Capital Commerce

Beyond the Bailout: What Happens Next

By James Pethokoukis

Posted: September 29, 2008

1) How about a coordinated rate cut, 50 basis points or so, by the major central banks around the world?

2) How about a new, VERY Democratic bill that includes tighter executive pay proposals or the inclusion of a stimulus package? Stuff Republicans really hate. And then that bill gets crammed through.

3) How about more AIGs, where the Fed basically took over the insurance giant? Basically, the Stockholm Solution.

The market is down over 700 points as I write this.

Maybe it's time to let the Market shake itself out---let some of the dogs die, let housing costs decline from the over valued levels which most middleclass members can't afford anyway', and let wages and prices find some level of equilibrium. Can it get much worst than the direction in which we've been heading ???

Jay Johnson of NV @ Oct 01, 2008 01:26:21 AM

Bailout

My personal opinion is to limit every politician to 2 terms only just like the president. Too many of them have gained entirely WAY TOO MUCH POWER which is definitely having a negative impact on our country. I'm still in the dark about what's going on and I think that's just what they want.

How can these people be paid the salaries they are, given great health benefits, and paid fantastic pensions for life and get away with what they do? Furthermore, why are they receiving these pensions that our tax dollars pay for when almost everyone else in this country has to go with a 401K which is slowly disappearing because of their inability to just do their job. If I handled my job the way these people do I would be fired in a second!!!!

Virginia of IL @ Sep 30, 2008 12:43:47 PM

Bailout II Proposal

Government is the problem, not Wall Street. Government coercion forcing banks to make loans to uncreditworthy individuals is the problem. Following are parts of a solution:

- Close up shop on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

- Repeal regulations forcing banks to make sub-prime loans for social engineering purposes. (Although the purpose was noble, it was neither constitutional nor practical.)

- Allow corporations to purchase insurance on bundled loan packages rather than a taxpayer bailout.

- Repeal Sarbanes-Oxley, especially ridiculous mark-to-market rules that unfairly wreck corporate balance sheets.

- Cut corporate and capital gains tax rates in half. We are not bringing in revenue with these taxes right now anyway. Our corporate tax rates are the second highest in the industrial world. Lowered rates would bring new investment and new jobs.

Buffal0Bill of VA @ Sep 30, 2008 11:40:39 AM

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Capital Commerce

Capital Commerce

U.S. News business reporter Matthew Bandyk examines the issues, people, and debates that shape the nexus of political and economic life in the nation's capital.

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