HOUSE OF CARDS

O.K. I'm scared. It's not that I scare all that easy. I've been at the wrong end of a gun more than once and I've had to use my own guns to fend off criminals twice in my life. I've been beaten up by several people at one time. I've watched people die. I've seen childbirth three times (more scary than being at the end of a gun.) and I've seen my share of hard times. But I've never seen anything that scared me as much as what I've been witnessing over this past year.

What's got me so spooked is watching my government, a government that pledges itself to be "by the people, for the people" abandon it's creed for greed and ideology.

It started with something I saw once before in the late 1980's during the S&L Scandal. Corporate greed and corruption run amok. With the destruction of safeguards designed to protect the people, thieving bastards sold worthless bonds to unsuspecting victims. My government, the people we entrusted to protect us from the powerful, sold out it's virtues to the highest bidder. The end result was 160 billion dollars funneled off to a few shady insiders. The main villain was a man named Charles Keating, and he, by himself, stole nearly a billion. But Keating was a smart man, he didn't keep all of it to himself. He spread it around to groups and people like the Christian Coalition, the Vatican, and even Mother Teresa. With the help of other powerful people with the same ideology, he managed to keep a healthy part of his theivery and only do a paltry 16 months in jail.The punishment was weak and the rewards were too great. I assumed the American people would never allow this to happen again.

I was wrong.

The mistake we made is that we didn't get to the root cause. The overwhelming influence of money on politics. Sure, there were token attempts like the recent McCain/Feingold Campaign Finance Reform. Unfortunately, it only tried to limit the effectiveness of grassroots organizations like the NRA and the Service Employees International Union but left the door open to Corporate money bundlers and 527 organizations who's agendas are their own ideological or monetary gain. The fact that McCain/Feingold failed to restrict their influence is in the record amounts being raised.

With this path laid out for huge sums of money to be funneled into the hands of Congress, corporations and advocacy groups struck a deal. Deregulation in return for access to money for people who couldn't afford the loans. Shady loans were given out, then bundled and sold. Refinancing created a stream of money to people who believed the value of their house was skyrocketing. New cars were bought along with laptops, cellphones, x-boxes and every luxury a person could think of. Even people who were in "poverty" drove new lease cars and owned computers. Local governments played along and over valued the houses in return for higher property taxes. Mortgage companies sold and resold the risky loans for a quick buck with no concern for tomorrow. The stockholders raked in the record profits. CEO's wrote themselves fat contracts with golden parachutes and since everyone was gaining, no one cared.

But it was a house of cards. We spent tomorrow's money today and soon it became tomorrow, so we borrowed and borrowed until paying it back became unlikely, if not impossible. And the bubble burst.

Now, we find ourselves in our day of reckoning. And the answer is not taking our medicine for our indiscretions, or paying down our debt. The answer it seems, is to borrow even more. Trillions more. This time from our children's future. The companies who acted the most irresponsible are using their money strings on our puppet politicians to get more and more money on our future's credit card. We reward the bad actors while ignoring the less powerful responsible actors. We assure that the companies who are "to big to fail" survive even as they cut their payrolls, go on junkets, and flat out run off with the cash. Small companies who can't afford the lobbyists die, guaranteeing the big companies will be even bigger and harder to let fail. Unemployment grows and with it the dreams of the average person is destroyed to assure the future of the people who created this atrocity to begin with. Our politicians, fat on greed and their own ideology, can't seem to resist spending on pet projects even in the face of a Depression. The working class has been forsaken. Like a giant game of Monopoly, the end is near and the average guy can't stop landing on someone else's property. A vicious cycle has started. We bailout the select few while the rest lay off people. The more people lose their jobs, the less they have to spend. The less they spend, the worse companies do. The worse they do, the more they pump lobbyist money into politicians for more bailouts. The more we bail them out the further we go into debt and the dimmer the future is for everyone except the big companies, lobbyists and politicians.

Yes, my friends. I'm scared. H.C.

"NOW, BEG FOR YOUR LIFE."

I'm going to warn everyone up front. You may find this story disturbing, but it is absolutely true to the best of my memory. I would also like to say that I have several good friends in law enforcement and I do not believe the actions of the police officers in this story in any way reflect the integrity of the average cop-on-the-beat. Due to the large amount of stories I have read lately on overzealous police action, including the recent Oscar Grant case, I thought it would be a good time to relate one of my own experiences. Remember, we judge people here individually. Not by race, religion, gender, political affiliation, sexual preference, appearance, or by the job they hold.

It was the very beginning of the summer of 1974 when I heard the horn of a '68 Chevy Impala in my driveway. To my surprise, the smiling faces of two of my friends, Mike Trench and Doug Bernard shown from the front seat. Doug was one year older than me and Mike and therefore had gotten his driver license a year earlier than either of us. This was a big event. Until now, we had depended on our parents or brothers to chauffeur us around. Doug was the first among my friends to get his license and to us this meant the opportunity to cruise for girls. Something that was a little hard from the backseat of your mom's car or from the seat of your Schwinn Bike.

I gathered up my gear complete with a half-pint of Southern Comfort and a fresh quarter ounce of weed I had scored from one of my brother's friends. This was going to be sweet. It was the first real weekend after school had let out and with a car, liquor and weed, it promised to be a great night. I ran out the door yelling to my mom that I would be gone for the night and would be spending the night at Mike's house. Sprinting, I practically flew into the backseat. "What is up, my brothers?" I shouted. "Are you guys ready for a night of decadence, wild women and sin?"I questioned. "You couldn't get a girl with backstage passes to a Stones concert." my main man Mike snickered. "Yeah? Well, I got your mom with only a five dollar bill." I shot back. Doug chuckled in a way that always reminded me of someone much, much, older. "Where we headin' first?" I asked while playfully yanking on Mike's ponytail. "We thought we'd go to Haskell Parking lot and see if anyone's hanging around." answered Doug. "Sounds good, let's roll." I said as Doug skillfully backed out of my driveway.

I broke out my bag and started rolling a joint while me and Mike mentally jousted about our looks, our style, our family and anything else we could think of..nothing was safe. As we pulled into the parking lot, smoke from the joint had already begun filling the car. "Empty!" Mike said, stating the obvious. "Maybe everyone's just not here yet." I offered. "Maybe there's a keg party and we didn't get invited cuz we hang out with you." Mike countered. " Maybe they're gangbanging your sister and that's why we're not invited." I replied. "Sheesh, that was harsh." Doug laughed as we pulled to a stop in the parking lot. "I'd hate to hear how you guy's talk about my family when I'm not around." "We wouldn't do that." Mike answered, looking back at me laughing.

Through all the joking and smoke, none of us noticed the police cruiser making it's way through the only entrance to the parking lot. In fact, it was only when they pulled directly behind us that we suddenly saw them. "Shit! Cops!" Doug half yelled and half whispered. All of us started "crotching" our bags and wiping any evidence from the seats. The cops circled like sharks around the car, each taking a side. The cop on my side knocked on the window next to my head. I slowly rolled it down hoping the extra couple of seconds would help the smoke dissipate. It didn't. Smoke rolled out like a scene out of a Cheech and Chong movie. "Evening Sir." I offered. "Is there something wrong?" he leaned back and adjusted his gun belt. His crew-cut and '70's porn mustache accented a face that had not even a hint of humor on it. "Let's have it hippie!" he growled. Still not quite grasping the situation, my smart-ass side responded. "Have what, Sir?" "You know damn well what, punk. The pot!" he said, becoming increasingly irritated. "Gee officer." I continued, still not understanding the gravity of the situation. "You missed it. We just finished our last joint."

Stepping back slightly he said, "I'm giving you one last chance, give up the pot or I'm hauling someone's parent's car into the pound."

With that, Doug reached into his pants and pulled out his bag and handed it to the officer. I thought, "Fine. Doug's busted." But then he turned to me and said, "Give him your's too." I couldn't believe it. Why? The cop already had what he wanted. "Whatthefuck?" I stammered. At that exact moment I felt a hand on the back of my long hair and I was literally pulled through the window. In a second I was on the ground with a hard knee in my back. The cop was now rifling through my pockets and shoving his hands down the front of my pants. "Not so smart now, are ya hippie?" he hissed. After pulling my bag out, he cuffed my hands behind my back and pushed me against the back of his cruiser. "You boys best be leaving now if you know what's good for you." his partner told my friends. Watching their car leave left me suddenly feeling incredibly vulnerable. Mr. Crew-cut pressed his body against mine and whispered, "We're all alone now punk."

"Fine" I said. "I'm busted. I want to exercise my right to a lawyer." They both laughed. "Yeah, we'll get right on that." Crew-cut's partner said. With that Crew-cut lifted my cuffed hands up and pulled me away from the cruiser. He opened the door to the back seat and placed his hand back on my hair. "Watch your head." he advised and then smashed my face into the top of the door opening. Blood began gushing from above my eye. "I told you 'watch your head'. You don't listen well, do ya boy." He then pushed me into the backseat and slammed the door. Through the window I could see the two cops arguing. Crew-cut was angry and was shouting down his partner. I didn't like the looks of this. They both got back into the cruiser and without saying a word began pulling out of the parking lot. "Look, I was a smart-ass, I admit." I offered. "I got my ass whupped and I deserved it." I continued. "How about we call it even?" I negotiated through blood-blurred eyes. "Not this time, hippie." Crew-cut snarled.

We were not heading toward the downtown police station and I knew it. I began to panic. "Where are we going?" I asked. " Sit down and shut the fuck up!" Crew-cut screamed. "Or so help me God I'll kill you right here!" "Look..." I started. Crew-cut slammed on the brakes. "Did you not hear me you stupid fucking piece-of-shit?" Crew-cut screamed. I put my head down. Crew-cut started driving faster. Street after street went by as my mind raced. Soon they turned down Mackin street by Northern High School. I knew this street. It dead-ended at the highway. There was nothing there. "Look Sir, I know I was an asshole. I've learned my lesson. You don't need to do this." I begged. "Shut the fuck up!" he screamed again. The cruiser stopped at the dead end. Only a large field covered the last hundred yards. "No one will hear me if I scream." I thought.

Crew-cut unbuckled his seat belt. "No one will hear the shot over the traffic." he told his partner as he opened the door. "You can't let him do this." I cried to his partner. "I'm only 15!" Crew cut reached into the back seat and yanked me out by my hair. The next few minutes is a blur of being dragged...kicked...punched.. and cursed. When we reached the middle of the field he pushed me to the ground and placed his foot on my back. It got really quite for a moment. It was as if time had stood still. The only sound was the traffic and my own sobs. Suddenly I heard the unsnapping of his holster. Crew-cut put his knee on my back and began uncuffing me. "Can't have you thrashing around with the cuffs on, it might leave a mark." he said. Then he cocked the hammer of his service revolver back and placed it on the base of my neck. "Now, beg for your life." he commanded.

Through tears, I sobbed and pleaded with him not to kill me. I told him I was only a kid. I told him my mother needed me. I told him I was really a good person, that I would be better. And then I just cried.

Slowly he stood up. I heard him put his gun back in his holster. I shook with uncontrollable fear. He said, "If you ever tell anyone about this I will hunt you down." Then he kicked me...and...finally..he left.

I laid there for a long time after I heard the cruiser rumbling down the dirt road. I crawled through the grass until I reached a group of small pine trees and then slowly, shaking, I stood up to look around. All I saw was stillness. The car lights went one by one down the highway. No birds, no crickets, just the hum of cars. "What if he comes back? I thought. For a good five minutes I just stood there, afraid to move. Slowly, I started making my way back to the road. Only then did I start to notice how much my body hurt. I wiped my sleeve across my face and the blood shown bright red in the moonlight. As I started down Mackin road, a car pulled out of a vacant lot. "He's back." I thought. I turned to run but the lights didn't look like a cruiser. I started waving my arms to get their attention. "I'm going to make it" I thought.

The car pulled closer and I realized it was Doug's Impala. I ran up to the car and jumped in the back seat. "Go" I commanded as I tucked my head down. "What the hell happened?" Mike asked. "We saw them roughing you up as we pulled away. We waited around the corner and then followed them. Why did he drag you out into that field? You look like hell, what did he do to you?" I told them the whole story. They wanted me to report them but I felt like I had no one to report them to. Cops protect other cops, I reasoned. I was never able to fully trust a cop again.

Some years later, I was watching a young black man beat up by the police right on my T.V. His name was Rodney King. Someone had video taped the beating. The cops were later arrested and tried and convicted. While some of my white friends bemoaned the arrest and tried to defend the white cops mostly because of the black/white nature of the media coverage, I secretly rooted for the blacks. When the conviction came back, part of me screamed with joy, while part of me cried through the memories I thought I had long ago buried. I still have a hard time shaking that feeling of begging for my life, it's something you never forget. Even though I know this kind of thing still happens, I also know that because of one man named George Holiday, who thought enough to film something that he knew wasn't right, we're all a little safer. Because of his actions and the actions of other people like him, bad cops are a little more nervous now than they were in the past. Somehow, that makes me feel a little better. H.C.

BUSH PUNTS IRANIAN NUCLEAR PROBLEM

As I write this piece, the U.S. is busy inaugurating it's first black president. I guess I probably should be writing about what a monumental day this is in history and what a proud day it is for both our country and for our African-American population who have fought so hard and come so far. the problem is; that piece is being written everywhere and I don't believe you people come to my site to hear yet another version. So I'll simply say that it is an incredible day and congratulations to everyone who fought so hard to make this happen.

Now, on to something that is far less covered.

Back in July, your friendly neighborhood Hippie predicted that Israel would be attacking Iran's nuclear installations soon. My prediction since then has been that it would happen before Barack Obama took office. On that, I was wrong. My thinking was that Israel needed the codes necessary to fly over Iraq and that they would rather try to get them from G.W. than from Barack. On that, it appears I was correct. President Bush announced the other day that Israel approached his administration near the end of last year with the idea of taking out Iran's nuclear program. The stunning part, at least for me, was that G.W. turned them down.

The flaw in my thinking was that I didn't consider the implications on Bush's legacy. G.W. has very little that he can point to as successes in his terms. Pretty much there are only two; first, that he kept us safe since 9/11 and second, that he has turned the Iraq War into pretty much a success after it being a long drawn out failure. It now appears Bush wasn't willing to give up one of them for his Jewish friends. Had Israel attacked Iran, we would most likely be looking at far more Iranian sponsored attacks in Iraq. The Shite clerics, many of them with strong Iranian ties, would have backed away from their cooperation with the American forces. The last thing G.W. would want in his final days is a resurgence in the insurgency.

So what now?

Well, I still believe an attack by Israel on Iran is inevitable with or without American cooperation. Israel is in the final stretch of their election, which is held in February of 2009, and as I've said before, security is the only real issue in Israeli politics. In an effort to thwart any criticism of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his Kadima Party, Olmert is taking steps to demonstrate that he is the one to protect Israel from the many growing threats in the Middle East. This is being demonstrated in the most recent incursion into the Gaza Strip against Hamas. The two main concerns the Israeli people have is; the rockets that are raining down from Gaza and the nuclear threat from Iran. Prime Minister Olmert would love to be the one to snuff out both those threats before the election.

In the near future, I predict that Obama will have to deal with the resulting attack on Iran. I still believe that it will happen, the question is only when. Perhaps it's better that it will happen under President Obama. God knows the press both here and overseas will be far kinder to Obama than they would be to an out-going G.W.. Barack's commitment to Israel will be put on trial and so will the overseas love affair with our new President. Enjoy your the moment President Obama, you deserve it. Tomorrow the fun starts. H.C.

OBAMA'S BIG, BIG, MISTAKE

Up until this moment, I've been fairly happy with President-elect Barack Obama's choices on his cabinet (even though it's littered with ex-Clintonites), and his goals for this country. However, there is one area where I couldn't disagree with his policies and appointments more. That area is National Security. Barack is setting himself up to fail big-time in this area. Let me see if I can explain it in a way that makes sense to all of you...even those on the left.

The reason I'm singling out those of you on the left is because your the fraction that generally opposes overseas internment (I apologize for using the left's verbage), the Guantanamo prison camp and coerced interrogation (you'll recognize the last one by the term "torture"). I believe there is something you need to understand about human nature.

All of you will continue to be staunch supporters of Civil Rights over security...until something horrible happens to you or someone you love. With very few exceptions, as hard as it is for you to believe, if someone close to you gets killed, raped or otherwise violated, you will throw your support of rights out the window. When your child disappears and someone saw the registered child-molester down the street talking to him/her last, you will be all for torturing the living shit out of him until he tells you where your child is, whether he has your child or not. When we humans get scared, no matter the political persuasion, we don't care about rights. That's just a fact. For example, after 9/11 we all demanded action to make us safe again, and rights were not even considered. The vote on the Patriot Act was 98-1-1 with only one Democrat voting against it. Sorry Dems, but fear took precedence over rights and it will again.

Barack Obama has now caved into the left's stand on these issues and it's going to cost him dearly. For Republicans that have been looking for a way to bring down this so-far Teflon President, the answer is now merely patience. Barack has already promised to close Gitmo (although he now says it won't be within 100 days). Even though he doesn't really know what to do with the suspected terrorists once he closes it. The left wants to give them full access to our judicial system- that's going to be a disaster. Most of them have already had their rights violated in one way or another and just like someone who wasn't read their Miranda Rights, a lot of them will walk. With the removal of coerced interrogation, as supported by Obama's choice to head the CIA, ex-Bill Clinton Chief of Staff Leon Panetta, very few of them will talk at all. With their right to remain silent intact, most of them will remain so. Whether or not this will produce more or less actual actionable intelligence is going to be a mute point. The perception will be that it might have, and perception in politics is more important than reality.

Let me explain it this way; So far in the argument, the left has held the higher moral ground. Whether or not we are safer because of G.W.'s policies in the War on Terror is theoretical. Some argue that all these policies have done is inflame the people that already hate us and turn our friends against us. They also argue that we would be just as safe without these policies. That is also theoretical. Whether these policies are helping or hurting is hard to figure out. The fact that we are acting in a way that violates some people's rights, or that we are, in some instances, using extreme measures, is not theoretic. Therefore, it's the fact that we violate people's rights vs. the theoretic notion that it's the policies that have made us safe. The left wins. Now, the one thing that the Reps can point to is that we haven't been attacked since 9/11. That's a fact for their side. If we get attacked again, the argument by the Reps will be 1) We didn't get attacked on Bush's watch (fact) and 2)We did get attacked on Barack's watch (fact). No matter how theoretic the effect of each man's methods, those facts will remain. If Barack changed nothing, he would be safe. Insulated by the same policies. With the changes he's making, people would naturally come to the conclusion that it must be the policies (as that's all that has changed) that have caused us to be more vulnerable. Remember, when people get scared, the value of rights goes out the window.

I don't want to see our country get attacked and I don't want to see President Obama take the blame for something that may, or may not, be his fault. But one thing is for certain, if these changes take place and we get hit big time, the Republicans will be using that issue to propel themselves right back into the majority and into the Presidency in 2012. So, I'm giving you fair warning Barack, because I like you. Stop changing our methods against terrorism to appease your friends on the left and pacify the mamby-pambies in Europe. This may make you more popular, but it will end up being the biggest mistake of your presidency if things go wrong. H.C.

YIKES!

I don't usually do the whole racist cop/ social examples thing. I like to leave that to my friends like Andre and Malik who speak to it far better than me. However, minus the race angle, this video and story makes me sick to my stomach. Sometimes, in the heat of situations, I find myself sympathetic to police and the crap they have to deal with. But not for this cop. This happened over New Years in Oakland, California to a young man named Oscar Grant, my sympathies to his family, this is unexcusable murder...plain and simple.

BARACK THE MAGIC NEGRO?

My parents raised me with manners. In fact, it's still common to hear me say "Sir" or "Ma'am" when I'm talking to my elders or to people above me in social stature. I don't find it demeaning. People in general, I believe, deserve respect. At least until they demonstrate to me that they don't deserve it. I don't need any legislation, I don't need to be censured, I damn sure don't need any censorship. I believe I should be able to speak my mind about anyone or anything and people that disagree with me can freely judge if I'm out of line or not. I do try to do it with some element of class. Though I'm not always sure I succeed.

So, when I read about Republican House Representative Chip Saltsman giving away a comedic CD by Comedian Paul Shaklin in his Christmas gift package to fellow Republicans that included parodies such as "Barack the Magic Negro" my reaction was, "What an ass!" Nothing more, nothing less. However, the resulting condemnation by the Main Stream Media and the blogosphere got me thinking that there was something fundamentally bias about the way this was being handled. Oddly enough, Peter, Paul and Mary, who wrote the song "Puff the Magic Dragon" didn't even have any objections to "Barack the Magic Negro"on their website.

For the past nearly 8 years, I have heard George W. Bush called some of the most God-awful, disrespectful names by my University colleagues, comedians, commentators and the MSM. He's been compared to Hitler, Stalin and Charles Manson. The media laughed out loud when Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez called Bush "Diablo" and commented that the podium where G.W. was just standing "Smelled of sulfur". They damn near applauded (some even did) when an Iraqi journalist threw a pair of shoes at him. Comedian Bill Maher gets his over-the-top disrespectful videos replayed all over the Internet by the Bush Haters who feel they have the right to compare G.W. to any one of histories worst villains, to animals, or to human waste. And yet there was no condemnation by the MSM.

There seems to be a real double standard here.

The rules on President-elect Barack Obama seem to reflect the rules that we have established in society in general. One set of rules for white males, and a different set of rules for everyone else. Already the press has come out hard and strong against Obama being compared to a monkey (which has become the standard caricature of George Bush), any swipes at his intelligence (even to the point of it being wrong to say he's "articulate") plus any references to his hygiene, his race, his color, his religion, his looks, his speech, his middle name, and on and on and on. In fact, it appears that the only thing you can say about Obama that won't be roundly criticized by the MSM is how wonderful he is. That's plain old wrong. And this is coming from a guy who voted for Obama.

The standard line that is used to defend this obvious hypocrisy is that it's different for minorities. White males have never had to be called a "nigger" so they shouldn't use the word. (Although I've often wondered if it's O.K. for us to call some of our fellow white males, "wiggers") Women have been oppressed throughout history and have special sensitivities to being called a "bitch" or a "ho". (Except, of course, by black rappers and hip-hop artists. Then it's O.K.)

The problem I have with all of this is less about hypocrisy, and more about censorship.

Censorship is power. Plain and simple. Picture that you and me didn't much like one another, much like our two political parties. Now picture that you could say anything, and I mean anything, negative about me to the public, but I could not say a single negative thing about you. You could be the worst human being ever and I could be a reincarnation of Ghani and the public would think you were the Saint. In our political spectrum, this gives our leaders immunity against any criticism of their policies or actions, no matter how egregious. This is not how you want our government to operate. Secondly, as much as I personally disagree with the politics of using derogatory language and comedy on our leaders by our entertainers (I believe it lowers other nation's view of them), I respect their right to do so. I myself, have taken a cheap shot or two at some of them. Strictly for comedic purposes, of course. It's not all a negative thing anyway. There is something to be said for self deprecation. It shows that you can take a joke, even when it's on you, and most people respect that.

In the next 4 years your going to hear a lot of howling by the press over the way President Barack Obama is handled. Anytime Obama is criticized or parodied, the MSM is going to rush to his defense. Sure, the right-wing radio commentators will still have their say, (if they're not silenced by the (Un) Fairness Doctrine), but they only preach to their choir anyway. That's going to have very little effect on the general public. Here in Michigan, we elected our first female Governor ever and she has been a complete disaster by any measure. Despite this fact, the press has gone out of their way to not criticize her and to defend her. The result has been the worst state economy in the U.S.. Fair is fair. If your a bad leader, black or white or brown. Man or woman. You should be judged on the job you do, not defended simply because your the first this or that. Criticizing our leadership is the way that we, the people, keep them in line. It keeps them from doing anything that the lobbyists ask. If President Obama isn't treated exactly the same as he would be if he were a white male, his administration will forever be tainted with accusations of bias no matter how it turns out . And bias it will be. H.C.

IS IT TIME FOR "TRICKLE-UP" ECONOMICS?

Ronald Wilson Reagan is generally credited with coming up with the phrase "Trickle Down Economics" but it was actually coined by humorist Will Rodgers decades before. The Nobel Prize winning economist Milton Friedman is also well known for being a proponent of this style of economics, which is based in deregulation and advancing the interest of companies verses the people. The theory goes like this; If the richest among us do better, then some of that wealth will "trickle down" to all of us through job creation and advancement. In theory, I would agree with that. After all, jobs are not created by the poor, they are created by the entrepreneurs, the risk takers among us, who invest their fortunes and thereby create products and jobs for all of us. The problem is that I view CEO's much like Dictators. Without regulation, they will all gravitate toward whatever benefits themselves the most with little regard for the future, the environment, or anything else. Trickle Down theory has been put to the test lately as the American taxpayer has shelled out billions to companies, make that over a trillion, in bailouts, bridge loans, help, investment, whatever you want to call it. The problem is, these companies are not "trickling" the money down. What they are doing instead is using the money as an insulator against the tough times ahead rather than loaning the money out or investing in new ideas or products. You can hardly blame them. Loaning money out to people who, in great likelihood, will out of a job next year is a hard sell when you can sit on the money and weather the storm. But isn't that why we gave them the money in the first place?

The TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) was passed hurriedly through Congress to stem the panic that had set upon Wall Street. Credit markets had frozen as financial institutions began to realize the extent of the downturn. Without credit, homes could not be purchased, cars couldn't be bought, appliances couldn't be sold and an economic death spiral had begun. Money had to be injected into the system quickly to prevent a total meltdown and as much as I hate to say it, I had to support it. In the rush to get money into the system however, not enough restrictions were put on the billions that were handed out. The end result is; the money we hoped to put in the people's hands is now being used to right accounting books and insulate the companies against more loss. This does very little to help our problem. Perhaps now is the time to try a new approach.

The numbers involved here are staggering to say the least.

To put this in perspective, a billion seconds ago I wasn't even alive, and I'm 48 years old. That's how big a number a billion is. The amount now handed over to the Treasury and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is well over one trillion dollars, or said another way, over a thousand billions. Some theorize that it may end up topping $7 trillion before this is all said and done. A huge sum to be sure.

What else could be done with this kind of money? Here's a few thoughts.

The United States has approximately 50 million mortgages on file (estimates range from 44 million to 50 million). If you took the one trillion dollars already allocated, and divided it among the people who owe the mortgages, you could give every single one of them $400 off their bill per month for over 4 years! Not just the ones that made bad investments or selfish choices, every single one of them. Hard to believe that wouldn't stimulate the economy and stem foreclosures. To date, hardly any money has been sent to the consumer. The American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act gives a $7,500.00 interest free loan to new home buyers, but that money won't start hitting the hands of the consumer until they fill out their 2007 tax forms. The Bush Stimulus package sent out $600 to each taxpayer (and lesser amounts to some people who pay no taxes) in an effort to stimulate buying, but that was a drop in the bucket for people who were several times more than that behind on their debts. Refinancing through lowered interest rates (now around 5% despite the Federal Rate at near 0%) has helped a little but financial institutions are creating a huge spread (5%) out of fear of future job losses. That's simply not low enough.

Here are some ideas I have for righting our situation.

First, through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and even HUD, the government should be in direct competition for the refinancing dollars. This will help drive down the interest spread, which is too high, and will benefit everyone. Second, we have to except a certain amount of attrition on the business side. We can't continue to save every company by increasing our National Debt while our GDP shrinks. That's a recipe for disaster. Third, I like the idea being floated by some that foreclosed houses be turned into rentals by the financial institutions instead of kicking the families out. This would reduce the number of vacant houses (which are driving all of our property values down) and would give the owners a reduced payment that they can afford. Additionally, I would outlaw ARM (Adjustable Rate Mortgages). The problem is that they prey on people who don't understand them and put people at risk when the country can least afford to have people defaulting; during a downturn. Finally, we should encourage purchasing, by those that can afford it, by giving tax breaks for cars, housing, or big ticket items. If the guy that owns a refrigerator company sells more refrigerators, everyone gains. The money "trickles up". Trickle down theory has it's place, but when fear on Wall Street is met with hoarding taxpayer money by these corporations, it may be better to give the money to the people who will spend it, not hoard it. H.C.