ENOUGH WITH THE BAILOUTS ALREADY!!!

What on Earth is going on with the picture I am seeing from Washington regarding the economy. It seems they think that throwing endless streams of money at the economic problems we are facing are the answer. The fix to these guys isn't getting these failing companies to bring in new management, it is to give them taxpayers' dollars. Money that the hardworking people of America have sweated to make, and still barely get to ends' meat.

So we give at least $105 billion to AIG. What do they do just before receiving the taxpayer money? They take new recruits to a California resort to train them. If you are that financially strapped, go to a state park or some farmer's barn, if he will have you, to bring in new associates. For Pete's sake, you don't go to a Ritz-Carlton in California if you are on the brink of bankruptcy. We bail out Wall Street firms. We have financially strapped cities and states waiting to line up. There is even talk that Starbucks may even apply for a bailout. Since when is Starbucks providing a necessary service or good? Don't get me wrong, I like my coffee as much as the next guy, but Starbucks isn't the only firm, and our economy doesn't use them as a bedrock to prop up the system. ENOUGH ALREADY!!! We are swimming out on uncharted, dark waters with this strategy. There is no constitutional jurisdiction I can find for this runaway madness. There is no precedent for it in our history. The government became involved on a strong level following the Crash of 1929 and the Depression that followed, but that even pales in comparison to the road our government is blazing today.

I was a strong opponent to the idea of bailing out the Big Three automakers, until I read this column from the great scholar Pat Buchanan. However, I still remain skeptical about it, although I do realize that we can't let Detroit fold.

I do not believe government money will even come close to solving the problem. We are putting Scotch tape on a breaking dyke. The problem is greed, lack of morality, and poor management. Throwing dollars the TAXPAYERS earned at the problem is like pouring buckets of water INTO a sinking ship. It is a terribly misguided policy.

I guess we could leave it to the poor management in Washington to try to come up with these kinds of ideas to "help" the poor management in corners of the corporate world of our country. Meanwhile, who will be footing the bill? Who else, but those of us in my generation who are in our twenties, and our children, and future grandchildren. At the same time, many of those passing these ideas through legislation will have long passed from this life.

God, please help us!