Trickle down has bee tested and failed. Giving large amounts of money to a small group of intelligent Elites to maintain jobs, demand and grow is a failure.

What we ended up with is a bunch of companies with CEO's who did much of nothing during their rotation through the cycle of elitist to pick up their anual millions of dollars bonuses with their elitist brother, sister or friends of the family up to bat to take of the CEO role of Cashing in even as their companies crumble and their workers were givin substandard pay.

The simple first act of this presedent should be this and only this while they bicker through the other legislation. Build Future Energy and give every single American who worked and made less than 150000 dollars last year a complete tax hioliday for 2008 and 2009. These are the people who will spend money and create the demand for goods which should make the factories start churning out products again.

Giving failed banks billions of dollars is pooring gasoline on a fire.

I would have the elected government who we can kick out run things for awhile than rely on the elitist crazies like Shawn Hannity and wealthy menatlly ill billionairs who have no idea what it is to be a normal American.

Capitalism has failed. It basically runs all the money to a few places until there is none left for people to spend and make demand. It by itself is a dead end.

I said this to a UK minister last week.
"Why didn't you just give every household £1000 instead of giving the banks billions? The people could decide whether to spend it in shops or put it in the banks as savings (even a 50/50 split)".
"You don't know what your talking about" was the reply.
"Neither do you or your elite pen pushing brigade"

All politicians are corrupt, they are the bullied children from schools trying to get their own back on the popular kids...

I am inclined to believe that the entire 'trickle down' or 'supply side' economic ideology was intended to come to exactly the result we suffer today.

It seems completely ludicrous that anyone with half a brain might actually believe that giving more economic power to those who are already rich would lead to prosperity for all.

Perhaps in time, the equation can be looked at with a more critical eye. And not only by those who profess to 'know what they are talking about.'

Being a politician, diplomat, or celebrity is no indicator of competence or leadership ability. You would think that we would have figured that out by now.

Giving people money creates a Zimbabwe. The value of each dollar drops with each dollar you give them. Plus I have no desire to support the lazy.

I agree with the tax holiday, tax is a burden which hobbles economies. Tax holidays stimulate business. So there should not be a $150,000/year limit, otherwise those with lots of money won't spend lots of money.

I would limit tax holidays to income tax, something that was unconstitutional in the beginning (where were you sworn defenders of the constitution then?). I support a flat tax where there is no burden and expense of complex calculations through the supply chain.

I disagree with those who claim flat taxes harm the poor, they can invest in themselves and work harder and get returns on their labor like the rest of us do. At least with a flat tax they won't be penalized for their success.

giving citizens a bunch of cash would be extremely foolish, it would cause hyper inflation overnight. Not that it won't cause it anyways by giving it to banks but a slow release of the cash will hopefully not make it as bad.

I don't see a lack of money as the problem here. Like you said these so called rich elite have plenty of cash, more than ever in history in fact. So there is plenty of cash. I admit that I don't know a whole lot about economics, but I do know logic and cause and effect.

Think of the economy as a business. Even a business with plenty of profit will go straight under if there is no cash flow. Cash flow is the key, not more cash. I think the solution, and correct me if I'm wrong because like I said I'm not an economist, is to just keep working.... Work more than ever. Get 2 jobs, three jobs, work doubles(I am today!), triples, weekends, holidays. Take jobs you would never normally do, low paying jobs, jobs that aren't glamourous, jobs that aren't fun. Do these jobs exist? yeah I just checked craigslist for my town and found a bunch of postings already today and it's only 8 am here. In fact while i was checking it i applied for a bartending gig at a wedding later this month, one time job, but a chance to make connections, 200 bucks, and some tiips too!

Look it's hard times and everyone wants to blame the banks or the government, or the elite, or santa claus or god, or whoever...and yeah I'm sure someone is at fault, but instead of moping around all pissed go get off yer butt and do what EVERY individual can do to get out of this...work hard! Remember that old concept? It's what yer grandpa did, we can do it too. Stop waiting on the government to fix it, they won't. YOU can, YOU, YOU and YOU too!

I also think an end to junkie consumerism would be beneficial, in not funding the elite. Of course the money has to go somewhere in order for there to be cash flow, but buying wasteful products is pointless. Buy things you need, and buy more of it, not things that are pointless, I know this isn't what we've been used to all our lives, but it's time to grow up, change, and fix this ourselves.

I sleep on a mattress on the floor, I almost never buy new clothes, and sell my old ones when I do, much of what I own is used, and will be sold used again, when I'm through with it(is any of this getting thru?), my car is so crappy that I actually kick dents in it on purpose just for fun(I don't need a ferrari, neither do you), I don't even own a TV. No consider this....I take vacations every 2-3 months, I just got back from an awesome trip to the Yucatan last nite, I eat out 3-6 times a week. I could put my money into stuff that just doesn't matter, but then....why would anyone do that?

The obvious solution is my eyes is to stop, evaluate, and start making changes with YOU, it starts with YOU.

-Liquid