Bailout Rant No. 1

I actually emailed my Congressman--not a bad guy, John Campbell--to tell him, 'No bailout."

Until they pardon every shoplifter and chicken thief in this country, not a penny for the Masters of the Universe. OK, maybe food stamps.

Remember all the prattle about “moral hazard” if we help out the poor slobs who bit on the hook of teaser mortgage rates? Sauce for the ganders, sez I.

I grew up in New York and live in California, but I remember with nostalgia the bumper stickers from the Carter oil shortage days–”Let the Yankees freeze in the dark.” Let the investment bankers get real jobs cutting grass and stocking shelves at Wal-Mart.

“Once I built a railroad, I made it run
I made it run against time
Once I built a railroad, and now it’s done
Buddy, can you spare a dime?

“Once I built a tower way up to the sun
Of bricks and mortar and lime
Once I built a tower, and now it’s done
Buddy can you spare a dime?”

Of course, if I remember my history, the Great Depression ended when a patrician demagogue led us into a war.

One more song that’s been running through my head:

“This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end

“Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
Ill never look into your eyes…again

“Can you picture what will be
So limitless and free
Desperately in need . . .of some . .  . stranger's hand
In a . . . desperate land . . .”

Let us end by quoting the Boy Orator of the Platte: "You shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold."