What is going on with this bail out mess?   I don’t profess to be an economist, but I can smell stink when it’s pass around. 

1)      Lehman Brothers out of business – was it due to a bad economy?  Hardly, they practiced greed which equals bad business practice.   Good riddance to the weak and greedy. 

2)      AIG – Executives want an outing, how about community time for blowing more taxpayers money on an outing for rest and relaxation.  This is hardly the time to go on a retreat.  Maybe you should retreat back to the basics of practicing solid business principals (don’t spend what you don’t have).

3)      Bad mortgages.  Well, Mr. Bank you loaned the money, you need to figure out how to bail yourself and the homeowner out.  Here are a few ideas:  a) how about restructuring your loan terms with the homeowners….maybe extend interest only payments for another year to eighteen months; or extending the term of the loan for a more manageable payment.? Some effort of restructuring the home loans has to be better than foreclosure – because with foreclosure the homeowner loses, the bank loses, the next door neighbors lose, the City/County loses (no property tax), the tax payers lose too (more bailout money).  AND Mr. Homeowner, you’re to blame too. Why don’t you take on a part-time job to help bail yourself out too (you’re greed and stupidity helped get you in this mess too).  They’re hiring everywhere right now for Christmas help….go get a second job. 

4)      GM and Ford – these “sacred cows” need to wake up.  Why would the tax payer want to bail out businesses that have a combined loss of over $2 Million per month?  We (the tax payer) loan you money, you just lose it.  Here are some suggestions: Ford and GM, you do need to retool and make more economical cars and maybe think about making fewer (create a little demand). Oh yea, remember that little mechanism you make for the Brazilian market which allows them to put Natural Gas in their cars instead of gas.  Hey, why don’t you partner with Exxon (with Billions in profit) to put CNG pumps at their gas stations so we can use Natural Gas; US consumers can then buy your cars that run on natural gas – and use our own Natural Gas (remember US is the “Saudi Arabia” of Natural Gas) and get away from Foreign dependency on oil.   Also, the Unions need to restructure their contracts — if they don’t there won’t be a company anyway (restructure or no job – gee what do you think!?)  P.S.  I don’t want anyone to lose their jobs, but greed won’t keep your company afloat.

5)      Hillary for Secretary of State.  Now I’m on the fence about this one.  I’m not an Obama supporter, but he’s the President Elect, so that’s that.  She’s got Joe Bidden (Mr. Foreign Policy) to contend with – and you know he’ll be poking his nose into foreign affairs.   She’s really got a tough decision — I do think she would be a great Secretary of State – and maybe that would be the best place to be.  Maybe she’s thinking, hey I won’t be stuck in the Senate trying to bail out the Banks, Ford and GMs….I’d rather deal with Putin.

6)      G-20 – Hey wake up world!!!   Reducing taxes around the Global – oh please, oh please, oh please consider this (US – Obama are you listening!!).  Gee, you can just look at Ireland’s Economy and see what happened when they lowered their business tax (a win-win).   I heard on Fox news today by several guests – you can’t throw money at a problem and expect it to be fixed or go away.   Lower taxes, try it we’ll all like it!! 

Since I’m not an economist, maybe some of my hair-brained suggestions might work?   HA HA – my own little joke, but we do need to practice COMMON SENSE, not greed and stupidity.

Another rant, another day.