Bilbo, Mike, and Tag-Team Blogging. Part 1 - The Economy

Mike is on a roll this morning with his rant on Unregulated Capitalism and Other Stuff. He's starting to sound like me. I must have been a good influence on him (and heaven knows he needs one). I can see him in my mind's eye, his face red and hair standing on end, as he reaches the point in his post when he splutters, "Bilbo, take over for me here. I'm running out of verbiage."

Tag-team blogging. It's the new thing.

Okay, Mike - I've got it.

If you're one of those few remaining folks who actually believes that markets and economies will magically regulate themselves, that all will be well if we just get the government the hell out of the way and let the shower of economic pixie dust bring us endless prosperity...I wish you'd share some of that good stuff you're smoking with me.

If you can, with a straight face, tell me that government should just take a few weeks off and go fishing while the economy sorts itself out, you need to see a good brain surgeon.

If you believe that the answer to our problems is throwing vast amounts of the taxpayers' money in the general direction of huge banks, corporations and "financial institutions" and hoping they'll suddenly, magically show a level of competence, honesty, and ethical behavior that has been absent before, you need to go back to sleep.

I've spent a lot of time in this blog ranting about the economy and about the greed, dishonesty, and stupid political shenanigans that have brought us to the point where I'm not just worried about the world my grandchildren will inherit, but the world I'm living in now.

Isn't it amazing that those people who shout loudest about the sanctity of the free market and shudder at the specter of socialism are quick to accept bailouts to rescue them from the results of their actions...?

I used this cartoon a while back, but it's still as accurate as anything I've seen yet...

How many hundreds of billions of dollars have we pumped into the banks to get them moving and lending again? And how much good has it done?


Oh, yes...speaking once again of the banks that need vast amounts of bailout funds...


As usual, Frank and Ernest have a pretty clear view of how things are...


And for those of you worried about your jobs, and how your contributions are viewed by those at the top...

If you really think things are rosy, that ignorant blowhards like Rush Limbaugh have the right approach (hoping out loud that the new administration fails), you may want to look for another blog to read. If you're interested in trying things that may actually fix our problems, stick around and share your ideas.

Unlike the administration that has just been soundly repudiated by the American people, I'm interested in what you have to say.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo