Beware.

These are the same people who didn't see it coming and now they are asking us to give them "new powers"?

Paulson basically is asking us to put the problem aside with a bailout. Instead of doing a complete audit to make sure he has a complete grasp of the true extent of the problem, he wants to act first?

That's how we got into Iraq.

It's not unreasonable to take time to think this through. There have been enough measures taken already to keep the markets from tanking and the entire system from falling apart overnight.

Congress must take the time to do this right.

Don't believe what you are being told and jump at any lifeline offered by this administration which has been wrong about everything to this point. Ask for all the facts and figures and make those who have been unaccountable start explaining to the American people what they are now being asked to commit to.

This is no longer a problem of an incompetent administration, a Congress with no oversight, or the irresponsible panincked markets.

It's a crisis that must handled by the people of this nation. We have an election in less than two months. It's going to be a referendum on which course we take in the next four years.

It's not going to be decided for us again. No more of this "Ttrust us we know what we are doing." They didn't.

Show some leadership here, Democrats. Demand that the average citizen be included in this process. Let Pelosi act like the Speaker of the House with all the powers that the office is given by the Constitution. She controls legislation not Henry Paulson.

Speaker Pelosi should tell Barney Frank to slow down and make Paulson present this plan to the entire Congress with cameras running so the American people can see what is going on.

It's also time for Clinton to ascend to the Majority Leader in the Senate. She earned it.

Make the Republicans explain why they are in such a big hurry. Make them explain how all of this happened and how their new ideas would solve anything. If they can't, their "bold" new plan is a bunch of BS.

Hoover had a plan, too.

WE can't afford it! Not under our current tax structure! Tax the rich! Close loopholes! The people who engineered this mess should pay for it!!!

http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/19/news/economy/what_we_know/index.htm?postversion=2008092012

"Big bailout: Where things stand

Will it help homeowners: It's unclear at this point. If the government buys an entire securitized loan, it could opt to help struggling homeowners by modifying the terms. This could include reducing a loan's interest rate or principal balance.

But it could prove difficult to snap up all the securities sold on a mortgage, experts said. And as long as investors still hold a piece, they could block any changes to the loan."

Surely the government should not buy any mortgage that is impaired by some investor still holding a piece. That ought to be an unbreakable requirement: when the government buys the mortgage, it fully owns and controls that mortgage... no other claims allowed

Please don't give in to Bush and Paulson (those who got us into this mess). We need oversight, transparency and accountability. The public is pissed about this. Why should we suffer for their greed? Do the right thing. Hold the corrupt accountable. Don't let us down again.

I am really worried about this bailout. While the working and middle class are going to have to pay the bill for these bad business practices, what I am NOT hearing is how the executives and CEO's are going to be held accountable. I want to know if the expectation is that these executives will receive their million dollar bonuses and continue to live their lavish lifestyle and not be held accountable for anything?? And the rest of us taxpayers are going to foot the enitre bill?? I am having trouble paying my mortgage, putting food on my table and now you're asking me to hand over more money???? NO WAY!!! Please, please be responsible with this decision and make those who caused this disaster foot most of the burden, not the TAXPAYERS!!!!

How does this plan help the millions of former homeowners who have suffered foreclosure or short-sale because they could not sell? I have read that current homeowners may receive some assistance, but that is only the small portion who are still struggling, and the solvent investors who own income property. If we are going to offer debt forgiveness to the financial institutions, why not extend that to the consumer, requiring forclosure forgiveness? I have read that the requirements for home purchase will be much more strict in the future- so not only were millions forced out of their homes, they will also be prevented from ever owning a home again. This seems singularly unjust, especially when it is their (our) money that is being proposed to help those who destroyed their economic stability in the first place.