‘Bailout’ Takes Home Word of the Year Honors

I grew up in deep poverty. We qualified for every county 'relief' program local leaders came come up with but we didn't take a nickle. Ever. We got by by adjusting our lifestyles to our income. No problem. I didn't even know I was 'poor' until the enlightened city fathers invited me to their Christmas party for the 'unfortunate' kids in our small town. Thanks alot. Their intentions were as misguided then as our governments is now. Someone in government needs to demand that the auto makers sell off their existing inventory of new cars at cost or even at a loss to raise the cash they 'need'. I'll buy one of their cars if they show me they are also willing to make the same sacrifices the rest of us are being forced to make in these tough financial times. Otherwise they can sell these companies to their employees and let them run it. Many a company has been saved that way. Getting the unions to temper their entitlement mentality for a while would also be necessary which, of course, isn't going to happen. This shoveling money around is going to do nothing but prop up the lifestyles of a few people at the top. People at both ends of that shovel need to be stopped before this recession turns into a full blown depression. I have no confidence that the current mentality in Washington is going to solve anything. Seems that they're all running around protecting their own interests and to hell with those of us out here towing the line. Forget about the light at the end of the tunnel...we're not in the tunnel yet.

Gary of MN 10:03AM December 03, 2008