Perhaps I should say "The 2008 Bailout"!

Federal "Bailouts" have been going on since the Great Depression of 1929 and early 30s Recovery... and will continue to be part of Our Economic and "Financial Systems" Reality.

Sometimes "Bailouts" are Justifiable (more or less) and are a Necessary Response to Ensuring the Ongoing Stability and Recovery of an Ailing Financial and Economic System. Sometimes, Bailouts can result in Legislation that helps to both "Solve the Root Causes" of the Financial Crisis and also Strengthen the Economic, Political and Social Systems to Promote Economic Growth.

In Other Words... while a National Financial Crisis is Generally a "Bad Thing"... there are some "Good Things" that can come of it. The Government can take the Opportunity to enact Progressive and Productive and Just Legislation to "Repair The Ship", "Correct Course", and Steer The Economic System toward Destinations that are Stable, Sound, Equitable and Fiscally Rewarding to All Involved... especially the Citizen and Taxpayer.

Roosevelt's Response to The "Financial Crisis" during the Great Depression was an Example of "Getting the Most from a Bad Situation". Not only did his Administration enact Legislation to "Productively Regulate and Strengthen" the Faltering Economy, they created "New Deal" Work Programs to help put People Back to Work... and Stimulate the Wounded Economic System. The result was a Profound Recovery of The American Economy and Years of Economic and Social Growth.

The "Financial Crisis" that We are Experiencing today is just as severe and requires Similar Action. While the Current Economic System is dramatically "More Complex"... the Same Economic Rules apply... and Need to be Integrated into any Government Resolution to Our Current Economic Crisis.

Of Utmost Importance... is Accountability and Retribution from both Government and "Wall Street" in Resolving this Crisis... and Legally Binding Commitments to Guarantee that the many Corporate and Political Abuses by Predatory Capitalism do not happen again. The current "Economic Crisis" that Americans are experiencing today is Primarily a Result of Corporate Irresponsibility and Greed... combined with Government's complicit  Interest and Loyalty to Serving the Corporate Machine... rather than "The People" who they were Elected to Serve.
 

The "Saving & Loan" Scandal of 1987 was the first "major" financial crisis to "test the system" since the Great Depression. Financial, Political and Social "Ill forces" had been working constantly since the Roosevelt Years to Weaken and/or Eliminate many of the Economic "Safe Guards" that had put into place to help prevent the Exploitation of The American Economy. Mainly, they had been working to "Privatize" an appropriate Nationalized System. Greed and Fiscal Irresponsibility had again brought us to a "Financial Crisis"... and there were no "Roosevelt's" around. The situation was tenuous for the Financial Institutions... but the groundwork had been laid... and the Politicians were all "in line"... and the Public was Comfortably Numb and overly trusting. So when the Financial Sector came to Congress for a "Bailout"... We (the Taxpayers) forked over the Money... No Questions Asked (for the most part)... and NO PUNITIVE  REPERCUSSSIONS FOR AND ACCOUNTABILITY FROM the Financial Sector that Irresponsibly got us into the mess in the first place! Sure, a few Scapegoats were sent to a Resort Jail for a couple of years, then got out to Spend the Millions that they had Ripped Off from the American Investor and Taxpayer. Not a "Bad Deal" at all, wouldn't You say?

Fast forward to 2008. Since the Savings & Loan Scandals of the 80s... the Various Financial Institutions, Wall Street and Corporate America have increasingly been Moving the Money from "The People" and National Trusts to the Corporate Sector and The Wealthy and Powerful. And Congress has done little to Stop It. Indeed, they have Played a Part! The "Lessons Learned" from the S&L Financial Crisis... was that the "Road to Private and Public Money" Was Fast and Easy... and The American Public was Ready for The "Big Sting". This time... they wouldn't be asking for "80 Billion". This time... they figured they could go for a "Trillion" or more... and they are Very Confident they will get it... without "Strings"... and without any "Repercussions" from Congress... and without "Future Limitations". The Question Is... "Will They Get It"? The Answer Is... "Probably So", since Corporate America is Essentially Controlling This Country... and "Wall Street" and Other National and World Financial Entities are the Biggest and Most Influential Players.

Sure... there will be "Scapegoats" again... to appease the "More than Willing" apathetic and complacent American Public. There will be some "Pseudo Legislation" Enacted to give the Appearance of Political Competence and Public Loyalty. But... most of it will be a "Song and Dance" and just more Smoke Screens to Cover for Corporate and Political Corruption.

Ask Yourself...

Do You "Really Believe" that Congress and Corporate America "Did Not See This Coming"? Do You Really Believe that They "Had No Control" over this Crisis Maturing into the Debacle it is today? Do You Really Believe that We Must "Act Immediately" or else Our Economic System will abruptly "Collapse" and leave everyone destitute? Do You Really Believe that Shelling Out Trillions of Dollars will actually "Solve" Our Financial Problems? Do You Really Believe that "the Greater Part" of Corporate America and Congress really "Give a Shit" about You?

Relative to "Each Individual" in The Corporate and Political Arena... and to Each Crisis Situation... the Answer to those Questions will be True or False... or Somewhere "in between". There are still Many Responsible Politicians and even Corporate Executives who deserve Acknowledgement and Credit and Support... and Who are not "Part of The Problem" but rather Part of the Solution. But... they are Few among the Many Corporate Whores and Self Serving Greedy who are Essentially Raping This Country.

Hopefully, the "Good" that comes from All of This... will be a "Waking Up" of America to Our Social, Political and Corporate Realities. Again and again We are taught the Lesson that "Freedom Is Earned" and is not a Given. Again and again We are taught the lesson that "We Must Be Vigilant" or else Our Freedoms will be taken from us... a Small Piece at a Time. Again and again We are taught that if We don't "Stand Up for Each Battle"... that We Will eventually "Lose The War". Again and again We are taught that when "Anyone's Freedoms are Threatened"... then "Everyone's Freedoms are Threatened".

The Question Is... When Will We Learn???

Do You Really Believe that You have The Power to "Change" The Corporate and Political Landscape Today... and Guide America and The World to a Brighter and Holistically More Responsible Future?

Well... If You Believe "That You Do"... then Maybe You Really Do. Maybe "We" Really Do as a Nation.

The Question Is... Do We Really Believe?

For a Better Informed & Involved Public...

Lonnie J. Burris
Activist & Concerned Citizen