Thursday, October 02, 2008

It's Late, I'm Wired

I'm also a bit out of touch with the economic and political world, what with the Bash and Birthday and vacation and all. Who wants to flip on the news when you get to sleep in until 2pm?

But I'll post a thought I had not too long ago re: the failure of the bailout package on Monday (it was Monday, right?).

$700 Billion seems to be the answer to the question: "What will it take to wake up the American public?"

From what I saw and read, the phones and faxes of many a congressman and senator were flooded by citizens opposing the bailout. Pelosi's "hyperpartisan" (please, spare me) speech swayed the vote, the losers claim. The fact of the matter is that the President pushed for the package, the Treasury and Fed pushed for the package, but the people, their bosses, didn't like the sound of it one bit and made their voices heard. On top of all that, it was the REPUBLICANS who voted it down! Against ol' Bushy.

Maybe elections should always be 5 weeks away to keep representatives listening to those whom they represent.

3 comments:

Easycure said...

90 Democrats voted against the House bailout plan. They have a majority, and if they can't pass a bill that supposedly "they want", you can't blame Republicans.

You read the newspapers or read CNN too much. The truth is out there and you should look into it.

Riggstad said...

Not too mention the fact that the Republicans in the house are only listenging to THEIR constiuents and not voting for this ridiculous bail out.

Oh wait, you said that? I think you did. I dunno, I didt read thouroughly.

Whats for dinner? Drinks?

Astin said...

Easy - huh?

Dems - 140-95 for
Reps - 133-65 against

I'm COMMENDING both parties for voting with their constituents, and not the rhetoric that's being spouted by their most visible members. Bush pushed for this and his party voted against him. Then the republicans were blaming Pelosi's speech for the loss, when it was their own members who provided the majority of the "against" votes. Yah, it doesn't happen without the Democrats, but frankly I'm surprised so many of them voted for it in the first place.

In short - the vote is exactly how a democracy is supposed to work - the representatives voting for those they represent, not just along party lines.