tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post1451415652275439480..comments2023-09-12T04:13:03.469-05:00Comments on LiteralDan: Brother, can you spare $700 billion?LiteralDanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16704368269389527451noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-59349015472929500762008-10-25T17:14:00.000-05:002008-10-25T17:14:00.000-05:00Glad to be of service!Glad to be of service!LiteralDanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16704368269389527451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-86260505782084290042008-10-10T19:15:00.000-05:002008-10-10T19:15:00.000-05:00I. Adore. This.I. Adore. This.VERNACULARhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01190270245402234655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-76896846531365302732008-09-25T23:18:00.000-05:002008-09-25T23:18:00.000-05:00hello_dali: The beauty of a blog, my friend, is th...<B>hello_dali:</B> The beauty of a blog, my friend, is that the party is <I>always</I> happening, so there is no such thing as being late. I'm glad you left your comment anyway.<BR/><BR/>Only two kinds of people advocate "pure" capitalism: people who haven't really thought about what it means, and people who've already made their billions and can buy whatever protections they would need from roving bands of starving, poisoned hobos (i.e. the rest of us) and violently hostile takeovers (i.e. whatever companies are left just before there's only one giant behemoth of a supercorporation).<BR/><BR/><B>muskrat:</B> $300K each? Hmmmm... who knows-- I just read a <A HREF="http://www.forbes.com/home/2008/09/23/bailout-paulson-congress-biz-beltway-cx_jz_bw_0923bailout.html" REL="nofollow">quote from a Treasury Department spokesperson</A> to Forbes magazine saying that they don't have any realistic basis for the $700 billion figure, they just "wanted to choose a really large number."<BR/><BR/>I guess we won't know how much it costs until they're done giving out whatever amount of money each vaguely finance-related company in America (and abroad, yes, abroad-- sad but true) says it "needs".LiteralDanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16704368269389527451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-39306376314608820322008-09-25T19:15:00.000-05:002008-09-25T19:15:00.000-05:00I heard this package will cost those of us who pay...I heard this package will cost those of us who pay taxes (i.e., not the 40% of wage earners who don't) over $300k each. <BR/><BR/>that's nice.Michael from dadcation.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09961356620989366475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-48481660641275125342008-09-25T18:24:00.000-05:002008-09-25T18:24:00.000-05:00I know I'm a couple days late to this party, but I...I know I'm a couple days late to this party, but I just wanted to say: this, among other recent economic events, is why I feel my jaw drop when people suggest that it's a good idea to leave everyone's health care and retirement entirely in the hands of The Almighty Market. To me, that's like saying that since the wilds of Africa resulted in the evolution of the most sophisticated species on the planet, therefore we all ought to let our children be raised by leopards. Or something. I'm young, I don't know any better.Sass Pizzazzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14405907883735667657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-7955860408893010342008-09-24T01:51:00.000-05:002008-09-24T01:51:00.000-05:00Joe: You fool! You NEVER end sarcasm in the middle...<B>Joe:</B> You fool! You NEVER end sarcasm in the middle of a rant!! FYI, life=rant.<BR/><BR/>Democrats, Schmemocrats. That party and I have an uneasy alliance, for the time being. <BR/><BR/><B>Mrs. B. Roth:</B> Oooh, THE Orrin Hatch?? I'll always think of Chris Rock's bit mentioning him. If you don't know it, go track down Chris Rock's Bigger and Blacker somewhere. You won't be sorry.<BR/><BR/>I'm glad to inspire you. Hopefully the right people out there find the right kind of inspiration somewhere, soon.<BR/><BR/><B>jenboglass:</B> Yeah, I'm trying to decide which office is mine. I'm going to start stirring the pot by actually approving claims.<BR/><BR/>At least the AIG aid means that the government is a shareholder. This proposed aid package is written up to be no strings attached, and not subject to review or audit by anyone. They actually wrote these things down!<BR/><BR/><B>Goldfish:</B> Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention. That is hilarious and beautiful.<BR/><BR/>Everyone else: Check out <A HREF="http://buymyshitpile.com" REL="nofollow">BuyMyShitpile.com</A>, at least just for a five-second glance at the main page, for a wonderful satire of the situation we're in.<BR/><BR/>Still laughing.<BR/><BR/><B>Always Home and Uncool:</B> Really? I'm the most reasonable person for once?? I never thought I'd see the day.<BR/><BR/>It's bittersweet, I gotta tell you.<BR/><BR/><B>MamaNeena:</B> I have definitely given myself over to my deep appreciation of using footnotes to include the asides that define my thinking patterns.<BR/><BR/>The comments I can't explain. I guess the commenters have just been noticing I developed early...<BR/><BR/><B>Kat:</B> I don't know what you could say that would net you anything BUT a form letter from a Senator, so don't feel too bad.<BR/><BR/>Yeah, I think most true conservatives (I'm conservative on some things but "liberal" on most) must be against this, at least as they've outlined it, so we should all be able to unite to demand a better way.<BR/><BR/>It's the Republican <I>politicians</I> who are the problem. There's a big difference, which I wish now I'd noted with an extra word or two.<BR/><BR/><B>People in the Sun:</B> I like that line from your teacher (physics is one of my favorite subjects), though I know how you feel. We all have stuff like that.<BR/><BR/>But I'm sure you could get at least the basics of what's going on if you found a straightforward, non-expert explanation somewhere. I can always share my understanding of it if you're ever interested (cue crickets chirping, I'm sure).<BR/><BR/><B>Pregnantly Plump:</B> Or at least the Congresspeople's people, right?<BR/><BR/><B>Rikki:</B> Do you not have a vote because you're a Canadian citizen? I remember your parents live up there, so now that I think about it, it makes sense.<BR/><BR/>But don't you get citizenship after a certain point when you marry a citizen? Or is there more paperwork and rigamarole?<BR/><BR/><B>Kori:</B> I do! Or will. I'm not sure whether that should be classified as a statement or a command. Thanks either way. ;-)<BR/><BR/><B>ali:</B> 30 minutes of NPR is a gift-- consider yourself lucky.<BR/><BR/>You are correct, I think-- the oil speculators are scared and only slightly less clueless than the rest of us, so pretty much everything (at least these days) will make them drive the price up. "There's too much oil!" "Oh, no!! Buy, buy!!! ... Wait, what?"<BR/><BR/><B>Laski Gal:</B> You've got me beat there. I need a new financial strategy, besides waiting for ad clicks so I can buy worthless mortgages for pennies on the dollar.<BR/><BR/><B>Vanilla:</B> Absolutely, I want to hear that refrain more than I have. I added a link in my "Of Interest to Me" section to a <A HREF="http://www.fool.com/investing/dividends-income/2008/09/22/what-this-bailout-means-to-you.aspx" REL="nofollow">Motley Fool article</A> that mentions this.<BR/><BR/>We're just teaching the precious few companies/executives who bucked the industry trend all this time and kept an even keel, doing business responsibly, that they were naive and the maniacs were right, because they're gonna be raking in free cash and bonuses, and being rescued to do business another day. This will (because you know it's happening) have terrible consequences for decades.<BR/><BR/><B>Christy:</B> Well, thanks-- hopefully collectively we can have some tiny effect somewhere in Congress.<BR/><BR/><B>Meg:</B> That's a whole separate can of worms, but I agree-- only in a perfect world.LiteralDanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16704368269389527451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-3397576344382006552008-09-23T15:10:00.000-05:002008-09-23T15:10:00.000-05:00Agreed, it's brilliant. I say they use the billio...Agreed, it's brilliant. I say they use the billions in bonuses the Wall Street brokers got recently for the bailout.Meghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16253518897502046799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-83314850894047719072008-09-23T14:35:00.000-05:002008-09-23T14:35:00.000-05:00That letter is brilliant! I could never have said ...That letter is brilliant! I could never have said all of that as well as you--I'm copying it, I'm sending it ASAP! Thanks! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-23953968690680576462008-09-23T13:25:00.000-05:002008-09-23T13:25:00.000-05:00The whole AIG bailout is also unfair to AIG's comp...The whole AIG bailout is also unfair to AIG's competitors who perhaps did not rake in the profits and new customers that AIG did because they were more sensible in the way they ran their business.Ianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15875001377964050508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-32863159427931861512008-09-23T13:23:00.000-05:002008-09-23T13:23:00.000-05:00700 Billion. 700 Billion. Take away all the zeros ...700 Billion. 700 Billion. <BR/><BR/>Take away all the zeros and that's about what I have saved for J's college fund. <BR/><BR/>Nice. Real nice . . .Laskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12001998549713092381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-25356183219570662832008-09-23T13:04:00.000-05:002008-09-23T13:04:00.000-05:00I have to thank you for providing more info on thi...I have to thank you for providing more info on this bail out situation. I only get 30 minutes of NPR on the drive to and from school before the spongebob marathon begins everyday. <BR/><BR/>What's funny is that this is making gas prices go up. I'm beginning to think that everything is making the gas prices go up: the premiere of Dancing With The Stars, eating oatmeal instead of cereal, doing laundry on Sunday instead of Monday, etc.Alihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13804986298540603425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-89622052055792044852008-09-23T12:25:00.000-05:002008-09-23T12:25:00.000-05:00Yeah! You go.Yeah! You go.Korihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17523892197119604721noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-13711326748828143362008-09-23T12:09:00.000-05:002008-09-23T12:09:00.000-05:00If I had a vote I would send this. Maybe I will p...If I had a vote I would send this. Maybe I will pester the husband to.<BR/><BR/>Thanks LD. Nothing like a little social studies to get my brain a' churnin'!Rikkihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14025201939720600124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-38651975542745201792008-09-23T11:47:00.000-05:002008-09-23T11:47:00.000-05:00I couldn't agree more. I so hope our congresspeopl...I couldn't agree more. I so hope our congresspeople listen to us!Pregnantly Plumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16520084082888706200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-52962363942527449042008-09-23T11:08:00.000-05:002008-09-23T11:08:00.000-05:00I wish I knew anything about this stuff. I just ca...I wish I knew anything about this stuff. I just can't do it. It's like physics class in high school, where my teacher said the air condition was being wasted on me. <BR/><BR/>I'm trying, don't get me wrong. But I don't get it. Maybe that's why I'll always be poor.People in the Sunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06961234839608654790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-82317239909707625492008-09-23T09:49:00.000-05:002008-09-23T09:49:00.000-05:00I would email to my representative, but last time ...I would email to my representative, but last time I did I got a form letter back. Of course my rep is the Lindsay Graham of SC (R) and is going to stand with John McCain on anything (they are buddies like that). While I am a crazy conservative, I think this whole idea stink and I think most other conservatives do as well. I know I heard Laura Ingram railing against it yesterday on the radio while I was taking LaLa to preschool.Kathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16973125452842612070noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-35176183564971749532008-09-23T09:30:00.000-05:002008-09-23T09:30:00.000-05:00Footnotes are becoming your signature thing, LD! ...Footnotes are becoming your signature thing, LD! That and whoring all the comments! HAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-13354684339130698612008-09-23T09:15:00.000-05:002008-09-23T09:15:00.000-05:00This is the most reasonable solution yet. As a lai...This is the most reasonable solution yet. As a laidoff employee from the homebuilding world, I know well of what you speak.Kevin McKeeverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10673014424525900380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-2461093448416522312008-09-23T09:13:00.000-05:002008-09-23T09:13:00.000-05:00Well-put, and that's about all that can be said ab...Well-put, and that's about all that can be said about this disaster. But a funny related site: buymysh*tpile.com. (It doesn't really have an asterisk in the title.)Goldfishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14338909594861934869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-42608892265840542042008-09-23T09:10:00.000-05:002008-09-23T09:10:00.000-05:00After the "aid" to AIG I was a little surprised to...After the "aid" to AIG I was a little surprised to know that I own an insurance company now. I'm with you on this one. Beautifully written.steenky beehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07570171606663745423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-31380324793477876782008-09-23T08:41:00.000-05:002008-09-23T08:41:00.000-05:00AWESOME!Wait until Orrin Hatch (R-Senator UT) read...AWESOME!<BR/><BR/>Wait until Orrin Hatch (R-Senator UT) reads this!! I'm sure he'll vote for his constituents!<BR/><BR/>When I read the title I thought - we need to stop whining and start demanding the bums listen to us and obey!<BR/><BR/>You're inspiring!<BR/><BR/>Now, if they could do something about <A HREF="http://mrsbroth.blogspot.com/search?q=dayligh+savings" REL="nofollow"> day light savings time </A> too ...Mrs. B. Rothhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07523283961030307659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5076041415469800377.post-1270733975113218462008-09-23T05:57:00.000-05:002008-09-23T05:57:00.000-05:00WHOA whoa whoa whoa whoa.... what exactly are you ...WHOA whoa whoa whoa whoa.... what exactly are you trying to say here? Are you suggesting that the Government already has too much power/control and doesn't need any more? *end sarcasm*<BR/><BR/>My letter has been submitted. Luckily, my congressman is a Democrat, so I stand a chance of being heard.Irrational Dadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04701066159275266042noreply@blogger.com