I do believe that all human beings should perform acts of kindness. However, I also agree with you that our financial system has thrown us into the ditch. It's diseased and needs to be replaced with something else. Painful as this is and will be, it is an opportunity to create something much better.

I'm curious what you think. I also don't like the stimulus plan-it's been pretty disgusting to read, from the very start, about how corporations (and Congress) have taken advantage of the taxpayer with the bailout. IF the reason we supposedly had to do this while Bush was in office was because of the lack of regulation and accountability of the financial system, then why in the world would it have solved anything to throw money at the situations without much level of accountability? But I don't know what I would have done instead. The problem is that I don't thihk Congress (Democrats AND Republicans) or the executive branch really knows either. I like to think I would just pull the plug and let everything fail. On a small scale, that's what would have happened if it a small business we're talking about. And I don't like the "Too Big to Fail" argument. So. what exactly would you have done and what do you think the good (or bad) repercussions would have been?

The Rag Blog compares the bailout, without regulation to a junkie fix and a giant unregulated Ponzi scheme.

In terms of our current economic condition, we resemble a junkie going through withdrawal; “jonesing,” desperate for a money fix. Stimulus packages are thus globally popular to alleviate the symptoms of our addiction to easy money resulting from the recent unregulated issuing of debt. A fix of stimulus cash can help over the short run to get us back into a functioning state, but its not going to help very much and for very long -- unless we deal with the underlying problem, which is the unregulated, dysfunctional banking system in search of rational managemnt on a global scale.

An unregulated global banking system really amounts to a giant global Ponzi scheme, one that bets on the infinite growth of future global market demand, even for discretionary spending on status items. The more risk, the higher the interest rates tend to be, and the more profitable for those involved in setting up and insuring the deals.

And in addition to "throwing" money at the financial, corporate and industrial sectors, the stimulus CUT money originally slated for the Veterans Administration and public schools.  With our children soldiers retirning next year from Iraq, how is the VA going to provide the services our Veterans need?  The VA can't deal with the current population of Veterans.  This is just outrageous!

With the new administration the endless streaming of profiteering continues.

Bottom-line is that Democrats want to tax and spend, while the GOP wants to tax-cut and spend.  These both are failed systems and both parties apparently have NOT learned from their arrogant, wasteful and abusive actions.

Meanwhile, the majority of Americans still suffer economically with no jobs, companies still outsourcing, poorer quality manufacturing items, Billions owed overseas to countries like China, Japan and Saudi Arabia with no end in sight. 

FYI, AIG stock has plummeted to 85 cents per share.  All these bail-outs and the market tells us it is NOT enough for all those companies who ripped-off American taxpayers during the past 8 years.  What exactly has changed so far with the new administration?

"Don't spend until the systen is fixed"?

Do you believe in reincarnation?  Because fixin' all this ain't happening in my lifetime!  I'll have to come back, maybe as a political writer? 

 Take a breath. The 'change' is going to be a long process (unlike the crash!).  We're being challenged to completely change the way we think and live and we're just getting started. In my life time or yours? I don't know. Just try to carve out some peaceful, creative, loving, interesting, inspiring, quiet moments when you can and forget about AIG for awhile.

Them "peaceful, creative, loving, interesting, inspiring, quiet moments"  don't pay the bills, do they? 

All I'm saying is that our Congress [House and Senate] are going to fight such changes with every breath they have.  It will take AT LEAST twice as long to ensure positive change as it took George Walker Bush to destroy our representative democracy.  I hope Obama gets the chance to work out his plans.  In 2012 the GOP will be pointing fingers, puffing up their collective chests and foaming at their combined mouths trying to put some social deviant like Palin into the White House.

And may God have mercy on our souls! 

I agree, pstern. The whole system is corrupt and entrenched and if I were them, getting money and benefit and power, I'd probably fight it too to hold on to it.  I don't know whether or if change is really possible, I like the idea that Obama and others will, I mean, that's what the hope meme was all about. Personally I don't care if Obama wants to tell us all to help the poor, it's a nice thing to say, and gosh knows I haven't heard many governmental entities entreat people. But the rubber meets the road not just where I personally feel this or that, but where GOVERNMENT changes its policies. I don't think about AIG all the time but I do when I think about corrupt government and all our tax money going to profit private corporations. I disagree with it and can't be peaceful about that topic. Afterwards, though, I'm happy to watch a funny video and feel peaceful:)

Also think of AIG as a good stock buy right now!  You can't go wrong buying a few hundred shares of a major insurance firm just bailed-out by our government tax dollars and who just recently sold large fractions of its own core business.  All you can lose is a few hundred bucks and you have the potential to really strike it rich.

 Of course I didn't mean to quit thinking or gathering information or raising a ruckus about it all. We have to keep barking...but just take a break now and then, too, to connect with what's real. I've decided I'm not investing $ in anything I don't care about and I don't care about AIG.

Disclaimer: We are not responsible for the outcome of following the financial advice given above. (pstern: I certainly wouldn't argue with your idea that buying AIG might be an astute one.)

I'm afraid that all of it is real.  I've been writing about "real" for the past 10 years almost every day and very few people wanted to hear what WAS real during this time.  That's why we're paying for it now --- with interest!

In addition to dealing with all these "real" issues, I also enjoy my life and family.  That's real too.

I'm not asking anyone to invest in anything.  I merely point out that in times of real economic turmoil, there are people who make money work for them and turn out winners.  Certainly, it is NOT for everyone.  I have started to invest at this time for my children and grandchild, NOT for me.  It will be their turn at life and I want to give them the opportunity with these reinvestments.