Barack Obama or John McCain

[J. Raymond Carroll]

The New York Times discovers the Lost Frontier -- Sarah Palin's Alaska

People should stop picking on vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin because she hired a high school classmate to oversee the state agriculture division, a woman who said she was qualified for the job because she liked cows when she was a kid. And they should lay off the governor for choosing another childhood friend to oversee a failing state-run dairy, allowing the Soviet-style business to ding taxpayers for $800,000 in additional losses.

What these critics don’t understand is that crony capitalism is how things are done in Alaska. They reward failure in the Last Frontier state. In that sense, it’s not unlike like Wall Street’s treatment of C.E.O.’s who run companies into the ground.

http://egan.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/17/moo/?em

[Mark Stapleton]

The financial meltdown has also melted McCain's already slim chances. Watching McCain or Palin talking credibly about economic issues--complex and controversial right now--could be quite funny, imo.

http://www.thestar.com/News/USElection/article/502841

It's going to be a massive landslide. The only rider being the disastrous possibilty that a pre-emptive strike on Iran or a sudden war with another country or a terrorist attack on the US changes the game again.

Edited September 21, 2008 by Mark Stapleton

[Terry Mauro]

The financial meltdown has also melted McCain's already slim chances. Watching McCain or Palin talking credibly about economic issues--complex and controversial right now--could be quite funny, imo.

http://www.thestar.com/News/USElection/article/502841

It's going to be a massive landslide. The only rider being the disastrous possibilty that a pre-emptive strike on Iran or a sudden war with another country or a terrorist attack on the US changes the game again.

The article quotes Obama as supporting the current administrations proposal for a multi trillion dollar bailout of the financial sharks. That doesnt show a great deal of leadership.

They have had to cede ground to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke, who prepared the largest taxpayer bailout in American history – a package that could be worth as much as $1 trillion – during a week in which the venerable Wall Street firm Lehman Brothers collapsed, Merrill Lynch was unloaded in a fire sale and American International Group was bailed out by Washington for $85 billion.

At week's end, stock markets rebounded, but uncertainty abounded.

Obama endorsed the administration's plan yesterday.

"This is a worldwide issue, and while the United States can and will lead in stabilizing the credit markets, we should ask other nations, who share in this crisis, to be part of the solution as well,'' Obama said in Miami.

He spoke following a meeting with his economic brain trust, many of the same advisers who helped Bill Clinton preside over eight years of prosperity in the 1990s.

They included billionaire investor Warren Buffett; former Federal Reserve chair Paul Volcker; former treasury secretaries Robert Rubin, Lawrence Summers and Paul O'Neill; and Laura Tyson, former head of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Clinton.

[Mark Stapleton]

The financial meltdown has also melted McCain's already slim chances. Watching McCain or Palin talking credibly about economic issues--complex and controversial right now--could be quite funny, imo.

http://www.thestar.com/News/USElection/article/502841

It's going to be a massive landslide. The only rider being the disastrous possibilty that a pre-emptive strike on Iran or a sudden war with another country or a terrorist attack on the US changes the game again.

The article quotes Obama as supporting the current administrations proposal for a multi trillion dollar bailout of the financial sharks. That doesnt show a great deal of leadership.

They have had to cede ground to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke, who prepared the largest taxpayer bailout in American history – a package that could be worth as much as $1 trillion – during a week in which the venerable Wall Street firm Lehman Brothers collapsed, Merrill Lynch was unloaded in a fire sale and American International Group was bailed out by Washington for $85 billion.

At week's end, stock markets rebounded, but uncertainty abounded.

Obama endorsed the administration's plan yesterday.

"This is a worldwide issue, and while the United States can and will lead in stabilizing the credit markets, we should ask other nations, who share in this crisis, to be part of the solution as well,'' Obama said in Miami.

He spoke following a meeting with his economic brain trust, many of the same advisers who helped Bill Clinton preside over eight years of prosperity in the 1990s.

They included billionaire investor Warren Buffett; former Federal Reserve chair Paul Volcker; former treasury secretaries Robert Rubin, Lawrence Summers and Paul O'Neill; and Laura Tyson, former head of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Clinton.

I see your point Terry, but he's not going to pick a fight with the Fed or the Treasury at this pivotal moment, imo. It just proves he's got brains.

I've got faith in Obama. I like him. Not too much bullxxxx. I think he'll try to do the right thing after he's sworn in. Although I'm a little worried about the self confessed Zionist standing behind him.

[Terry Mauro]

The financial meltdown has also melted McCain's already slim chances. Watching McCain or Palin talking credibly about economic issues--complex and controversial right now--could be quite funny, imo.

http://www.thestar.com/News/USElection/article/502841

It's going to be a massive landslide. The only rider being the disastrous possibilty that a pre-emptive strike on Iran or a sudden war with another country or a terrorist attack on the US changes the game again.

The article quotes Obama as supporting the current administrations proposal for a multi trillion dollar bailout of the financial sharks. That doesnt show a great deal of leadership.

They have had to cede ground to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke, who prepared the largest taxpayer bailout in American history – a package that could be worth as much as $1 trillion – during a week in which the venerable Wall Street firm Lehman Brothers collapsed, Merrill Lynch was unloaded in a fire sale and American International Group was bailed out by Washington for $85 billion.

At week's end, stock markets rebounded, but uncertainty abounded.

Obama endorsed the administration's plan yesterday.

"This is a worldwide issue, and while the United States can and will lead in stabilizing the credit markets, we should ask other nations, who share in this crisis, to be part of the solution as well,'' Obama said in Miami.

He spoke following a meeting with his economic brain trust, many of the same advisers who helped Bill Clinton preside over eight years of prosperity in the 1990s.

They included billionaire investor Warren Buffett; former Federal Reserve chair Paul Volcker; former treasury secretaries Robert Rubin, Lawrence Summers and Paul O'Neill; and Laura Tyson, former head of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Clinton.

I see your point Terry, but he's not going to pick a fight with the Fed or the Treasury at this pivotal moment, imo. It just proves he's got brains.

I've got faith in Obama. I like him. Not too much bullxxxx. I think he'll try to do the right thing after he's sworn in. Although I'm a little worried about the self confessed Zionist standing behind him.

But that's the real issue. The Federal Reserve System is bankrupt. I'd like to see Obama push the idea of bankruptcy reorganization modeled on the precendent set by FDR. This bailout wont work because there is no wealth there; there's no value there.

This is purely financial speculation. This is gambling, it's a gambling house. Where's your production? Where's your production of wealth? Where do you have people employed in making things? What happened to the auto industry? What happened to all kinds of other industry? What's happening to agriculture? What kinds of employment are there? It's make-work. It's exactly the way in which we came to the point of the collapse of the House of Bardi; exactly this method.

[Mark Stapleton]

The financial meltdown has also melted McCain's already slim chances. Watching McCain or Palin talking credibly about economic issues--complex and controversial right now--could be quite funny, imo.

http://www.thestar.com/News/USElection/article/502841

It's going to be a massive landslide. The only rider being the disastrous possibilty that a pre-emptive strike on Iran or a sudden war with another country or a terrorist attack on the US changes the game again.

The article quotes Obama as supporting the current administrations proposal for a multi trillion dollar bailout of the financial sharks. That doesnt show a great deal of leadership.

They have had to cede ground to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke, who prepared the largest taxpayer bailout in American history – a package that could be worth as much as $1 trillion – during a week in which the venerable Wall Street firm Lehman Brothers collapsed, Merrill Lynch was unloaded in a fire sale and American International Group was bailed out by Washington for $85 billion.

At week's end, stock markets rebounded, but uncertainty abounded.

Obama endorsed the administration's plan yesterday.

"This is a worldwide issue, and while the United States can and will lead in stabilizing the credit markets, we should ask other nations, who share in this crisis, to be part of the solution as well,'' Obama said in Miami.

He spoke following a meeting with his economic brain trust, many of the same advisers who helped Bill Clinton preside over eight years of prosperity in the 1990s.

They included billionaire investor Warren Buffett; former Federal Reserve chair Paul Volcker; former treasury secretaries Robert Rubin, Lawrence Summers and Paul O'Neill; and Laura Tyson, former head of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Clinton.

I see your point Terry, but he's not going to pick a fight with the Fed or the Treasury at this pivotal moment, imo. It just proves he's got brains.

I've got faith in Obama. I like him. Not too much bullxxxx. I think he'll try to do the right thing after he's sworn in. Although I'm a little worried about the self confessed Zionist standing behind him.

But that's the real issue. The Federal Reserve System is bankrupt. I'd like to see Obama push the idea of bankruptcy reorganization modeled on the precendent set by FDR. This bailout wont work because there is no wealth there; there's no value there.

This is purely financial speculation. This is gambling, it's a gambling house. Where's your production? Where's your production of wealth? Where do you have people employed in making things? What happened to the auto industry? What happened to all kinds of other industry? What's happening to agriculture? What kinds of employment are there? It's make-work. It's exactly the way in which we came to the point of the collapse of the House of Bardi; exactly this method.

Agreed. It's a hell of a mess. America's nuclear global dominance makes it even messier.

Unemployment's going to be a massive problem globally but especially in the west. Without the cushion of wealth and cheap energy, there'll have a be a return to new labor intensive agriculture at least to some extent. Hemp plantations would be a start. The kind you can't smoke.

I wish Obama the best of luck.

[Terry Mauro]

Obama-bush Try To Ram Through Criminal Paulson Bailout To Preempt

Popular Opposition

Sept. 25 (LPAC)--The Soros-run Obama team of Felix Rohatyn

favorites, Senator Christopher Dodd and his sidekick BarneyFrank,

aware of the massive opposition to the Paulson bailout, are

attempting to ram through the biggest swindle in history in

collusion with the Bush Administration before that opposition can

fully express itself. Thus, immediately after George W. Bush's

national address last night, both Dodd and Frank announced that

an agreement had already been reached in principle.

This was, however, not the case. On Wednesday night, a

spokesman for Republican House leader Boehner said in an e-mail

that there "will not be a final deal as a result" of the meeting

which was scheduled for Thursday morning at 10 a.m. of the

members of Frank's Financial Services Committee and those of

their Senate counterparts in Dodd's Senate Banking Committee. As

he entered the meeting, Rep. Spencer Bachus, the top Republican

on the Financial Services commmittee, said lawmakers were not

close to a deal.

Later in the day, the Democratic leadership insisted that a

deal had been struck. However, even Frank was forced to admit

that he did not know how many House Republicans would vote for

it.

There were also signs that the conservative-leaning House

Republican Caucus was not on board. Both of Congress's Republican

leaders, Rep. John Boehner and Sen. Mitch McConnell, issued

statements saying there was not yet an agreement.

Noticeably absent at the Thursday morning meeting was Sen.

Richard Shelby of Alabama, the ranking Republican on the Senate

Banking Committee, who has said he opposes the idea of bailing

out Wall Street. He was replaced in negotiations with Dodd and

Frank by Senator Bennett, the number two GOP senator on the

Banking Committee.

During the 10 a.m. meeting, Barack Obama was reportedly on

the phone with Dodd, directly participating in the negotiations

in support of the Dodd-Frank-Paulson swindle.

After the White House meeting between Bush, Obama and McCain

in the afternoon, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher

Dodd said that an alternative Republican plan was being floated

that threatened to set back the negotiations.

Also, Senator Shelby, who did not attend the Dodd-Frank

committee negotiations, was reportedly citing a letter from more

than 150 U.S. economists, including three Nobel Prize winners,

which urges Congress to hold off from passing the plan until it

can be studied more closely.

[Ron Ecker]

I think McCain has victory within his grasp. Some accuse him of messing up the bailout negotiations by going to Washington. Well, he can do more than that. If McCain were to come out against the bailout and prevent the deal from happening, he would win the election, despite Palin and everything else. The people are mad as hell, they don't want to cough up 700 billion dollars because the government says they have to, and McCain could become the people's champion overnight. If he supports the bailout, I guess he must really be a man of principle right or wrong. I was starting to think that he would do anything to get elected. This is sure his chance to do it.

[Christopher Hall]

Obama-bush Try To Ram Through Criminal Paulson Bailout To Preempt

Popular Opposition

Sept. 25 (LPAC)--The Soros-run Obama team of Felix Rohatyn

favorites, Senator Christopher Dodd and his sidekick BarneyFrank,

aware of the massive opposition to the Paulson bailout, are

attempting to ram through the biggest swindle in history in

collusion with the Bush Administration before that opposition can

fully express itself. Thus, immediately after George W. Bush's

national address last night, both Dodd and Frank announced that

an agreement had already been reached in principle.

This was, however, not the case. On Wednesday night, a

spokesman for Republican House leader Boehner said in an e-mail

that there "will not be a final deal as a result" of the meeting

which was scheduled for Thursday morning at 10 a.m. of the

members of Frank's Financial Services Committee and those of

their Senate counterparts in Dodd's Senate Banking Committee. As

he entered the meeting, Rep. Spencer Bachus, the top Republican

on the Financial Services commmittee, said lawmakers were not

close to a deal.

Later in the day, the Democratic leadership insisted that a

deal had been struck. However, even Frank was forced to admit

that he did not know how many House Republicans would vote for

it.

There were also signs that the conservative-leaning House

Republican Caucus was not on board. Both of Congress's Republican

leaders, Rep. John Boehner and Sen. Mitch McConnell, issued

statements saying there was not yet an agreement.

Noticeably absent at the Thursday morning meeting was Sen.

Richard Shelby of Alabama, the ranking Republican on the Senate

Banking Committee, who has said he opposes the idea of bailing

out Wall Street. He was replaced in negotiations with Dodd and

Frank by Senator Bennett, the number two GOP senator on the

Banking Committee.

During the 10 a.m. meeting, Barack Obama was reportedly on

the phone with Dodd, directly participating in the negotiations

in support of the Dodd-Frank-Paulson swindle.

After the White House meeting between Bush, Obama and McCain

in the afternoon, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher

Dodd said that an alternative Republican plan was being floated

that threatened to set back the negotiations.

Also, Senator Shelby, who did not attend the Dodd-Frank

committee negotiations, was reportedly citing a letter from more

than 150 U.S. economists, including three Nobel Prize winners,

which urges Congress to hold off from passing the plan until it

can be studied more closely.

Thanks, Terry.

What is the source of this article?

Christopher Dodd got a sweetheart house mortgage by simply calling Countrywide's President, whom he had never met.

I am pretty sure that Dodd was also the largest recipient of campaing contributions from Fanny, from Freddie and from Washington Mutual.

Barney Frank stated just a few years ago that Fannie and Freddie were financially sound.

Check out the following youtube link:

http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/09/...ffed.html#links

And didn't Soros make part of his enormous fortune by shorting the US dollar in foreign currency exchange trading?

Who wants his advice?

And now Warren Buffett warns us of cataclysmic econmic consequences if the bailout is not passed, but he just bought $5 Billion in Goldman Sachs stock last week, so it's not exactly like he doesn't have a hefty stake in the success of financial institutions.

So, the real questions are:

1. Should the government act, as proposed, in a largely socialist manner?

2. Will the proposed bailout even work?

3. What will happen if the government does nothing (i.e. will the sky fall)?

4. How much of the loans are recoverable (I suspect that the loans are not all toxic)?

5. Whom can we trust for advice (I heard on Mark Levin last night that over 100 economics profs from prestigious universities all over the country have written letters to Congress telling them that the bailout was a terrible idea)?

6. What are the collateral consequences of a bailout (on the US economy for many years, on the dollar, etc.)?

This whole mess is kind of like reality television.

Edited September 26, 2008 by Christopher Hall

[Terry Mauro]

Obama-bush Try To Ram Through Criminal Paulson Bailout To Preempt

Popular Opposition

Sept. 25 (LPAC)--The Soros-run Obama team of Felix Rohatyn

favorites, Senator Christopher Dodd and his sidekick BarneyFrank,

aware of the massive opposition to the Paulson bailout, are

attempting to ram through the biggest swindle in history in

collusion with the Bush Administration before that opposition can

fully express itself. Thus, immediately after George W. Bush's

national address last night, both Dodd and Frank announced that

an agreement had already been reached in principle.

This was, however, not the case. On Wednesday night, a

spokesman for Republican House leader Boehner said in an e-mail

that there "will not be a final deal as a result" of the meeting

which was scheduled for Thursday morning at 10 a.m. of the

members of Frank's Financial Services Committee and those of

their Senate counterparts in Dodd's Senate Banking Committee. As

he entered the meeting, Rep. Spencer Bachus, the top Republican

on the Financial Services commmittee, said lawmakers were not

close to a deal.

Later in the day, the Democratic leadership insisted that a

deal had been struck. However, even Frank was forced to admit

that he did not know how many House Republicans would vote for

it.

There were also signs that the conservative-leaning House

Republican Caucus was not on board. Both of Congress's Republican

leaders, Rep. John Boehner and Sen. Mitch McConnell, issued

statements saying there was not yet an agreement.

Noticeably absent at the Thursday morning meeting was Sen.

Richard Shelby of Alabama, the ranking Republican on the Senate

Banking Committee, who has said he opposes the idea of bailing

out Wall Street. He was replaced in negotiations with Dodd and

Frank by Senator Bennett, the number two GOP senator on the

Banking Committee.

During the 10 a.m. meeting, Barack Obama was reportedly on

the phone with Dodd, directly participating in the negotiations

in support of the Dodd-Frank-Paulson swindle.

After the White House meeting between Bush, Obama and McCain

in the afternoon, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher

Dodd said that an alternative Republican plan was being floated

that threatened to set back the negotiations.

Also, Senator Shelby, who did not attend the Dodd-Frank

committee negotiations, was reportedly citing a letter from more

than 150 U.S. economists, including three Nobel Prize winners,

which urges Congress to hold off from passing the plan until it

can be studied more closely.

Thanks, Terry.

What is the source of this article?

Christopher Dodd got a sweetheart house mortgage by simply calling Countrywide's President, whom he had never met.

I am pretty sure that Dodd was also the largest recipient of campaing contributions from Fanny, from Freddie and from Washington Mutual.

Barney Frank stated just a few years ago that Fannie and Freddie were financially sound.

Check out the following youtube link:

http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/09/...ffed.html#links

And didn't Soros make part of his enormous fortune by shorting the US dollar in foreign currency exchange trading?

Who wants his advice?

And now Warren Buffett warns us of cataclysmic econmic consequences if the bailout is not passed, but he just bought $5 Billion in Goldman Sachs stock last week, so it's not exactly like he doesn't have a hefty stake in the success of financial institutions.

So, the real questions are:

1. Should the government act, as proposed, in a largely socialist manner?

2. Will the proposed bailout even work?

3. What will happen if the government does nothing (i.e. will the sky fall)?

4. How much of the loans are recoverable (I suspect that the loans are not all toxic)?

5. Whom can we trust for advice (I heard on Mark Levin last night that over 100 economics profs from prestigious universities all over the country have written letters to Congress telling them that the bailout was a terrible idea)?

6. What are the collateral consequences of a bailout (on the US economy for many years, on the dollar, etc.)?

This whole mess is kind of like reality television.

LPAC=LaRouche Political Action Committee

Thanks for the youtube. Bush Administration fired OFHEO Director Armando Falcon,after he issued this warning.

http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2003/3010ofheo_rpt.html

Official Axed, Exposed Threat

Of U.S. Housing Bubble Crash

by Richard Freeman

A new government report showing the underlying weakness of the U.S. housing market and financial system, and an immediate demand by Wall Street that the head of the reporting agency be fired, has revealed a bruising and fight in Washington over a critical subject: the increasing rate of the financial disintegration, and what is to be done about it. The fight also shows the desperation of the Wall Street-City of London financier oligarchy, and the thuggery to which it will resort, to silence criticism and defend its unsalvageable, bankrupt financial system.

Further

An 'Enterprise' Debt Default

The OFHEO report examines the points of vulnerability between the interrelated Fannie and Freddie on the one side, and the U.S. and world's banks and financial institutions, on the other. The OFHEO asks a very direct question: If, because of a severe financial problem, Fannie and/or Freddie were to default on their debt, what effect would radiate out to the U.S. and world financial system? This is far from an academic issue. Fannie and Freddie have a unique status; they are known as government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs): They were originally chartered by the U.S. government, but over stages, they have become totally private corporations. It is believed that Fannie and Freddie are the two most highly indebted private corporations in the world. According to the latest available data, as of late 2002, Fannie and Freddie had, respectively, $851.0 billion and $700 billion in outstanding debt, almost all of it in the form of bonds—that is, each institution has debt greater than that of Brazil

The entire financial system is bankrupt. They should put the system into bankruptcy protection. No the bail out will not work. And they're trying to scare people into going along with the bailout. But how do you bail out $200-$400 trillion in derivatives?

Edited September 26, 2008 by Terry Mauro

[J. Raymond Carroll]

Pitbull Sarah Caught in the headlights

http://www.thenation.com/doc/20081013/pitbull_video

what does John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin -- the cavalier, last-minute process of her selection and careless vetting; and her over-briefed, fact-lite performance since -- reveal about this military man who has attested to us for years that he is guided by his personal code of honor? "Two things I will never do," McCain told me, "are [to] lie to the American people, or put my electoral interests before the national interest

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carl-bernste...v_b_129373.html

[David G. Healy]

Obama-bush Try To Ram Through Criminal Paulson Bailout To Preempt

Popular Opposition

Sept. 25 (LPAC)--The Soros-run Obama team of Felix Rohatyn

favorites, Senator Christopher Dodd and his sidekick BarneyFrank,

aware of the massive opposition to the Paulson bailout, are

attempting to ram through the biggest swindle in history in

collusion with the Bush Administration before that opposition can

fully express itself. Thus, immediately after George W. Bush's

national address last night, both Dodd and Frank announced that

an agreement had already been reached in principle.

This was, however, not the case. On Wednesday night, a

spokesman for Republican House leader Boehner said in an e-mail

that there "will not be a final deal as a result" of the meeting

which was scheduled for Thursday morning at 10 a.m. of the

members of Frank's Financial Services Committee and those of

their Senate counterparts in Dodd's Senate Banking Committee. As

he entered the meeting, Rep. Spencer Bachus, the top Republican

on the Financial Services commmittee, said lawmakers were not

close to a deal.

Later in the day, the Democratic leadership insisted that a

deal had been struck. However, even Frank was forced to admit

that he did not know how many House Republicans would vote for

it.

There were also signs that the conservative-leaning House

Republican Caucus was not on board. Both of Congress's Republican

leaders, Rep. John Boehner and Sen. Mitch McConnell, issued

statements saying there was not yet an agreement.

Noticeably absent at the Thursday morning meeting was Sen.

Richard Shelby of Alabama, the ranking Republican on the Senate

Banking Committee, who has said he opposes the idea of bailing

out Wall Street. He was replaced in negotiations with Dodd and

Frank by Senator Bennett, the number two GOP senator on the

Banking Committee.

During the 10 a.m. meeting, Barack Obama was reportedly on

the phone with Dodd, directly participating in the negotiations

in support of the Dodd-Frank-Paulson swindle.

After the White House meeting between Bush, Obama and McCain

in the afternoon, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher

Dodd said that an alternative Republican plan was being floated

that threatened to set back the negotiations.

Also, Senator Shelby, who did not attend the Dodd-Frank

committee negotiations, was reportedly citing a letter from more

than 150 U.S. economists, including three Nobel Prize winners,

which urges Congress to hold off from passing the plan until it

can be studied more closely.

Thanks, Terry.

What is the source of this article?

Christopher Dodd got a sweetheart house mortgage by simply calling Countrywide's President, whom he had never met.

I am pretty sure that Dodd was also the largest recipient of campaing contributions from Fanny, from Freddie and from Washington Mutual.

Barney Frank stated just a few years ago that Fannie and Freddie were financially sound.

Check out the following youtube link:

http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/09/...ffed.html#links

And didn't Soros make part of his enormous fortune by shorting the US dollar in foreign currency exchange trading?

Who wants his advice?

And now Warren Buffett warns us of cataclysmic econmic consequences if the bailout is not passed, but he just bought $5 Billion in Goldman Sachs stock last week, so it's not exactly like he doesn't have a hefty stake in the success of financial institutions.

So, the real questions are:

1. Should the government act, as proposed, in a largely socialist manner?

2. Will the proposed bailout even work?

3. What will happen if the government does nothing (i.e. will the sky fall)?

4. How much of the loans are recoverable (I suspect that the loans are not all toxic)?

5. Whom can we trust for advice (I heard on Mark Levin last night that over 100 economics profs from prestigious universities all over the country have written letters to Congress telling them that the bailout was a terrible idea)?

6. What are the collateral consequences of a bailout (on the US economy for many years, on the dollar, etc.)?

This whole mess is kind of like reality television.

Mark Levin? Talk about *toxic*. The guy belongs in an institution, one with posey belts. Wait, wait, I can't find one of those institutions, apparently Ronald Ray-gun Reagan closed all of them while Governor of California

100+ Economics Professors, pssst? The Univ. of California system (alone) has a couple hundred economics professors who don't agree with Mark Levin's diatribe(s)..... I caught his program while driving last night. GOP foaming at the mouth comes to mind....

Sooner or later John McCain (who recently screwed over David Letterman) and Sweet Sarah Palin are going to have to deal with the IRAQ-Afghanistan war, and the Economy of the United States of America...

After the recent Katy Curic television interview with Ms. Palin, Joe Biden has to be thinking; "Baked Alaska". No wonder the GOP are keeping her from the press.

[Mark Stapleton]

The entire financial system is bankrupt. They should put the system into bankruptcy protection. No the bail out will not work. And they're trying to scare people into going along with the bailout. But how do you bail out $200-$400 trillion in derivatives?

I think you're right, Terry. The free market system is disintegrating and we might all go with it.

What a circus the bailout summit turned out to be and so much for the authority of Bush and McCain. It's going to be a fiesty debate, if McCain shows up.

Now Bush is bringing a combat brigade back from Iraq to 'support of civilian authority'.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?con...a&aid=10341

[David G. Healy]

The entire financial system is bankrupt. They should put the system into bankruptcy protection. No the bail out will not work. And they're trying to scare people into going along with the bailout. But how do you bail out $200-$400 trillion in derivatives?

I think you're right, Terry. The free market system is disintegrating and we might all go with it.

What a circus the bailout summit turned out to be and so much for the authority of Bush and McCain. It's going to be a fiesty debate, if McCain shows up.

Now Bush is bringing a combat brigade back from Iraq to 'support of civilian authority'.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?con...a&aid=10341

McCain will be there, the theater of the absurd is now in full swing..... "All go (down) with it?" Hey Mark our monetary system is based on "promisary notes" an idea if you will. We're going anyhere. America's primary power is being able to PRODUCE anything. Not to mention, produce ideas AND leadership.... So of course a bailout will work... and I suspect every foreign Head-of-State AND banking system understands that, and will toe the appropriate line.

In the unlikely event it doesn't work, there are rumblings and some advocating: 'flip off the world - retreat to protectionism (the unspoken FEAR and the 1200 pound albatross sitting on the couch) much the same it did during and after the Great Depression.' Buy some popcorn, watch the UN and member nations try to uphold and repair a world economy what sport...

Some chess match, eh? Who has the next move...

[Mark Stapleton]

A McCain no-show would mean he forfeits any hope of the Presidency.

This happened in Australia in the 1983 election when incumbent PM Malcolm Fraser refused to debate Labor Party Leader Bob Hawke. The Labor Party then ran damaging commercials with a narrator asking questions to an empty chair.