I have been mulling over the entire bail-out process. This massive power-grab by the government scares the hell out of me. It seems all in Washington have lost their mind. Had this occurred in September 2007, there would have been deliberations. And, in fact, it was clear to many what was on the way even last fall. However, with the election at hand, pols wanted to show their homies they were responsive and this massive porker got passed - opening the flood gates. AIG, GM, Fannie, Freddie, American Express, GE, the list is endless. Now we hear that the auto industry is too big to fail, yet it seems many other car companies (non-union) are doing OK. We hear California wants help. That state government pension plans are in trouble and they may want help. I say again, these folks have lost their collective minds.
One of the objections to the war in Iraq is the $10 Billion a month ($120 Billion per year) it is costing us. In three months the US government has blown through or committed to nearly $2 TRILLION, with a "T", TRILLION dollars, and American's only response is: "where's mine??".
Given Paulson's finger-in-the-eye to Congress and tax payers yesterday, saying glibly that their first plan wasn't working, he's doing something else, what the hell can we do? Congress obviously took a pass on their responsibility of fiscal oversight (OK, quit laughing!), Paulson simply lied to them as to the nature of his plan, Bush went along to give the Republicans some sort of chance at the ballot box - so here we sit, hemorrhaging dollars with no idea where it is going, how it will be used or when it will stop, we are completely out of control.
I have never advocated civil disobedience before, but honest to God, I am at the point where I believe all honest Americans should reach April 15th and declare: "Not A Single Dime". We need to demand that before we, the people pay a single dime in tax we have a full accounting of where it is going, a comprehensive plan of how it will be used, a full accounting of how Fannie and Freddie will be restructured, a demand that banks have the right to loan to whom ever they want and especially to be able to pass on those who simply have no ability to pay. For God's sake, doesn't that only make sense.
There is 10% of us wage earners that are paying over 90% of the taxes. I vote we stop. If congress is unwilling to fulfill their responsibilities under the Constitution - to exercise their responsibility to control the country's purse strings in a sane manner, then I believe that duty then falls to American's as a whole. To cut them off, to hold them accountable.
I realize this is well outside of the law. But what choice do the 10% have, when the 90% choose to elect those who have gone insane??
