Been very busy. But all work had to stop this morning to comment on the
“Great Bailout of ‘08.” Unlike our candidates and elected officials, I will stake out a position right now. DON’T DO IT.

Contact your Representative now, like I did, and oppose this fleecing of America.

My representative, Tim Walz, Democrat, is leaning toward opposing the bailout as it now stands. I called two of his offices and emailed him. His Mankato office said that calls are running “300 to 1″ against the bailout.” But in the end, will he listen to us? I hope so. I crossed party lines and voted for Tim two years ago. I would love to see him rise above “politics as usual” and do the right thing in this nasty business. If he votes against the crowd in Washington, he will pay a heavy price I’m sure. So he will have this Republican’s support at the polls this year if he does the right thing.

I know all the reasons why we should let these clowns take our money again. But I’ve had enough. Let the system falter and stumble. Let the retirement plans take a dive. If we don’t stop the madness now, our children will have to face an economic situation far worse someday. Why? Because we have not learned anything from this, except that there is always a safety net when we are irresponsible. But there isn’t. Not always, and not forever.

Many responsible national figures are opposed to this, and apparently, according to a Rasmussen Poll today, so are about 70% of Americans. Excerpt below:

“Only 30% of U.S. voters think the federal government should step in to rescue the country’s troubled financial markets, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.”

So why are most politicians “on board” with this plan? Are they really that much smarter? Nope. The leaders of both parties are indeed in the pocket of the Wall Street firms, Fannie Me and Freddie Mac. And those underneath the leadership don’t dare cross them. If they do, they can kiss their careers goodbye. OK, so maybe it’s more complicated than that, but that’s us “folks on Main Street” feel.

This is a no-brainer for a politician. Vote “with Bush” and if it goes well (which we won’t know for many years), they can take credit. If it goes badly, they can blame Bush and rewrite history- make it all that “bad bad man George Bush’s fault.” Sound familiar? It’s how we got into Iraq. And both John McCain and Barak Obama are supporting this bailout. Thanks guys.

Mike Huckabee said it best in his blog today (excerpted below)

“Frankly, I’m disappointed and disgusted with my own Republican party as I watch them attempt to strong-arm a bailout of some of America’s biggest corporations by asking the taxpayers to suck up the staggering results of the hubris, greed, and arrogance of those who sought to make a quick buck by throwing the dice. They lost, but want the rest of us to cover their bets so they won’t be effected in their lavish lifestyles as they figure out how to spend their tens of millions and in some cases, hundreds of millions in bonuses and compensation which was their reward for not only sinking their companies, but basically doing the same to the entire American economy.

The idea of a government bailout in which we’d entrust $700 billion to one man without Congressional oversight or accountability is absurd. My party or not, that is insanity and I believe unconstitutional.”

Ron Paul’s response today, excerpted below:

“I continue to urge you to contact your representatives and give them a piece of your mind. I myself am doing everything I can to promote the correct point of view on the crisis.

H.G. Wells once said that civilization was in a race between education and catastrophe. Let us learn the truth and spread it as far and wide as our circumstances allow. For the truth is the greatest weapon we have.”