics? I would like to think that if things were that grave that they could put aside differences and personal gain and do what is truly best for the American people.

I have to say that I am becoming more jaded.

With all of the grandstanding and populism nonsense, I'm not surprised that I've become more jaded. And that is what this economic crisis has turned out to be, grandstanding. Last week we were told that if a "deal" weren't in place immediately that mountains would crumble and the seas would dry up. Well, to me immediately means NOW, and that time has has passed; and we are all still here. Mountains, seas, and everything else. And now the $700 billion rescue that our nursemaid government says we can't live without has grown and evolved and contains concessions and tax code changes and pork and fluff. We will never know what the actual price is. Economically or morally.

This in itself reveals to me that we are better off with less government involvement. Most polls show that the average citizen does not approve of the bailout. As much as 95% in some polls, are against government involvement. I don't think 95% of American people have enough sense to come in out of the rain, but the polls show that citizens are against it. No poll shows any demographic group supporting the $700 billion rescue. So why is it still an issue? It seems to me that Washington feels they know better what is best for us than we do. That is why they push forward and manipulate and pretend that all is doomed if they aren't allowed to step in and save us; the poor, ignorant taxpayer...and maybe they really do believe that. Maybe they truly think that it is so complicated that only THEY can help out Americans.

Do you feel any better with Nancy Pelosi in your corner? Does it make you feel safer that Ted Stevens has your back? Barney Frank to the rescue?

And with that, I will end my diatribe. It turned out to be more of a rant that I expected. But at least I spared you my thoughts on string theory, even though it would have made more sense than this economic mess.