The Bailout… or What Is and What Can Never Be.
Well, I’ve not professed to be a staunch Republican since I was 19 or 20—blame it on young idealism—but I figure we can’t have it both ways. We can’t laud ourselves as being a capitalistic society… and have everything backed by the government. We’re either capitalists… or we’re not, and we need to accept the responsibility of our self-definition in either case.
However, my opinion may not be a valid one; I am an English teacher and not an economist. Unlike my future-phobic husband, I DO have money in 401 K’s and various other stock market based programs, but I’ve got time (20-30+ years) to make up the slack here. But that’s not the only effect of the situation. Banks aren’t loaning money to other banks, banks aren’t granting short term loans to businesses, and the commercial paper system is at a virtual standstill, effecting just about anything financial.
… And that could be a ginormous trickle down…
Finally, my last concern, and I don’t really want this to be from my words to true action, yet I post this here because I hope, that like a wish, speaking it aloud will keep it from reality. The situation that troubles me most here is… as I was discussing with the Social Studies teacher a few minutes ago… this would be the absolute PERFECT opportunity for any Anti-USA groups to launch an assault. Financial chaos, political chaos, and the teeniest bit of civil unrest… We just might tumble like a Jenga tower. With that vision in mind, let’s each of us hope that taking off our shoes at the airport does the trick.
