My inbox is filled today with emails from friends who feel as if the wind has been knocked out of them; so discouraged that their calls and emails to Washington have fallen on deaf ears. Some say, “why vote?” if they aren’t listening?
Good question! Why vote indeed? Though I WILL vote next month, I too feel as if I’ve been ignored. So I can’t help but wonder…what’s the point of taking a stand if your voice is ignored?
How many of you REALLY understand how Wall Street functions? Hell, I don’t even know how my computer works, and I use it every single day.
Here’s what I know about Wall Street. I hired a broker and gave him my money. Fortunately, for me, the person I chose was honest, really cared about me, and gave me good advice.
I’ve been up and down financially…times have been dicey…kinda like the economy today…but everything righted itself eventually and I landed on my feet. Not so today…things are tight and kinda wobbly for me, but I still think Wall Street should be allowed to unravel so we can see how this happened…learn from our mistakes as it were. I think this bill simply sweeps everything under the carpet, and the trouble with using a broom is the dirt isn’t gone, it’s just hidden away for someone else to find.
Did Ben Bernenke and Henry Paulson see this coming? If they did, why did they wait so long to sound the alarm?
But here we are. The Senate has approved this bill with very little opposition, save for the few who are most likely up for reelection. It goes to the House for a vote today. Should it be approved? I say NO! Why, you ask?
After the Senate vote, Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat representing Nevada said, “We’ve sent a clear message to Americans all over that we will not let this economy fail. This is not a piece of legislation for lower Manhattan. This is legislation for all America.”
REALLY Mr. Reid? Is this bill truly to help us Americans, or is it simply to help the Few maintain their lifestyles? Boy, I just don’t know, but I DO know that this bill should never have passed with all this pork.
New spending proposed in the Bailout bill:
-Film and Television Productions
-Wooden Arrows designed for use by children WHAT???
-Six page package of earmarks for litigants in the 1989 Exxon Valdez incident in Alaska
Tax spending “extenders” in the bailout bill:
- Virgin Island and Puerto Rican Rum
- American Samoa
- Mine Rescue Teams
- Mine Safety Equipment (OK, a good thing, but here?)
- Domestic Production Activities in Puerto Rico
- Indian Tribes
- Railroads
- Auto Racing Tracks
- District of Columbia
- Wool Research
Race tracks, wool research, Rum? Come on – what the hell does any of this have to do with bailing out failed banks? Good god!!
Here’s what I DO know. Roxie was ignored too. Roxie didn’t call Washington and Roxie doesn’t care whether the Dow Jones goes up or down. Roxie simply wonders where her people went and what she did that made them leave her behind? Roxie is a puppy. Roxie’s owners took the washer and dryer and left her behind in an empty house to die.
Since I feel I have to place blame somewhere, I choose Roxie’s former owners, because I don’t know how to fix the economy, and right now I don’t know how to help myself, but I DO know how to treat an innocent animal.
