$700 Billion Bail-Out?

So to date, I have left the subject of governmental affairs out of my blog. Not because it doesn't interest me, but because I can get overly passionate about certain topics. If you ask anyone who knows me, most would probably say I'm not a big follower of the government actions and/or politics. But that's just because I tend to step back when such a discussion occurs. I can get downright ugly, and I don't like that side of me.

But today I can't help but breach the topic. It's on everyone's mind and the big news story of the day. The big $700 billion bail-out. It didn't get passed and the stock market crashed the hardest it has ever crashed. Panic has hit America. But was this really the way to go in the first place? Why bail out companies and not the People of America more directly?

Granted, $700 billion wouldn't go too far for any taxpayer out there if divided up equally. But then, neither did the big stimulus check that they sent out this year... $600?? Are you kidding me?? What were we really supposed to do with that?? As Americans, most of us are way too far into debt to even think of spending $600 on any luxury for ourselves! But why should the Government bail out the very same companies that put many of the American People in the debt they already are in? That just allows those companies to continue to put more people in debt.

So our economy is in shambles... what should we do? Let's first look at how we got here. Credit. It started coming too easy to anyone who wanted it. Ask your parents if they had credit card companies throwing applications in their face with a free t-shirt while walking to class in college. I doubt they did. Buying a house with no money down was unheard of when our parents bought their first house, as well. And car loans... no... car leases... don't even get me started on that nonsense! All these big conglomerate credit companies will point the finger at Americans and say we handled our finances poorly. I say throw the book at them for false advertising or at lease misleading information that caused this turmoil! They need to make these companies pay for what they caused... somehow.

So don't bail these companies out for making millions already on the American People. Instead, start helping the People out. Start by forgiving some Government loans, like student loans that take forever to pay off. Look at all the FHA home loans out there - do a little forgiveness there for those who obviously need it. Start with all these Government Programs that have added to the debt of the American People and 'bail out' what they know will make a difference in the economy.

I'm sure much of my logic is fatally flawed in this argument... I just can't believe how bad it's gotten. I'm in debt just as every other American is. I know very few that have no debt what-so-ever. But none of them are my age - they were brought up in the age before credit was thrown at you.