Jennifer Westhoven answers your questions

If the government wants to bail out banks and save the economy while gaining the respect of all us little “consumers” then do this, for only half the cost ($350 bil.)
The economic stimulus checks were a half-baked idea, just like a repeat of them would be. However, they were on the right track with that… and IF they would have done it the way I’m about to describe, it may have actually worked. With 700 bil. on the table, there's still a chance to do it the smart way:
$1,000 for every American citizen = about $350 bil. But do not pay it directly to them, as Jennifer pointed out. Instead, for any Americans who have bank loans, apply it to those loans. That will be helping “consumers” out and fluxing a whole bunch of money into all of the banks. For those Americans who do not have bank loans, apply the $1,000 to any bad debt that they have. That will not only reduce the outstanding debt of citizens, but also help out the companies with negative balance sheets. Finally, for those people who have neither bank debt, nor debt to a company, give those rare citizens their $1,000 check to keep things fair.

The following is a letter I have sent to my congressional representatives here in PA today. Will it do any good? I have little faith. But being an American makes me want to try anyway. Feel free to use it, revise it, send it to YOUR OWN reps in Congress and/or pass it along ...
_____________________

Privatized Wealth Becomes Socialized Debt?!?
Please Vote NO!

Dear Representatives Pitts and Gerlach,

I am a registered voter in your district. As one of your constituents, I would strongly urge you to VOTE AGAINST the Bail-out Bill that is now up for passage in the House. It's note too late for you to stop Washington and this administration from making ANOTHER mistake with our money! It's not too late to stand up against Wall St.'s fear tactics that would seek to convince all of us that "the only way out of the current economic crisis" is to pay for – and ostensibly erase – their mistakes.

The officials asking for more of our money (and more of our TRUST) have clearly PROVEN that they are not capable of handling our finances or the leadership of our economy with anything close to efficiency. On the contrary ... these same officials were unable or unwilling to acknowledge or admit the trouble that was coming when there was TIME to do something about it other than the rash, reactionary and fear-based response that we are told we now have NO CHOICE but to allow.

I've had ENOUGH!

It is my opinion that the initial premise of the Bill, as presented by the Bush Administration and Secretary Paulson, is deeply flawed – and that amendments and additions to that bill have done nothing to improve it's usefulness in relation to the REAL economy as it is experienced by the majority of Americans.

I am NOT in support of giving officials, who have clearly shown their incompetence in stewarding our economy, another chance to "get it right" with $700 billion MORE of our tax dollars. NO ONE in Washington or on Wall St. has been able to show how this bill will FIX the crisis currently at hand or has even proven that it WILL fix the crisis. A $700 billion dollar "solution" (a figure arrived upon out of thin air) is not a risk I'm willing to take or a TRUST I'm willing to offer!

I am NOT in support of this Bail-out functioning to support and sustain Wall St. mega-investors mistakes at the expense of the tax-payer. Nor do I believe that the benefits of this Bail-out will successfully "trickle down" to the average American ... who has continued to suffer the ever-increasing folly, frivolity and greed of both Wall St. and Washington.

I am NOT in support of trying to solve the problems of our economy with rash decisions that are unfounded and unsubstantiated in terms of either necessity OR efficiency. If TIME is what it takes to arrive at a rational and effective group of solutions ... than TIME is what should be allowed. I will not be naively convinced ... or rather ... blackmailed, AGAIN, by people who serve to PROFIT from crisis!

Wall St. and Washington have never paid for MY financial mistakes ... though we, as Americans, have almost always paid for theirs.

It's time to say ENOUGH!

Create a NEW BILL that revises the premise and purpose of this Bail-out to better serve the American tax-payer ... or I will use my vote to elect a new representative to Congress who will.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I'll be watching to see what action you've taken.

Sincerely,
Hillary O'Carroll
East Fallowfield, PA

Why not use the $700B to lower the 30-year FIXED rate mortgage loans to 3-4% for a 12 month period. Allow all those home owners with ARMs that are about to reset or have already reset and haven't foreclosed on their property to refinance their mortgage to a FIXED rate mortgage and keep their house. Use the $700B to also waive the closing costs of the refi.

This low rate should be available to new home buyers. Buyers of new homes, existing homes and foreclosed homes. This will help get rid of the glut for sale inventory of homes and boost the sale of new construction. Housing values would stabilize as the sales of homes pick back up again.

To me, its a WIN WIN for everyone. Don't reward the Finance and Banking company CEO's with bailout money to buy their poison loans to save their jobs and get another "fat" bonus check again that they don't deserve. Regulate the finance industry and eliminate sub-prime loans and ridiculous A.R.M.s that people can't afford in the future.

I am TRULY disappointed and question my support for ANY of our politicians who so blatantly ignored the voice of the people of our country by voting for the US Senate Wall Street bailout bill. We the people have told them that we want Congress to find both short and long-term solutions to this problem–stop the bleeding and then fix the problem, don't just put a bandage on it–but we DON'T want this so-called solution they approved that will cost us now and even more in the future.

I won't vote for four more years of the nonsense that has exacerbated our economic system weaknesses but I am SERIOUSLY considering NOT VOTING AT ALL and quickly starting a national campaign to encourage all voters to NOT VOTE on the upcoming Election Day in protest of the shunning of our voices by our politicians. If no one shows up at the polls, maybe THEN they'll get the message. And no, I'm not disloyal to my country and our process...just fed up!

Why isn't the complete list of additional pork added to the Senate bailout bill discussed on the news? All of the pork added increased the amount of this bill is atrocious. Really, a tax break for manufacturing "wooden arrows", come on get real! What's next, tax breaks for picking up road kill?

I recall a small bailout given 1-2 years ago and the money the banks got they didn't use like the Federal Reserve hoped. They put it in commodities so things like gold and oil soared to ridiculous prices. Ring a bell? What if this happens again on this massive bailout? 7 dollar gas and gold at 2000 an ounce?

VP Debate

I would take Biden over John McCain on the economic crisis without a second thought because of their childhood. Biden has been there and knows what’s going on, he lived threw the great depression and knows how bad it is going to get. He knows what it feels like. He mention having to leave Sarah behind while there parents go look for work else where, who can say that that can not be a person that he knows from the past. So he knows what can happen, but with John McCain, he is a military brat, point brat. I have the utmost respect for anyone who has to go threw the life of a military child, because I have been there myself, though not at the top ranking pay as McCain's father, having his family taken care of living off a military base.
And another thing, global warming as well as the current climate crisis, (which are one in the same) Biden has came right out and said that the current climate crisis is manmade. But Pallin, like a lot of people are not going to say that the global climate crisis is man made. Before you can start fixing something you must first say what is causing it. But she never once said what caused it, completely avoided the question.
To me, that is the most important things must be addressed. I care about what’s going on in the world and I care about the war and I think it is stupid that we are over there but we must do what is takes to take out Binladin. But get there out there safely and keep out noses out of anything else and focus on us, the ones that the rich people don’t want to talk to because we don’t come from money.

Instead of a bail out, why don't we prosecute the people responsible for the problems like we have done in the past? (ENRON) We continue to use credit as a way of doing business, which propigates the pay day to pay day life style. People need to learn how to save first and spend later when they have the money to pay for what they purchase. I would have no problem letting Warren Buffet buy in to more companies for pennies on the dollar.

I am nine months away from finishing my degree, and am now wondering what will happen with my student loans. The administration made it difficult for American's to file for bankruptcy, but they step right in to bail out companies who have been mismanaged and corrupted. The CEO's of these companies will get their golden parachutes, and the rest of us will be left to fend for ourselves. This isn't about the average every day person, this is about big business. No one helps the little guy.

This debate did not change my mind, it definitely solidified who will get my vote!!! Obama/Biden ticket is the only way to go!!! The soccer moms are being pulled into a ploy with Dick Cheney in a dress, I could not get pass Tina Faye!!!!!

just a note for yall! being preyed apon by banks telling you they have a way for you to aford your dream house, uneducated people to the morgage world said yes. the answer givin for why we don't get the money as tax payers is B.S. listen to this plan america average the debt of each house hold pay each house hold that amount tell the people to pay off their debt. the banks that matter get the money they need and we get the all important BUYING POWER with monthly freed up cash to spend! i know i am NOT the only one that if my debt was paid off would NEVER by my controll enter debt again! open your minds think !!! the banks get the bad debt paid off and get to sell the houses that they own still after forclosing on them, they get to doubble dip the system at the expense of the tax payer DON'T insult me with you had a chance with access to all that credit so then to did the banks HELLO!!! its MY money as a tax payer i WANT IT i can do better with it than the corporations that put us here.

hey also take a look at what IS happening the banks that are fiscally responsible are purchasing the ones that could not keep afloat. with the agressive buying by stable companies, this crisis i feel is half as bad as we are being led to believe folks. yes we will feel somthing duh but not as bad as the media or the corporations or our gov. all three want the bail out cuz they make money on it NOT THE TAX PAYER!

california has for yrs been fiscally irresponsible hench the reason arnold is gov. one of largest hit in the housing problem is in california the best example i could give to strengthin the position of pay the tax payer if all those people could pay off thier debt and have freed up capital to SPEND it would free up the credit crunch cuz less is borrowed out. debts are payed off EVERYONE agrees trickel down does not work so stop doing it motivate the tax base. you build strong foundations from the ground up you don't start with the roof DUH! 250k per tax paying house hold is still less than the proposed bail out

hey if it were ALL about saving us then WHY the pork barrel we are being lied to by ALL involved in this mess

I thought bribery was a criminal offence. Is 't that what the addition of the "sweetened' proposal is? An attempt to buy a public official's vote?

Will someone up top, besides all of those in office who don't seem to have to worry about money, please EDUCATE the citizens? It's not taxation without representation, it's voting against the wishes of the people with impunity. Inform us about other options so we can choose wisely. There are no "do overs."

It makes so much more sense instead of bailing out the Banks on bad mortgages, give the deliquent homeowner a get of foreclosure free card. Erase the late payments and convert the loans to a fixed rate at 3-5%. Bailout the homeowners let them live in a house instead of under a bridge!

This bail out is truly a sell out. The companies involved have been making bad loans and other bad decisions forever and getting away with it. None of these things happened over night. This is also a way for President Bush to get things passed that he couldn't get approval on throughout his term as President. As taxpayers we have to disclose our earnings every year to the IRS and get penalized if we don't. It is time for big banks and other financial institutions, industries , and our government officals to start disclosing thier earnings and other profits to the taxpayers. Let us watch thier money like they watch ours. Let us enjoy some of the benefits they enjoy while spending and using our tax dollars to increase thier pockets.

I am not sure any of you watched the clip where she answered your questions. WE THE PEOPLE were responsible for this she said...and if the govt were to give us money then we would be irresponsible with it... Not the bankers or companies that set bad loans, but us... I cannot believe that should would have the audacity to say something like that when people are hurting (and over 40% of Americans make under 32k a year...I am sure she is making over 100K a year)...so it is easy for her to stand on her high horse and say such things.

I am in agreement with most Americans. Give me the money. I will pay off my debts and guess what else? I will spend money afterwards because I won't be so laden down with bills, and actually help stimulate our economy AND I will also put money into the bank... Yep, those places that are collapsing around us in heaps...That might help "shore" them up... at least for the time being. But to give the Govt now up to 850b... are they insane? Just add to my debt please. I am going to hate to see what my income tax is going to be the next few years when I have to help pay for my share of this burden.

Robin

Every American can have a check.
How you give it is what will make the difference
writing a check for 250,000 to pay down and pay
of f morgages. part for individuals for health care
and the rest however they need it.
Not credit for loans to create more dedt.
This is how you can do this by writing the check
with the morgage name connected and depositing
the check in the banks that means people that
don;'t have an account will have one. and every
one gets a card to spend the money. Debit card or
something like that. Which will control spending
and not allow anyone to pull large sums of money
out of the banks.
This way the government will give the tax payers their
on money and will not have to pay it back
small buisness, will continue to thrive and the economy
will go up and you will not have to worry about a ressesion
because everyone is spending. That would include
a check for you and others siting next to you because
you are a taxpayer.
That is the only thing that would allow americans to
trust the government again.
That would be a historical ring heard all over the world.
The world would have to respect America for that.

EASY SOLVE BAIL OUTS: ARREST TOP3 OF EACH CORPORATION FOR UNJUST ENRICHMENT, THEFT, STRIP THEM OF THEIR ILL GOTTON GAIN AND PUT THAT MONEY BACK FROM WHERE THEY TOOK IT -

Bye Bye America you no longer have any say in this bail out no right to vote no against thiss bail out they where bullys with are money why vote if no one will listen who is bailing you out every day for the past 8 months i have bin looking for work no one returns my call 3 headhunters no work . I pray for everyone In the USA" save your money the floor has not dropped yet i wish every one goodluck end LEAD BY EXAMPLE SAAVE SAVE YOUR MONEY THAT IS ARE ONLY HOPE AND TRUST ME THE FLOOR HAS NOT DROPPED YET AND THE WORLD IS LAUGHING AT US HUGO CHAVES SAID TODAY THE USA HAS BECOME A SOCIALIST COUNTRY HE IS RIGHT IF YOU LISTEN TO CSPAN THE POLITICIANS THAT WHERE AGAINST THIS SAID THIS IS BECOMING A SOCIALIST COUNTRY ONE LADY SANG BYE BYE AMERICA PIE ITS REAL SAD DAY THAT WE DONT MATTER TO CONGRESS OR TO THE NEXT PRESEDINT THAT VOTED ON THIS BAIL OUT. NOW WE BAIL OUT CHINA THE THE PEOPLE THAT HAD NO INCOME TO BUY A HOUSE AND FALSE SOCIAL SECURTY AND WALL STREET WITH THE FAT CHECKS THEY WILL BE WRITEING OUT WITH ARE TAX MONEY. YA YOUR MONEY THE GUY OR WOMEN THAT WORK OVER 80HRS AND SEE NOTHING OF THERE INCOME GREED GOT US HERE NOT SAVEING ARE MONEY IM GUILTY AS SIN FOR NOT SAVEING I JUST LEARNED A HARD LESSON. BUT I PLAN TO CORRECT IT TRUST ME I WAS IN SALES FOR TEN YEARS SELLING CARS I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE SELL THERE SOULS TO CREDIT . GOODBYE WE HAVE TO STAY UNITED AND NOT ALLOW TO US BEING BULLIED WE DO HAVE A VOISE EVERY ONE CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND DONT VOTE FOR THE ONES THAT VOTED FOR THIS BAIL GODBLESS YOU ALL WISH AMERICA THE BEST AND I WILL PRAY FOR ALL OF YOU

We are paying these companies again, i mean they got paid when we bought their product, and now we have to pay them again to fix their mistake. Great job Bush, you do know that nearly 1 million Jobs have been lost this year alone aka Jobs that belong to Tax payers, a majority of which are foreclosing on their homes, can't afford gas, and where better off 9 years ago when they living an affordable life style. But hey what do the upper class know about living paycheck to paycheck. UNEMPLOYMENT anyone??? what a MERRY CHRISTMAS this year is going to be......

America is in turmoil...Other countries owe us money, we don't collect. Just look at Iraq. Banks in this country do not look at debt to income ratio before they borrow money for housing. During the housing boom, they didn't care if you didn't make enough to pay a $300,000 mortgage...they knew they would get it back and make money off it if you defaulted....not anymore...that was the beginning of the problem. Now the ongoing is that 750,000 people without jobs since January...that is a lot of people not paying taxes out of their paychecks and contributing to the Federal income tax, and the baby boomers collecting Social Security, which is a total mess in itself. This started as early as 2000 and should have stopped then! What a joke we have made ourselves out to be!!!!

Hi Jennifer.

I was wondering if it is possible that the banking industry has hijacked our country by intentionally raising the eligibility standards for credit so high that even local and state governments can't get a loan from a bank, because the banking industry demands a bailout to cover its own mistakes if politicians who were paid in political contributions by banks don't pass the bailout bill. I figure that local and state government are good for the loans rather than private citizens, since the government has better collateral. As disturbing as this sounds, does this theory hold water?

Maybe we are barking up the wrong tree. We get about 70 percent of our oil from overseas. When Wall Street and the speculators went wild on the oil price, everything was affected. We were at a crossroad-buy gas to go to work and get food, or pay the mortage. The gas won out. Is it possible this whole thing started with the price of gas?

Remember when we (women) burned our bras? Now it is time to burn our credit cards. We are a nation of invisible money...initiated to entice us to owe our future to the government. I think everyone knows this but why have they not said...it is not only the morgage crisis...it is the credit card issuance also! Anyone can get a credit card! Have they not said they would not make it a law that student credita card offers cannot exeed $500. (don't quote me exactly!) on the amount....So everyone...save and burn your crdit card. We can't be any worse off! Sounds like the fall of the Roman Empire!

This Bailout is supply side economics and trickle down economics. I would have rather seen that 700 billion dollars spent yes on the New Deal Keynian theory of demand side economics. Hey we need to rebuild our infrastructure, roads, bridges, energy sources, education. Why not get something out of our tax dollars instead of bailing out investors which the market will take care of. They lose as anyone else that invests in the market. That is free market and investing in our country. I am very disappointed in the Democrats including Barack Obama who supported this nonsense.
This fixes wallstreet but is does not suddenly increase demand. Through increasing demand I think the supply side would have fixed itself through the market.

Peace

Frank

I searched this blog to determine whether there was any discussion of the true cause of this credit crisis: mortgage holders that borrowed more money than they could affort to pay back. I could not find one, although it may be there somewhere. I found many blaming the lenders, but remember, there is a borrower in every loan.

People bought homes that, according to statistics on current home foreclosures, were many, many times the buyer's annual income, including those with no "reported" income. These people include those with both high and low incomes. These buyers knew their annual income and they knew the price of the home they were buying. Yet, unlike the majority of responsible homebuyers, thousands of homebuyers found borrowing money much more pleasant than the reality of paying it back. They purchased homes five to 10 times their annual income, and the result are mortgages that people now find they can't pay back.

I purchased my home in 2005, and paid just three times my annual income, and made a downpayment of 30% of the home's price (borrowing the remaining 70%). I lived within my means, but now many politicians and activists want me to pony up money to those that did not. Why should I?

Ed

Hi Jennifer.

Why the housing market was so inflated. I remember hearing people saying to buy, even at such high prices, because they thought those homes would be even more expensive. HA!!!! I remember seeing a sign that read, "Homes from $90,000". then those homes costed close to $180,000 and higher. Judging from the look of those modest looking homes in the central valley, they should never have been that expensive. Its no wonder why many people didn't want to pay for homes they bought that now costs so much less than whay they bought the homes for. In some areas, such homes may not reach the same price they bought the home for decades, some investment. If home prices were only increased to half, the mortgage collapse might not have been so severe, and only those who overpaid by such crazy amounts would have been left to their huge misjudgments, while others might have kept their homes. Many lenders and some part of A.C.O.R.N. (which threatened to sue lenders with discrimination for not wanting to lend to risky buyers)should be in jail and fined by the gov, and then sued by owners for such heinous lending tactics for helping to cause this fiasco. Realtors should be investigated for misleading buyers into buying such overpriced homes as well. Who is in charge of regulating home prices? With illegal aliens in my area taking all the cunstruction jobs, you'd think that the homes would never have been overpriced.

Bank of America is leading the way for other banks to buy these mortgage loans and renegotiating these loans. Maybe smaller banks should each do the same so that the fed won't have to do it with taxpayer's money. Maybe those who said that the free market will fix itself were right and that the bailout was unnecessary.

What can I, as a regular, hard-working, struggling tax payer do to hold these CEO's and other fat cats accountable for the behavior that has led to our financila crisis? It appears from the hearings yesterday on Capitol Hill that even our legislators are willing to let these "guys" go with barely a slap on the wrist. What can I, as one person, do to get my point across that this type of behavior is unacceptable to me?

I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT JENNIFER IS DOING A GREAT JOB.
MUCH OF WHAT SHE REPORTS RIGHT NOW IS UNFORTUNATELY NOT GOOD NEWS. YET, SHE CONTINUES TO GIVE US THE ANSWERS TO IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT ARE STEWING IN OUR BRAINS. HER REPORTS COUPLED WITH HER AMAZING SMILE & PERSONALITY MAKE HER AN EXTREMELY STIMULATING FINANCIAL NEWSPERSON. MY 401K MAY BE SHRINKING BUT AS LONG AS I'M WATCHING HER ITS OK! PLEASE TELL HER I'M SINGLE AND AVAILABLE! I'M MELTING!!!

Jennifer Westhoven said today that the guys on the street said this won't end until everything that can be sold has been sold. Well, Jennifer, tell them for me, I won't sell until they pry my stock from my cold, dead hands.

I guess this means you can blame it on me if I'm the last one still hanging on.

I always thought the south was gonna rise again and now I think my stock is gonna rise again. Ever the optimist, that is me.

Also, I'd like to tell Scott in the previous post to chill. I'm sure Jennifer is spoken for. There are other women, Scott. My advice is to step away from the television.

PATSY your right even today prices are not what a good company is worth. hold on until some solution comes , i mean how broke is broke?

credit is not the "lifeblood" of the economy.
responcible credit from fdic banks and some commercail banks is inventories and payroll.
putting a investment bank and its reinsrunce company into a leveraged default credit swap is poision to the economy.
the world has confidence in main street but wont loan money to wall street until it shows us its books.
you can buy his confidence with our debt! we are already out of money.

Jennifer,

Since I my mortgage is tied to the Lodon Stock exchange can you tell me if I might expect a cut in my rate with the new federal rate cut at home....

Jim

Since my mortgage is tied to the London Stock exchange can you tell me if I might expect a rate cut to follow the 0.5% rate cut from home...

Jim

cutting the fed rate should be good for the market , i also think it signals that we will all take resonable actions and the world will respond in like kind. mayve we all can stop comparing the size of our economies.

great job handling probably the hardest day a business correspondent could face! thank you jennifer

Jennifer; my questian, why should the government get the shares from these bail out companies and bad morgages when it was NOT their money in the first place? We Americans should ALL share in this, tell Uncle San to send each American An equal share of these shares to the amount of monies they have used.

The government is patching the roof while the foundation crumbles!!! If you don’t infuse some cash directly into Main Street ,things aren’t going to get better!!!! We cannot afford the loans even if the banks are willing to loan. For the first time in years, we don’t have an extra cent after paying just the basics. By the basics I am refering to what ever is getting ready to be cut off or what ever is the most over due! With the inflation in food and energy cost we here on Main Street are dying. Home owners need the rescue package!

AIG NO MORE MON EY!!!

(questian) Last year when gas was this price per barrel we were paying under 3.00 per gallion why are we in Indiana still paying 3.45-3.50 per gallion now? isn't this called gouging? and is there somthing we can do about it?

Shelly Taylor (Oct 2,2008) I'm with u, where do u want to start the protest on Nov 4 Ill gather Indiana frustrated!!

IWith the economy in crisis and the distrust of Wall Street today. Why are the people laughing and clapping at the opening bell. We are not joyful as our stocks keep plunging.

Is it true that even though your 401K is not worth what it was as the stock market plunges, you are actually buying more shares at lower prices? Making panic decisions....you lose. If you hang in there, you may end up with more in your 401K after the market bottoms out and starts to recover?????

Fixing the mess.
The market and the entire economy will continue to dive like a F16 jet flying into the ocean, is because the United States just continues to print money. Making the value of the dollar worthless. What will happen if every country in the world decided to do the same thing? (But the US warned)
The only way to stop any more panic and deterioration would be to allow every home owner in the USA to consolidate all of their loans with their home and give them a 3% interest rate toward principal and interest, charge them another 2% on the loans with 1% going toward a savings or retirement account and the other 1% going toward a line of credit. This will stop the decline in home prices and make the dollor jump in real value.

The second thing to do, it get rid of foreign oil. Come on we can clone people and we can make a synthetic gas? And do we really need oil and gas to run our buildings, just imagine how low gas will drop and we can reduce consumption by 30 – 50%.
I am tired of hearing we can’t.

The third thing would be to reduce taxes for small businesses, eliminate state taxes and allow them to file one form at the end of the year. Allow them tax credits when they hire people.

Tax the big corporations, especially the oil companies. Then eliminate the gasoline tax.

Stop deporting the immigrants and make them legal, you can collect taxes and maybe sell them a home..

But I have one questions, I am not a rocket scientist, but what did you think would happen when you decided to try to fix the problem from the top down? And when you decided to print up 7 billion dollars? Like I said what’s to prevent other counties from doing the same.

I never hear any one talk about other American's that make less then $24.000 A Year.We pay Taxes on this Mess as every one else.And have even less income.They all talk about the Middle class.As if We along with New orleans & South Eastern Texas Does'not Matter.Until Tax time.The point of it is.We've been use to living with less.Now We just live with out More ,of what We never will have for our self,Or Family.

As Nancy Pelosi suggest a second financial suport plan of +/- $1 trillion USD is not out of the question, we need to stand behind our American investors, banks and finacial institutions if we (Americans) are to continue being the number one economic global leader, timing is everything during this financial crises.

Richard Kennedy
Kalispell, MT

AIG using our money for their luxury constitutes fraud. They should be criminally charged for these abuses. Is there no one in the banking business who isn't corrupted by greed? Any Bail Out should require strict guidelines for use of any public funding and violations should be criminally charged. This is a time for building trust, not behavior that is unAmerican.

To your comment about not giving the bail out money to the people.
You said that we had access to thousands of dollars and we spent like crazy. Well that is what kept the economy strong. After we spent the money it went into the hands of the people who invested badly or worse yet inflated salaries for them selves . Now they want us to give them more money for no service or product. If I am giving them more money I want something in return. If the people got the money we would buy cars, no auto bail out needed. We could pay our mortgage, no mortgage crisis. We could pay all our other bills keeping our work force employed. No lay offs or cutbacks.
If we bail out auto companies the people will still not be able to buy a car what happens then. We bail out the housing market the people still can not make the house payment so they still loose the house. Don’t stick us with the trickle down theory let it trickle up.

hi- i'd like to know why the banking industry isn't held to the same standards as the auto industry?

Jennifer Westoven – Thank you for being one of the "few" people there who know the difference between fewer and less. It was encouraging for a former teacher of English to hear you correctly use the term fewer. Right under your image at that time, however, one of your writers placed a statement that talked about Edwards' mistress, only that person used no apostrophe after the name Edwards.
Now, Jennifer, if you can teach a few of the reporters the difference between the pronunciation of the noun combat and the verb combat, I will totally be in your debt.