I don't expect a free lunch. I also don't think throwing $700B with no fix to the problem being made at the same time is good business, especially when the money is going to persons-unnamed-at-this-time to be determined by Secretary Paulson at his discretion.

Your guess is that this undefined "credit crunch" - a great buzzphrase if there ever was to cause fear - will cost you, me and everyone else more money. It probably will in higher interest rates to cover even more losses yet to be disclosed due to those who can't or won't live within their means. That may seem like a heartless concept, but I was raised to buy only what I could afford, not what I could get by hoping the collection agent was slow in coming by.

I get a kick when so many people screamed about the President and Congress (yes, they are culpable, too)for going from zero deficit to $9+ Trillion. Yet when these same politicos (who make money from the financial industry lobbyists as we type on this board) whipsaw panic and want a hurried, no discussion, no hearing, no proof, just-trust-me $700B which will be borrowed from China or the Saudis, that's peachy keen.