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I would if Spitzer's stimulus program, giving $100,000 to out of work artists would have worked if the fed hadn't ended it?

Not to downplay the larger issues, but the local, particularly Manhattan, real estate market has been growing at least in part due to Wall Streeters continuing to be able to afford to drive up prices. Now what? Will NYC experience the 10%, 20% or 30% "corrections" that other parts of the country have seen?

isn't it VERY important to clarify how much this financial crisis is based on the expenditure of TRILLIONS in the Iraq war? It's always "the sub-prime crisis," but isn't it very important to see that the instability flows from the WAR and the inflamatory tax-cuts.

Our gov frequently criticizes other countries and foreign banks for a lack of transparency while holding up the 'transparency' of American banks and their securities? Evidently not as transparent as they assert

Your guest has an obligation to express more clarity about the difference between mutual fund accounts and institutional managed accounts held by brokerage firms. Mutual fund are regulated by the SEC and the rules are strict. He's talking about INSTITUTIONAL products, but your callers are retail customers. This is not a good time for imprecise speech.

I would say Bush's reaction the everything is Katrina-like!

I don't want to state the obvious, but this bailout - even a complete bailout - is a fraction of the cost of this war in Iraq.

Would you say that Bush's reaction to this economic crisis is Katrina-like in the way that he continues to paint a rosy picture and not do anything? Heckuva job, Bernie!

Yes, WE the people will pay for this and it is WE the people who are at fault. We'll bitch here and drop it in a week or two. Stand up and stay up and keep it up, don't let this end continue to fight it with letters to representatives and in the voting booth and in the way you buy and deal with companies who have convinced US the people that we need them. Well it worked and continues to work as long as we allow it to. Stop bitching and continue fighting!

So -- the US taxpayer pays for BS's failed bailout

--and shortly afterward, BS must fold its hand for pennies on the dollar -- also ordered by the US govt.

Valuable lesson in caution/precedent for both banks and the taxpayers!

Thank you Hugh, my question exactly. By how much will the head honchos be rewarded for their failure?

Re: the Bailout

So now we the people bail out the rich.

Will the billionaires responsible for the economic disaster pay _any_ price? Will their bonuses go down? Will they see any cut in pay? Any seizures of the property they acquired at our expense?

Of course not. BUT we the people will still lose our homes, our savings.

The rich are getting their money out of the dollar, putting it into gold or other currencies. And we the people are becoming citizens of a third world United States.

This is socialism for the wealthy - plain and simple. We need to stop bailing out the bad actors and let them fall. The longer we put it off, the greater the hurt will be down the road.