What, No Lehman Aid?

Dear Mr. or Ms. tbaines,
In your article you stated a democrat started the deregulation of the bamking system. Please elaborate. As you know the rebuplicans have been in control of congress up till 2006 and by that time the damage was done.

Comment: When are people going to realize that everything is cyclical. We had the gas shortages in the 70's during the Carter administration and everyone thought the world was ending. The problem we have is the American citizen is basically selfish. We have been so blessed by God to have the resources we do, yet we all want more. Should I feel sorry for people that make less than I do and buy a house worth 5 times more than mine, then have 4 cars to my 2, then cry when they can't afford payments. Unfortuneately there are millions of people like that. Of course, those expensive new houses cars and toys are what creates more jobs. Unfortuneately with other issues in the world, such as natural disasters, war, terrorists, it is usually not possible for things to always be good. If people would give up a car, let an out of work family move in with them and help support them until they got back on their feet, things would be better. We all consider the rich to be the haves and the rest of us the have nots, when in reality most of us have enough to share, yet we just don't, do it, then complain that things are bad.

Pay attention America. We are bearing witness to the great depression of 2008. A historical moment. And in true human fashion, we cannot learn from our own mistakes. I only take solice in knowing that in four short months all will be worse. No matter who gets elected. I allready have a nice little cave picked out for my loved ones to live in when it all goes down. Just as it has for so many other empires in history. I'm actually excited about it.

Obviously, the Republican "fair market system" that says, we don't need regulation, the free market will take care of itself, only applies to those who can't afford the expensive lobbyists. If the government (i.e., us) is going to pay the costs of failure, then the government has an obligation to set and enforce regulations that will protect the taxpayers from the risks of these failures.

I guess these exec's dont have to return their bonuses, do they ??? Of course, that drug addicted limp noodle Rush will somehow try to blame this on Clinton...when in fact this is a direct result of the 'Bush Doctrine' of looking the other way instead of providing reasonable gov regulation....

Yes let's let the republicans have another 4 years to bury this country in debt that our children's grandchildren will pay for, if this doesen't wake america up what will!! How long can we bury our heads in the sand and pretend this is not happening. Middle america it's up to you you can let right wingers take our nation or stand up and say enough is enough!!!

As always when the robberbarons of banking go belly up us taxpayers have to bail them out. We can't trust private industry because there are too many white collar criminals looking to get rich quick while we middle class Americans pay the bill. The repugnant ones have been the bff's of these corporate criminals, especially Phil Gramm and his crony John McCain. The only way to solve this mess is to get rid of the repugnant ones in Congress and elect Barack Obama as President.

Renewableenergy writes: "Does corporate America share its profits with the tax payers? The answer is absolutely not." Of course they do--It's called taxes. And corporations pay at the rate of something like 50% of their profits.

I'm against bail-outs. I'm also against know-nothing anti-corporate rants by people who don't have the faintest idea what corporations do.

Should The US government bail out American corporations?

Does corporate America share its profits with the tax payers? The answer is absolutely not.
Do they share the profits with their employees? The executives are paid millions.
The US Government should bail out all corporations large and small is that right? The answer is no. If it is a viable business, they can raise the money from investors, if not, let them close shop.
If the government decides to bail them out if should be at a cost (like shares in the company) where the government will make money and have a say in running the company. Even better have a public referendum where the voters decide.
Carmakers want money from the government; the financial institutions want money - where does it stop?
It is about time corporate America should learn they have to stand on their own feet. Where is corporate America financial responsibility?
They claim the government is abusing its financial responsibility; it seems Corporate America is no better. They also go to their workers to take a pay cut, is that fair? It seems the little guys are the ones that always pay the price for corporate financial abuse and miss-management.
Other corporations in the world are not asking to be bailed out - they go out of business.
Jay Draiman
PS
The corporate barracudas have no conscience they will step on anyone, stab anyone in the back and fudge the numbers to climb up the corporate ladder and receive the hefty bonuses.
As family values have declined in the last half a century so has corporate integrity and honesty, it seems that corporate America will do almost anything for the buck ($) no holes barred.
What a shame that corporate America has sunk so low.
The government is no different, honesty and integrity is a foreign language, they only serve the special interest groups. (We all know why).
What happened to the American people who placed their trust in the government? (The public officials they voted for).
We are faced constantly with another corporate or governmental scandal of wrongdoing. When is the American public going to wake up and demand an honest government and honest corporate America? Americans wake up before it is too late.

Let'em crash and burn! The Government should not be in the business of saving people from their own folly, whether it be stupid investments or the idiotic "riding out" hurricanes!
And that includes foreigners!

Please keep deregulating the market. Let it do its own thing, and when they screw up bail them out with our tax money! Give the current administration a fine pat on the back for starting us down the road to the next depression, oh thats right they won't have to worry their already filthy rich! Keep voting the CROOKS into office America!

We are finally starting to reap the rewards of fracional reserve banking and fiat currency.

If your statement that the "heart of the financial system" can not be allowed to fail is true, then Bush administration should have adopted a "preemptive" regulation to identify and monitor/government-control these firms. The Firms that are not supposed to fail shouldn't be allowed to participate in diversifying into risky investments. Now the tax-payer money is siphoned off to the privileged few. I am speechless. Probably a good time to start maiking Chinense the as the primary language at schools - our kids will need that in the future to serve the Chinese government

11.5 percent of auto purchases in 2007 were financed with home equity loans. Why is there a tax subsidy on home equity loans? This puts more risk on mortgages, which end up needing to be bailed out by the government.

Once again, it looks like the government of the rich is bailing out the rich. The Bush administration has put us in so much debt in so many ways that it's mindboggling, and it will take us many years and generations to get over this debacle. I thought Republicans were for small government? Sure seems like they've changed their tune. What they really believe in is spend everybody else's money as fast as you can, all while preventing your rich constituents from paying a penny in income tax to help fund the treasury which you are so feverishly sending into bankruptcy. Now we're owned by foreign countries. Nice work, jerks. Can't wait for all of you crooks to get out of town!

Wow! Congress can purchase a piece of the Fed @ $4.00/share. Heck. Any foreign corporation
can do the same.

Privatization of profits and socialisation of losses has always been the hallmark of American-style capitalism. When the going is too-good-to-be-true, the Fed does not have the will to call the bluff. But this time around, U.S. financial markets have clearly been caught "butt-naked"..... so many bailouts would have only been possible in banana-style republics. And all these bailouts have come from the self-styled leaders of the free-market economy. American-style capitalism has too many safety valves and has been found wanting. Of course, the DOW continues to hold steady amidst the surrounding mayhem, running counter to ground realities. There are many more chapters left in this Greek tragedy.

Currently the pay at Wall Street is so high that if you can just fake the performance for a few years, the income you have will be more than what most Americans can earn in their lifetime. Oh, BTW, don't forget if you mess up really bad, the government will bail you out.