I tend to agree with Bucco on this one. I don't think either candidate has a clue what to do to resolve the current crisis. It's not going to happen, but it sure would be fun to ask both candidates to be specific, just to watch them squirm.

Having said that they don't have a clue, I must admit that it may not be reasonable to expect that they should. The financial collapse that we're witnessing is the result of myriad factors in several sub-markets of the overall "financial markets". It took many years to reach the point of collapse. Both political parties, several Presidents, many members of Congress and lots of businesspeople can and should be blamed. There's another group that should also be blamed, as well...us, the voters-consumers-spenders-borrowers of the U.S.

Some very smart people studied what was happening and tried to take actions that few of us knew about or could even understand in an attempt to avoid the collapse that we're witnessing. No one wanted it to happen. But it did, and nothing the smartest of the smart did prevented it.

I think the most we can expect from the incoming administration and Congress is to begin to pass laws and authorize regulations that will set our national priorities right. It has to start with an example set by the government we elect. They must learn to live within the means provided to them. We can't enjoy every benefit, every entitlement, every public works project, unless we can pay for it. Our elected lawmakers must learn to tell the electorate "NO", even if it means that some of them will not be re-elected. Our representatives must learn to say the same thing to the special interest lobbyists.

If our government does nothing more than set that example for everyone, our country will be better for their efforts. Do I have high confidence that will happen? No, not immediately. But if the incoming "electeds" begin to steer the ship of state in that direction, that's about the most we can expect, I think.