For those who blame Democrats for not forcing the bailout, c'mon, that would be political suicide!

[Lil Missy]

Pelosi is not stupid, nor are the rest of the Democratic Congress. The bailout is widely unpopular among all voters.

The story here is that the Repukes want the bailout to be passed on the Dems backs so they can use it AGAINST them for re-election. Even though it is a problem that was created and exacerbated by bushco.

There HAS to be a bi-partisan agreement. Otherwise the Dems would be twisting in the wind, and taking the blame for years to come. Pelosi knows what she is doing.

The Repukes have to shit or get off the pot now. The next week should be interesting.

[aquart]

1. I hear Paulson went down on one knee. Not good enough.

That knee better bend on significant legislation with teeth so sharp it's Paulson's blood all over them.

They had this rotten plan FOR A YEAR????

[Lil Missy]

3. I agree. But his "blank check" proposal is long gone now.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. TWO MONTHS not a year

and his plan has not been operative for a week or so

[tblue]

2. Oh, I get that. Absolutely. But, here's how they can solve this:

I believe the Dems should INSIST on adding to the bill the stipulation that people facing foreclosures must have a way of restructuring their mortgages to save their homes. The Dems can easily justify this to their constituents. The Republicans, of course, completely oppose that idea. So, just like with the recent oil-drill bill, the Dems should craft some minimal $$ bailout plan, add in the mortgage restructuring, and dump it right in the Republicans' lap. Let them vote it down along their sorry party line. And show the American people who these monsters are. Obama could support that bill wholeheartedly, and make a dazzling speech explaining why this is the best thing for middle-class America, and dare McC to vote no. If it doesn't pass, the Dow will keep dropping and the Republicans, and McC will be blamed unless and until they come around. No compromise. No mercy.

Edited because I know this reads like crap, but I am too tired to write right. Forgive me. I'm really not as stupid as I sound.

[Lil Missy]

5. I thought restructuring mortgages was in todays bill?

I may be mistaken. But I got the impression that Repukes in Congress were looking for any excuse to distance themselves from bush policies, and the deregulation and policies they have supported all along that brought this crisis about.

The one silver lining is that I think this clusterfuck will assure an Obama Presidency, as well as many Democratic gains in Congress and Senate.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. It was but most folks do not read legislation

it seems not even members of congress

[aquart]

12. The suggestion that it might be a nice idea was there.

Not really the same thing.

[brazos121200]

17. You are exactly right! Show the repubs no mercy just like

they did to us for 12 years. Let's add a provision to increase the minimum wage to $10 or $15 an hour while we're at it, to help the mortgage holders, you know. Make them swallow it or accept blame for the bill's failure. If the voters accepted the repubs doing things like this for 12 years by re-electing them every election, they have to accept this.

[PsN2Wind]

4. Of course the Repubs want to tweak it too

they know that there is no crisis that can't be cured by a cut in Capital Gains taxes.

[Lil Missy]

8. Yeah, but they are not winning that argument.

They are promoting that "trickle down" crap that means 95% of the population should be happy with what comes out of the butt end of the elephant.

Not many people are buying that "shit" anymore.

[Two Americas]

9. opposing it is working

The pro-bailout people said initially "we must do this, do not oppose it. It is the best we can get. Our beloved leaders know what they are doing. We can do nothing about this."

We opposed it, and we got a somewhat better bill.

Now the pro-bailout people say "it is better than it was. It is the best we can get. Our beloved leaders know what they are doing. Do not oppose it."

Why not? Opposing it is working.

Ironically, the pro-bailout people accuse the opponents of the bailout of advocating "doing nothing." Yet it is the pro-bailout people who favor rolling over and caving in at every turn. Is that not truly "doing nothing?"

Caving in is not "doing something." Opposing the predators who caused the problems is not "doing nothing" nor is it advocacy for "doing nothing."

[ContinentalOp]

10. I recommend your post!

;) :thumbsup:

[Two Americas]

11. it is amazing

Why do Democrats refuse to play hardball politics?

[aquart]

13. Thank you.

If they want it so much, let them give in to US, not the other way around.

I hear the opposition was from members with unsafe seats and vocal home opposition. WELL, THE WAY TO FIX THAT IS MAKE THE BILL MORE ABOUT US THAN THE RICH GUYS. Why is it so impossible for them to see that. Convert the mortgages to long-term fixed rate with payments doable in a recession. That one thing would have altered support. But they couldn't face doing it. Penalizing companies for overpaying execs, the way the Dutch are doing, would have had support. No go in the USA.

They clearly don't want this bill as much as they say they do. What they wanted was grand theft treasury only someone stopped them at the door.

And I still favor hanging Paulson as an example.

[sendero]

14. Well said..

.. it is a total straw-man argument that anti-bailout folks want to "do nothing".

Just like the Iraq war was no real solution to the problem of terrorism, this bailout is no solution to the current crisis.

We WILL most definitely have to "do something", but that something will not be giving the pigmen more money to piss away.

This bailout is like giving a gambling addict one more $10,000 check to take to vegas, there are better approaches.

[pnutbutr]

15. Right, we should blame

all of congress for not having the balls to do what is necessary to save our economy.

[marshall]

16. This vote is a living example of why we need term limits!

I'm tired of these bullshit votes that are more about getting re-elected or screwing the opposition than it is about doing what is right for the country.