I'd be asking some serious questions about this "bailout". Saw a news flash that said if they just took the bailout money and gave it to the unemployed…
Just think, there are 8.9 million people unemployed in the United States. The figures come directly from the U.S. Department of Labor. That's the average figure for 2008, but do a little math. They want $800 billion for a bailout. 800 billion divided by 8.9 million is somewhere near $90,000 per unemployed person.
Now let's be honest here folks. If you were unemployed and you got a check for $90,000 for no reason (other than the fact that you don't have a job and providing a roof over your head, and food for your family, etc.) I am sure as breathing that you would spend that on something. Something would be gas for your car, food for your family, some new shoes and clothes, contributions to charities, a couple of movies (with popcorn and drinks).
You probably see where this is going.
OR, the government (that's us (you and me) by the way) could hire you for $40,000 (the other $50,000 would cover the employer's contribution to your health benefits, Social Security and the 10% to run the program (ha! none of you would get the jobs to do that!). Then we could clear weeds, clean streets, mow lawns in parks and at schools (water it too), clean graffiti off walls and light poles, pull down old posters – in general, make our neighborhoods and parks better places. Maybe we could even have some wash BART trains, commuter busses, police cars.
There is a problem with this approach – those jobs would become permanent and probably Union, so they would never go away.
Just give'em $40,000 to tide them over (and then NO MORE) and send the balance to the rest of us – we'll either spend or invest it. None to any elected officials.
Wait a minute! Where's the money coming from in the first place? Isn't this how we got in this hole?