Presidential Debate: Your Financial Questions

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Noone in the Government or either Presidential Candidate is addressing the 11 Trillion National Debt that we have just accumulated. We have borrowed from China, Japan, and Europe. Soon these investors could be dictating to the USA what exactly we should be doing with our economy. How are we going to pay this off while offering to cut taxes?

Arnold Martinez of AZ 4:33PM October 07, 2008

The majority of the constituants of all Senators and Congress either wrote, called or emailed that they were NOT in favor of the bailout. Yet, the bailout was passed, against the wishes of the majority of the American people.
As elected officials, you are in office to represent and carry out the will of the people. This bailout is a prime example of the voice of America falling on deaf ears and representatives doing what they please.
Just who is it that you represent?

A Patriot of RI 4:16PM October 07, 2008

Most financial experts agree that suspending the Mark to Market accounting rule that requires companies and financial institutions to value their assets (including subprime mortgages) at their current market values rather than their book values, would provide immediate relief to our ailing market. Why isn't this being done and does not doing so at the present moment favor one candidate over another by keeping the economy in a crippled state?

Pat of TN 11:13AM October 07, 2008

I would like to hear from one presidential or vice presidential candidate, "What they plan to do for seniors". Everything is what they plan to give the "Working Class Family" making forty thousand or more per year, but nothing about the seniors who can no longer work and are living on social security or a small pension supplemented by social security. These people do not have an income of forty thousand or more but have an income around twenty thousand. A reduction of taxes means nothing to them as they pay very little if any tax now; yet they too are faced with the rising costs of utilities, gasoline, groceries, etc..

Clark S. Chamberlain of FL 6:10PM October 06, 2008

What specific goals will you define, not generalities, to encourage US companies to bring back jobs from foreign countries?
Also could you consider increasing taxes on companies that move American jobs out of the country to keep the American labor force on an equal footing with foreign subsidized labor?

Carl Sanders of TX 4:13PM September 30, 2008

Banks and credit card companies should have controls by the government if they are going to be backed by them with insurance. This free market thing by definition is not really free market. The goverment is there waiting to bail out those who make bad decisions. I am of the strong opinion that adjustable loans is what brought about this housing crisis. Why does the government even set interest rates if they are not going to make the banks abide by them, especially if they are going to insure these banks? Isn't that like giving your credit card to a stranger and letting them run wild with it? This free market absurdity needs to stop unless the goverment is going to get out of the picture completely. I suggest that the goverment take a sampling of foreclosures. When people entered into these loans, their rates were low and payments manageable. People were also told that these rates would adjust slowly or not at all and then boom, rates adjusted. People found they could not pay these adjusted rate because a lot of them doubled. I say if the goverment is going to back a loan, then they need to have controls. Lenders should have to pay a lot for FDIC insurance and major controls be put on these lenders who opt for this insurance. Adjustable loans should be outlawed. The fat cats are lining their pockets with this crisis and then running to the goverment to bail them out. Where are the smart people in Washington???????

B. R. Hardy of AL 11:28AM September 28, 2008

Instead of railroading a $700B bailout, why haven't we seriously considered alternatives to that and perhaps amend the law that has largely perpetuated this trend? Couldn't we amend the Mark to Market Accounting Law, extend FHA insurance to these sub-prime loans, but not extend the loans themselves? Does having the taxpayers taking on this much more debt really seem like a good idea? Do you think the taxpayers really want to own all these loans?

David of IL 2:03PM September 26, 2008

If we have been overtaxed to the point that the government can spend nearly a billion dollars to bailout Wall St., why doesn't it just send that money back to us with a letter of apology. I could really use a check for 7 - 10K right now. I realize we got money back earlier in the year in a "stimulus package", but it takes a lot more than 350 bucks for me to get stimulated.

of AZ 1:21PM September 26, 2008

Both candidates are telling the voters they will cut taxes. No candidate is talking about the national debt and the fact that cutting taxes will increase our debt and will have to either borrow more from the Chinese or print more $. When asked they will usually say that they will cut some programs and make others more efficient. In fact, our deficit is way too large and cutting/reducing programs will not balance the budget. On top of all these we are now plan to bail out Wall Street and spend another $700 billion. Just like any of us, the Government needs to PAY their expenses. We can't continue this out of control spending and cut taxes-THIS IS NONESENSE. Can any candidate face the reality and promise to balance the budget and MAYBE pay off some debt?

Loretta of CO 12:28PM September 25, 2008