I must say, watching a lot of CNN reports yesterday and today, that it’s certainly interesting to hear the many responses to the failure of that economic “bailout” bill.
Many “average people” posting on CNN blogs and sending webcam comments echo a common theme: “Hey, when I was in financial trouble, none of these big banks or financial institutions came to my aid — why should I help them?”
Admittedly, it’s hard for today’s average citizen to hold a coherent thought in mind for long (sorry, I’ve seen to much stupidity in print, on the air, and on the streets of my own little city here). And, also admittedly, given the track record for the last eight years of the Bush Administration and the do-nothing performance of the Democratically controlled Congress the last couple of years — nobody really trusts the government anymore.
Given all that, it’s really time for people to “get it” that we aren’t talking here about bailing out fat-cat corporations or government crooks at the taxpayers’ expense. We’re talking about keeping the whole blooming economy afloat so YOU and I have jobs, retirement income, home mortgages, student loans, car loans, and all the rest. America is NOT economically broke (yet), but our credit/financial system fluidity really is just about frozen.
So clear those mental memory cards of all those nasty images, John Q. Public, and realize it’s not a case of bailing out big business or CEOs — it’s about bailing out the system that will either help or hurt every one of us, from the poorest to the richest.