Okay- I admit it-I'm very stupid. Can someone explain to me why these millionares need my tax money?

[Dr Fate]

I thought bankers had plenty of money- they are freaking BANKERS after all.

Now I'm going to ask a very childish, naive question- are these guys all flat broke or something? Are all these bankers down to $15 dollars or so like me?

Do these guys not have literally millions (billions?) of dollars of their own personal funds? Did they lose it all? Really?

Can these multi-millionares & billionares(?) not all pool their OWN money together and come up with $700 billion dollars without asking me for it? I'll bet they could. Hell, why get me involved?

Seriously- what am I missing here?

Why cant these guys pull themsleves up by their boot-straps without taking what little money I make?

I know, I know, "the real world doesnt work that way." Or at least no one on TV has ever said this.

[silverweb]

1. They don't "need" your money.

They just want it.

And they believe that because they're already rich, they have the absolute right to anything and everything they want.

[DontTreadOnMe]

2. Simple as 1-2-3

The "bankers" have plenty of money...
It's the companies they work for that have run out of money.

If their employer runs out of money, they don't get any more paychecks.
They NEED to keep these high paying jobs! They have alot of bills.

oh, and you don't count.

[Dr Fate]

3. I GET IT!!!!

Hell- who needs Lou Dobbs.

You just summed it up for me in 5 seconds.

I dont feel so stupid now.

Next question- why havent I heard a DEM frame this as you just did- wait- I dont think I want to know...Perhaps I've learned enough for one day. ;)

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. Because they have not been able to 'splain that they are not even

working with the Paulson plan

They are good at wonky, but lousy at talking to the average joe

I swear called Boxer's office and told them... you need to stop using Paulson's name and splained why... it was a revelation to them

[wileedog]

9. In fairness, its about credit,

Make no mistake, this is a pig, lipstick or no, but without the bailout getting a loan for anything from a car to house to a small business loan to take on more employees will be nigh impossible for a couple of years with no bailout.

Yes, some of it is despicably going to golden parachutes. But don't think the effects of no plan wouldn't be felt down on Main street either, particularly by small business who will essentially stagnate for a good long time.

EDIT - that doesn't mean I necessarily think this is a great idea. WHy not take half that money, give everyone Universal Health Care which removes that tremendous burden off of small business owners, and they won't need as many loans. Plus everyone gets access to a doctor. Win win. But that's just me apparently.

[Dr Fate]

11. No problem. Just give the $700 BILLION directly to "mainstreet" & small businesses then.

I know, Iknow "too radical- mainstreet & the middleclass would never buy such a crazy idea- we wouldnt know what to do do with that kind of money."

LOL-at least that is what the media would say.

But serioulsy- your explanation doesnt exaplain why Billionares & milionares cant come up witht his $700 BILLION dollars from their own personal funds- if they need it so badly, I'm sure they could find it.

I know, I know, I'm an idiot who "doesnt understand how these things work"- very true.

[GodlessBiker]

4. Because they made some bad decisions and want help. Now, if you or I want help from them, forget it

This is corporate welfare at its sleaziest.

[HughBeaumont]

5. "Called Capitalism. You don't like your lot in life, work harder."

This canned gem was from a right winger's e-mail to me when I brought up the point of wealth inequality increasing exponentially under Republican presidents and their gladhanding of the wealthy.

I say, whoever raises this talking point should automatically get beaten out of consciousness by Democratic blue collar workers. Try telling guys who live in factories and are strangers to their families, but are a lost job away from losing all of it that they're poor "because they don't work HARD enough".

So I guess these guys are apparently rich because they work harder than me and deserve my tax money more than me, this nation's universal health care, subsidized education or improved public transportation does. I think that's the logic here.

[Not the Only One]

6. Because they know politicians in DC will give it to them if they ask.

Wall Street has financial WMDs. Trust us. They do. There will be a financial mushroom cloud! Only Bush the Great can save us from this imminent threat!

[Naturalist]

7. So

people won't loose their 401k's and wall street investments. The US Gov could loan the money directly to smaller banks who in turn could loan the money to businesses and people and take the goofballs that made this mess out of the equation but investments would go bye bye. Instead we are going to reward the people who made bad business decisions so that people who have investments in the stock market won't loose their money. Essentially the American People are robbing you.

[Dr Fate]

12. That doesnt tell me why Billionares & millonaies cant come up with the $700 BILLION themselves.

And it certainly doesnt tell me why no one on TV or no politician has suggested this, even as a mere talking point just to put it in perspective.

Fictional DEM politican who will never exist:

"Billionares & millionares need $700 BILLION dollars from Joe Tax payer- say what? Surely they have that much amongst themselves- they could easily bail themselves out of their own mess, couldnt they- why are they grubbing for our money? If anything, we need to divert $700 billion dollars to small businesses & the people who play by the rules..."

See- it's easy!

I know, I know, doesnt work that way. Another man on TV would say so.

[western mass]

26. thanks for summarizing the Swindle

To rephrase:

the criminals on Wall St. created all sort of investments that are essentially worthless (i.e. mortgages that can never be collected), packaged them up and sold them to investors, some of whom are ordinary folks and some of whom are the filthy rich. The bailout doesn't change the fact that these investments are worthless, but buying them out with taxpayer $$$ reduces the losses to investment banks.

Much of our financial system has been running as essentially a Ponzi scheme. The bailout keeps the Ponzi scheme operating for another day by propping it up with your tax $$$...until the next crash, which is inevitable.

[ColbertWatcher]

8. Someone on DU posted the reason: pay or the GOP will kill a kitten.

I was convinced.

[NoUsername]

10. You're asking why they need YOUR tax money?

They don't. The bailout should be paid for soley by raising taxes on the richest 1%. That way millionaires can fight amongst themselves over who gets the money and leave the rest of us out of it.

So, while they don't NEED your tax money, they'll get it anyway. Raising taxes on the rich, or taxing them at all, is completely un-American. Now stop wasting your time posting here and go out and get a second or third job so you can pay more taxes to help out the rich. That's your role in life and the sooner you accept it, the better off you will be.

Oh, and stop wasting your time watching TV. That time can be better off working a fourth job and paying more taxes to help out more of the rich. Get with the program here.

[Dr Fate]

13. But I already know all that. I want to know why BANKERS cant come up with $700 Billion bucks.

Seems like if anyone could pool together $700 Billion dollars, it would be- er, millionares & billionares connected to the banking industry.

But what do I know? It must be an absurd idea, or someone on TV would have already suggested it. LOL- I kill me.

[NoUsername]

15. Yeah, it's pretty nuts.

Bankers and CEOs need OUR help to bail them out. Whodda thunk?

Yeah, if your idea was any good someone on TV definitely would have suggested it. I know every time I turn on my TV, I'm overwhelmed with the incredible wisdom and sheer brilliance of the talking heads on there. So much so that I often end up turning off the set after about 30 seconds. I guess I just can't stand all that raw intelligence being beamed straight into my living room all at once.

[Irish Girl]

28. haha ..

too funny.

Well, the mainstream media is owned by these same bankers so ... doubt we'll ever get intelligent conversation from our so-called wonderful investigative journalists, LOL. It's all propaganda for the rich, owned by the rich.

This whole thing is our fault, dontcha know?

[Sparkly]

14. I like your plan.

Tax the richest 1%.

[NoUsername]

17. Thanks.

To me, it's kind of a no-brainer. This is a problem created of the rich, by the rich and for the rich so they should be the ones that have to pick up the tab. I don't know why our elected "representatives" just seem to assume that all of us taxpayers should automatically pick up the tab. Screw that! Let the rich pay for it. Maybe they will learn a lesson that way.

If I have to pay for it, that's kind of like my neighbor going out and getting hammered, smashing up his car, and then expecting me to pay for the damages. Makes no fricking sense at all for me to pay for that, any more than it does for me to bail out the worthless CEOS on Wall Street.

[Sparkly]

22. Yup, I agree.

The richest 1% benefited from the system; they can clean it up.

[NoUsername]

23. It's so simple but why, oh why are NO Dems proposing this?

I don't get it. It's a win-win. The Dems should propose their OWN bill where the bailout is paid for entirely by raising taxes on the top 1%. They would be calling the shots so it could include STRICT regulations so this wouldn't happen again, enable homeowners to renegotiate their mortgages, prohibit golden parachutes, ... you know...everything the PEOPLE want. But nooooo. Pelosi said there will be NO partisan bill. IOW, it's Bush's bill or nothing. This is a golden opportunity for the Dems and they're pissing it away. I guess their corporate masters probably wouldn't like having their taxes raised.

[Sparkly]

24. Good question.... nt

[dkofos]

16. Because they want to be BILLIONAIRES.

[Dr Fate]

19. Okay- then why cant the patriotic, Republican Billionares pony up the dough for good old Uncle Sam?

I'd love to see a GOP OR DEM politician have to explain why they cant.

[dkofos]

18. They got 89 billion in bonuses that would be a start.

[codjh9]

20. Don't say you're stupid! It's complicated crap.

[Dr Fate]

21. Crap is right. n/t

n/t

[Irish Girl]

27. They need your money because ..

They own you }(