In a way I don’t care if they freeze it or not. What I would like is transparency, after all this is my money too.

Yes there should be an accounting for ALL this bailout money. We are footing the bill for nothing we will get in return, unlike investors, corporate executives etc. As usual the taxpayers are getting a screwing not an accounting!!!

Jack it appears that our esteemed leaders are socializing debt, and funneling profits up. This type of economics is irresponsible. There should be no more bail out money, Period.

I am totally appalled by what I am hearing concerning the bank bailout. It seems not only is there no oversight or regulation regarding the moneys already handed over, but we have enlisted cronies to administer the process. We have law firms that are known to represent the biggest banks conducting the transactions. We have zero stipulations on how the money is spent. It is being spent on salaries, bonuses, dividends and mergers. We pass a law that encourages through tax breaks, the merger of more banks. So now they become untouchable? We can’t let any bank fail when there are only 3 left?!

It is just hard to believe after all we’ve been through with the Bush Admin. that Congress would pass such a piece of legislation and then turn their backs on the American people. I wasn’t against the bail out, but I expected now more than ever our elected officials would keep an incredibly close eye on how this was handled.

Paulson’s news conference the other day looked like a kid who got caught in the candy jar, and still Congress has had nothing to say - and nothing to do about any of it. We can’t wait till Jan. 20th and hope a new president can somehow rescue this, all the money will be gone and the taxpayers will be gone too!

Jack,
I really think that they should. Look, we are in a financial rut as it is and giving bailouts or handouts (however you want to look at it) is not good especially when many of hard working Americans over years have lost jobs and faces more crisis to come.

Daniel,
Atlanta, GA

Jack, I would freeze it, they’re going to bankrupt America if the bailouts don’t stop. I’m broke, and no one is coming to my rescue, where’s my Robin Hood?

Absolutely Jack ! If the next President is ever to recover the trust of the American people , Treasury must be stopped . There are questions now about “insider” deals and conflict of interest . Paulson can do far too much damage in the next 60 days to allow him to control this any longer . Transparency , transparency , transparency!!!!!

What I’d like to know is how do I get a job where you can screw up your job so royally that the whole world goes into recession and you get a multi-million dollar bonus and an all expense paid vacation at a high end resort?

Yes, and this time attach some strings. There’s been enough said about CEO pay, and lavish retreats, but there should be a stipulation about unfreezing money the banks lend to companies that are doing well, and need it to cover short term costs. The banks need to get their heads out of their rear ends and do their part to get our economy going again.

Maybe they should, Also, it wouldn’t hurt if they actually hired that guy to oversee these transactions before letting them continue. The bailout bill created a position to oversee the funds distribution process and that position is - as yet -unfilled.

So they let out all the kids at recess with a big stack of cookies and forgot to hire a teacher to watch over them. And Paulson is having a field day.

The current congress has been accused of doing nothing, so I don’t see how freezing a plan is doing something. They need to enact a plan that has safeguards for the taxpayers, and responsibilities for those receiving corporate welfare.

In view of the fact that no one in congress knew there was a meltdown in the works, I don’t think there is enough brain trust there to handle the problem. Let Warren Buffet tackle it he has common sense and experience in financial matters.

Absolutely. It’s apparent they do not have a plan. Without a plan you cannot achieve a goal. Yes, freeze the money until a plan, a goal, and oversight is in place. No bonus’ and no trips.

Freeze it until January 21st. Despite being the “CEO President”, Bush seems to have no concept of getting value for money invested. If this is how he negotiates with corporate executives, it is a good thing he avoided negotiations with our enemies.

Yes. The money was supposed to seep down to the masses in the form of restoring lending for cars, homes, etc. through banks. It hasn’t happened and the whereabouts of the bailout cash seems to be a state secret. It’s like a very rich shell game.

Why not? Did these companies freeze these monies,when they were
being so generous to their big office CEO’s and others ,while looking down at the people who really made the companies what they are? The working people. Oh yea, What happened to telling the truth about where the money really went?

I think they should freeze the remaining bailout. Why should tax dollars go to instututions that set aside billions to hand out bonuses and perks to the very people who screwed everything up? Then again, we don’t want all those poor millionares to have to change their lifestyle because they didn’t get their bonus this year!

Absolutely! What I want to know is why firing, indicting & freezing the assets of those who caused this disaster is thought of as too extreme a measure? Am I the only person who believes these people are criminals? Taking these measures first is the only way consumer confidence can be restored, otherwise we’ll just think it’s corrupt business as usual, and we haven’t got a chance.

No, they should finally start to control it!

At the time the bailout was approved, I heard a lot of angry talk in Congress about having the funds applied to specific purposes — increasing available credit, for example — and about not having them applied to purposes that wouldn’t help the critical financial situation, like buying out the competition or giving huge CEO bonuses.

What happened to all that big talk? Just big talk?

There are two things Congress needs to do at this point. First, focus on a resolution to the auto industry crisis, we cannot allow this core industry to fail. The second thing is to get the bailout oversight committee setup, so the American people know where our tax dollars are being spent. We don’t have much time left for these things and frankly the wheels of government are turning far too SLOW!!

Yes, they should freeze it. This bailout represents everything that is wrong with our government. Our economy’s a problem, so instead of looking at the issue, we throw money at people who lobby for it and allow them to use that money for big end of the year bonuses. So the problem remains, and we’re even deeper in debt. Is it too soon/late for a vote of no confidence?

Congress should create a more clearly defined plan with appropriate regulations to be imposed on the bailout. The way it has been handled to date has resembled something more a kin to a heist than a government program. What ever the public does pay out should be returned with equity. AThe bailout should not be a handout for shareholders and trustfund babies.

Jack. All remaining bailout funds should immediately be frozen until Paulson and the rest of Bush’s crooks can tell us taxpayers what they are planning on spending it on, and how Congress and the Administration are going to assure the American people that none, repeat NONE, of those funds are going into the pockets of executives and management, especially those taht are shipping jobs out of the country or just plain old firing people so the few at the top can get bigger bonuses and pay raises. I knew as soon as the bailout was approved these crooks would be scheming to get their greedy paws on it for themselves.

Jack we were bamboozled in the first place with lies about the nation collapsing without the bailout, well guess what, we didn’t and instead as usual the government spent our money in places we can’t even find out about. They hae proven again and again not to be trusted with our money.

Definitely. The fox has been in the hen house long enough.

I totally believe this whole economic meltdown was manufactured by the financial industry so that Bush could give them a parting gift (the bailout money). It is obscene that many of the companies who are getting the bailout money don’t even pay taxes.

Freeze as in refuse to use it? No.

Freeze as in stop using it until controls, and regulations for its use are in place? Yes. The scandalous use of our bailout money for bonuses for top executives that broke into the news last week is a very good reason we need to have accountability.

I think if they don’t we should make efforts in replacing the liars who took our money on false pretense. They are supposed to be smart enough not to just hand over the funds without any plans of how or where it was to be spent. Makes you wonder how they spent the rest of our 2 trillion dollar debt. I don’t think these guys have the intelligence or responsibility to handle our money. If we get it frozen who do we allow to handle the debt already paid out?

Absolutely they should. It seems s though the firms that received help are either continuing their lavish seminars & meetings or they are sitting on the money & not using the money for its intent (saving it for their bonuses????). Where’s all this transparancy that was demanded by Congress! It time to Congress to demand it by freezing the remainder of it & relooking at this whole mess again! No more money out until there is an accounting for the use of the money that has been doled out! Is this too hard of a concept for Congress to grasp!

hi jack
yes,yes,yes we cant trust the Bush ,cronnies on getting the right things done,they should all just leave the White House early and allow Obamas team to come in to give us a Happy New year,we cant wait on them to keep feeding their rich freinds any longer.
bay pines fl

let the auto industry figure this out on there own. First thing unions have to make major concessions. Management needs to say no to union demands. I understand over 1500.00 U S is the cost associated with each vehicle for union health care and the like. Why should the U S and indirectly the Canadian Tax payer continue to help out mismanagement of the big 3. I feel for all concerned, the failure of the big 3 and related indutries will have an effect on me and my family as well. It is time that we as North Americans start living within our means. The chickens have all come to roost, time to get comfortable living on less.

Maybe not freeze, but demand accountability. We, as taxpayers, deserve the right to know where every single dollar goes. We have also spoken about helping Mainstreet and not just Wallstreet and banks. But once again this Administration is not listening.

People are worried about USA being bankrupt? We are ten trillion dollars in debt at this time.
Do you wonder why people who are rich at this time are trying to purchase entities that are banks so that they can get their hands on the 700 Billion? Greed never ceases irregardless if the nation went under and ceased to exist. How disgusting can humans be?
We should never have given money to the Financial Institutions in the manner we did - it is the same as giving guns to a serial robber.
All the so called executives who have been playing musical chairs with executive positions, moving from one company to another, and extracting large amounts of money from the company should be fired Then jailed for 20 yrs. if we can find something illegal on them.
I see shades of Rome here.
Joanne Buck
MN

No NO Jack, I just made a sign to put over my garage, NEW BANK COMING….I need some of that free money. If GE, American Express and every Pay Day loan company can get some why not me. I promise I will lend it out to those who really need it. I will be first in line.

Yes. This really is the people’s money - as in Money Market Funds. I spoke with a friend earlier today. They have deferred income savings. As of Sept.28th ,all money put into these funds and reinvested dividends are “put at youir own risk” because of the BailOut! All funds prior to Sept. 28th are insured. This BailOut is taking money from the little guy’s savings and giving it to a bunch of narsistic and corupt executives who couldn’t manage their jobs before. Why trust them now?

Bailout the Banks and the auto sector now, later the airlines and manufacturing, eventually the retail and farmers….and finally get around to bailing out me.

Absolutely it should be frozen. Economic treason was committed against the American people and now these same people are being rewarded. This has been the largest transfer of wealth in the history of the US. No more funds should be distributed without oversight and transparancy.

Freeze the BAILOUT MONEY? If we do not freeze it then sooner or later, China will freeze them for us.

No, they should re-direct it - to American taxpayers.

YES, and wait for our new president to work out the details of how it should be spent. This would be only fair as he will be blamed for what happens. Also we should watch the look on Paulson face if we do freeze it.

Yes Jack, these fools have already prove to the country and world that a Freeze needs to be put on the bailout monies. Oh, and while they are in the freezing mode, freeze themselves.

I don’t think it should be frozen, but I would like to see more control over it and more transparency of what it is being used for.

Yes, we should freeze the money until transparency and restrictions are in place. Our elected officials owe it to the public to use this money as wisely as possible.

Yes Jack it needs to be frozen…..just like any other laundered money- there needs to be a cooling off period. Let’s see if they can come up with a good plan by the end of January……

Freeze the remaining money? All those clowns that voted for bail-outs should be made to run back to each and every bank and company that received our money, and demand it be returned immediately. Then they ought to boot themselves out of office. It’s the only gentlemanly thing to do…

Here is what Congress should do. Take 400 billion of the bailout money and give $10,000 each to the 40 million working Americans who pay no income tax. That money would flow right back into the economy and create tens of thousands of new jobs.

Not only should their be a freeze, WE should ask for a refund on the misuse of the funds already allocated. Nothing, absolutely, nothing should be dished out until rules, and regulations be established, and adhured to. It sould be obvious that these (ceo’s) don’t have the selfcontrol to do what is right. So, we must either demand a change of the guard, or treat them like the selfish children they appear to be. As bad as I hate strick regulations, I believe in this case, WE SIMPLY DON’T HAVE A CHOICE!!!!

C.H.
Longview, Texas

The bailout should have never happened in the first placek at least not to the banks and mortgage companies. But at least we could regulate it and make sure when we do give this money away, a total restructure shold be mandatory. How can we not make them accountable?

Jack, not only do they need to freeze it, but they should audit those that took the money to ensure the expenditures went for “needed” items and not junkets, bonuses, or vacations. Next, they need to get oversight set up like yesterday and put Paulson and his cronies under house arrest so they don’t do anymore harm. Parse that money out on an “as-needed” basis and wait until President Elect Obama is sworn in.

Absolutly, freeze it untill smarter people take over the government. The bailout use untill now shows how useless it is. It is a wrong assumption that there is not enough investments. Too many investments created bubbles that burst. It is a wrong assumption that there is a credit frezze because banks have no money. It is because they can not find viable borowers who are not overburdened by previous debt or expect good ones to resist colapsing sales. Banks switched to pre 9/11 good lending practices and that is taking the toll. In other words, investment banks that were doing risky lending switched to being deposit banks that never did overly risky lending.

Absolutely. Require any company that accepts bailout money to contribute the top 15% of their executives for a mandated full-time two year community service program and no salary, retreats, perks, bonuses or any other way of redistributing our money to the rich….

And no dollars to Detroit if the unions aren’t willing to make concessions. I think unions have been good for this country in the past, but after reading their refusal to cooperate while we “help them keep their jobs” - nope - no money for them.

Jack: The last part of the bailout funds should be frozen. Congress should made accountable for these funds and independent accounting firm should be compel to account for the funds every 6 months. I hope they make the loans to the American Auto industry. Japan, South Korea, India, and some European countries support their auto industries for decades with tax payers funds. Why can we do it???

John
Alabama

They need to freeze it ASAP and then re-write the bill so that we have better control over how the money is spent - i.e. - get rid of high salaries, golden parachutes and ALL bonuses. If the companies don’t want to comply, then they don’t get a bailout - plain and simple!

That would be a logical choice Jack. Congress seldom does anything logical. They would much rather play ‘fiscal wack a mole’ with the problem then do the right thing which is to let those businesses that are poorly managed stand or fail on their own merits. The sooner they do the sooner they can file chapter 11. Save the money for extended unemployment benefits and all these other grandiose Obama plans.
The wealthy will not stand by and pay for it. That is a pipe dream. They have the assets to move themselves and their business outside of this country with excessively high taxation imposed . Most hard working people do not. They also can not afford to pay that 3 percent increase in the price of everything that Obama wants to levy on the wealthy. It is called the trickle down theory jack. The poor always pay for higher taxes on the wealthy. One way or the other.

Yes it should be some kind of accountability, look if the IRS can come after me for a few dollars why cant we be concern about 700 hundard billion????????.

Jack they need to give some bail out money to the Big Three.
General Motors
Ford
Chrysler
And then freez the rest of the bailout money.

Hubie Nelson Barton MS

Take all the bailout money away from those financial institutions and let’s start all over again with someone who really knows what he is doing and has NO ties to anyone on Wall Street. Also, let the oil companies bailout the Big 3 auto guys, since they work hand in hand to decide our transportation anyway.

WHY?
the whole thing was a panic move in the first place. I can’t see it making a difference. If they announce “we are freezing the bailout money” maybe some stock will dip, but the over all trend will probably stay the same.

Yes, freeze it and then send the all REAL taxpayers a check……you know like the bonus checks all that fat cats get.

Now that we know that the banks and Wall St. are using the money as their own personal piggy bank (bonuses,dividends,buying other banks,etc.) the money should be frozen,a special master appointed and the crooks who stole the money fired,prosecuted and jailed.

I believe that the bailout plan needs to be revised setting strict regulation in place and concrete provisions for paying back taspayers. Carte Blanche should not be in the bailout “vocabulary!”

Considering that the CEO’s of the bail-ees have not extended credit as the money was intended, but instead have been spending it on resorts and spas just as they have squandered their shareholder’s money on bad decisions, they should get nothing more – and they need to return anything they took so far. Further, none of them should get any bonuses or golden parachutes when they are fired.

not only should it be frozen but the money for these financial crooks like AIG should be cancelled. they got 150 BILLION so they could go “party like it’s the 1990’s” and it has done NOTHING to stabilize the financial markets.

Henry Paulson is just another incompetent Wall Street Weasel who’s looting the Treasury. we would be better off with Pat Paulsen from the old Smothers Brothers TV show in the 1960’s running the Treasury and Pat’s been DEAD for more a than a decade!!!

Jack,
Since it appears apparent they do not know what they are doing they should not spend one more dollar until guidelines, regulations and proper monitoring are instilled. There needs to be specific instructions on how these funds are spent, mandating that not
one penny can go to bonuses, perks etc the financial community
seems to thrive on.
It is our money and not one cent should be wasted on mistakes,
ill thought out plans and cronyism.

Yes Jack, Congress should freeze the remaining bailout funds, until the Treasury Department has properly explained and accounted for the funds that have already been dispensed. This explanation should include the benefit of the outlay and their payback plan.

Freeze the remaining of the bailout money until Congress understands when to be Mr(s). Scrooge instead of Santa Claus.

The continued activities of these firms only shows us the taxpayers that they are not serious about fixing the problem. They just took the handout and gave out the big bonuses and then lived it up in Phoenix. What would it take exactally for them to figure it out? My company has not seen bonuses in 3 years, and with the year they have it, they are still planning to pay bonuses, with our money? In the words of President-Elect Obama, “Enough!”. I mean really, enough…

no don’t freez , loan some to the auto industry, the auto industry pay taxes too, and if they don’t help us they will be in a worse depression

Heck yes they should freeze it.

And then President Obama should demand that AIG return the money they squandered at that California Resort.

It should then be mandated that every single dollar given to these failing companies/corporations be accounted for and made public.

No million dollar payouts to CEO’s and the like. No more vacations on our dime.

No, Jack. But they should definitely CHILL.

It doesn’t really matter. They’re almost out of money anyway.

Jack, freezing the influx of bailout money would be just as harmful as any freeze on government spending or a dramatic drop in consumer spending. Our economy needs money to be moving, not hidden under the mattress.

The bail-out is a joke. You have the fox that ate the chickens watching the henhouse in charge of all the eggs. The bail-out should have been for the people that got left hanging with nothing, not the CEO fat-cats that got bonuses for driving their business into the ground.
The government should set it up just like they did for student loans. The government work with the people so they can pay their loans, the banks and banking institutions get their money and the economy stays afloat.
Of course, the fat-cats don’t get their bonuses and perks when people pay their loans off.

I think we need to be patient. We are a nation of instant gratification mongers. The bail out will take time and they told us from the beginning that it was a start not an end all be all. I just would like to make sure that it is being given out correctly.

Yes…freeze away until there are safeguards put into effect and accountability and transparency. I am really sick and tired of seeing the taxpayer being highjacked by these arrogant, greedy, narcissistic high end scam artists. While people are losing their jobs and homes, these people think they are “entitled” to their huge bonuses and perks so they can continue to live the good life without conscience. There are alot of hard working people this year that are not going to get bonuses, turkeys or Christmas parties this year or because their employers are struggling to stay afloat and these guys have the nerve to give themselves bonuses with taxpayer dollars. If you ask me the bailouts have been going to a bunch of psychpaths!

Yes until they figure out how best to utilize the money and have strict oversight

These crooks, especially Paulson, are creating a bonus bonanza for their corporate pals.

No more bonuses - for AIG, the auto industry,…

Congress needs to say no!

Paulson and Berneke pleaded for a bailout plan, they got it and now they are wanting to change directions with the allocation. God help us! We were suckered again. I don’t think a freeze would even help. We are going to see more failures as CEO’s party and kick back at fine resorts.

When your teenager screws up his credit card, and the account is frozen, you might decide to pay off the balance, but if you do, then you also would be smart to take over complete MANAGEMENT of the account. If not, the same stupid mistakes will just be repeated.

Absolutely Jack! Paulson has proven his incompetence time and time again. The world won’t fall apart in the sixty or so days until Obama is elected, or in the week until he names a Treasury Secretary. If it’s that critical to spend down that money, let’s at least let Obama name HIS person, and put that person to work with Paulson until Obama is officially POTUS. I can only begin to imagine how much more damage Bush & Company can do in the next sixty-odd days.

ABSOLUTELY! The “bailout” has been a dismal failure up to this point! NOTHING has been resolved and, to date, it has served only to entice more of Corporate America to the feeding trough! Frankly, Corporate America has been enjoying a free ride at the expense of middle-class America for the past 8 years and, if failing following 8 years of tax breaks, outsourcing, etc., there should be NO bailout - let those “failing” businesses fail! Afterall, is that not what a “free market economy” is all about!? Only the strong shall prevail!

Yes,freeze it. The banks are as tight-fisted as ever- the money is still frozen unless they want another merger. Even non-qualified institutions are trying to buy banks so they they can get in on the dole. Like Pres. Elect Obama says- if a policy is not working, try something else. We should try perculate up instead of trickle down. If that money were given to taxpayers as a stimulas, how long do you think it would it take to thaw? That money would rip through the economy overnight- morgage and car payments would be made. People would buy more food, clothes, cars, and even go Christmas shopping.

Why is it that no one is saying anything about TAXES. All the governments, from City to Washington is trying to devert us from
the real economy; our purchasing power. These governmental agencies are great for their mis-directions. They are having us watch one hand without us noticing that the other is in our pockets.

Bill, Temecula, CA

Too late, Jack. These yahoos that keep telling us they are going to save the economy are walking us right over a cliff. While we debate if there should be a freeze, they are quietly stealing us blind and laughing at us all the way to their off shore accounts. What we are witnessing is the deliberate sacking of America, with China waiting in the wings to buy us up at bargain basement prices.

What does Inhofe know about “freezing”? He believes that global warming is a hoax made up by liberals…..

Yes! They should freeze this money until the oversight already in the bailout bill is enacted; to do anything less is to fail in their constitutional duty.

Yes, freeze the remainder until there is accountability for the monies distributed to date. Tranparency was supposed to be built in to the plan. Show us who got the money, how much they got, what they intend to do with it, and what they did with it.

Yes they should. Freeze it and redistribute it to Main Street. If they give at least 50,000 to all tax payers that make fewer than 200, 000 dollars we could bail out the banks and auto makers. We would buy a car and pay off our mortgages. Bail us out first, and let us pick and choose whom we want to bail out.

Freeze the remaining dollars left in the payoff, er bailout. Demand AIG return evrery penny they received and then jail their officers for fraud and theft.

We’ve been lied to yet again by the Bush Admin. I’d have never suspected that.

I’m afraid the horse is already out of the barn and well down the road on this one. Once again the Bush administration scared us all into giving them absolute authority and no oversight. When will we ever learn?

Absolutely. This administration has once again shown its incompetence by just pushing the funds out with now accountability or stipulations or oversight about how the funds are disbursed . . . Gee, isn’t that the kind of policy that lead to this mess to begin with. Who would have thought that the same incompetent administration would repeat the same blunders over and over again?

Let’s leave some money for the Obama administration to have a chance at actually improving the situation, and having the funds perform the actions they were intended to perform in the first place, with guarantees up front and oversight.

For once, I agree with a Republican. YES! It should be frozen!

Yes. Paulson duped us all into thinking the world was going to come to an end unless taxpayers gave him 700 billion dollars to do with as he pleased. He gave taxpayers a wink and a nod regarding actually doing something constructive by helping homeowners hang onto their homes in order to convince us his intentions were good. All he has done is help out his crooked cronies on Wall Street and in the banking community. What we need before we release another dime is someone honest and competent at treasury.

they should freeze it and give it back to us. It’s not working anyway and I could use a little bailout myself.

Absolutely. We are giving too much money away to fat cats and overpaid executives. We should let these banks fail and let them be bought out by those who have the cash and ability to reorganize these companies.

I don’t know enough about today’s financial markets to even have an opinion on how to handle the remaining bailout money. And the scary part is that the Treasury, the Fed, the Congress, and the Predent don’t seem to know what’s going on either.

Freeze the bailout money? Sure Jack, but if this was a loan, we call it in from the banks and corporations who have used it for VP bonuses. But knowing the brainiacs we have who passed this bailout, there were probably no conditions placed on the bailout funds, nor will these guys be held accountable for fund mismanagement .

Incompetence at its best Jack. Just when you think they can’t do anything else, they manage to top themselves.

And as for the auto industry - let the oil companies bail them out, God knows they have more than enough profit to help out.

Secretary Paulson has shown that he can’t really be trusted with this job. He secretly rescinded a twenty year old tax law to benefit corporations to the tune of one hundred and forty billion dollars. The bailout money seems to be disapperaing down a rabbit hole, and the president seems to not be involved. I think it would be best to hang onto the money until someone can be put in charge that actually gives a hoot.

Yes until we get to the bottom of where all the money went to that is now missing. Probably a lot of it went into these big balloon payments made to these CEO’s that have wrecked the economy, and who know where else. All I know is none of it trickled down to my level.

Yes, freeze it as long as Larry (Bush), Moe (Cheney), and Curly (Paulson) are running this comedy of errors.

Let’s wait for January 21st when there will be intelligence, direction, and openness.

This plan would doom us for an extremely bad recession! The stock market would plunge very badly!

YES!!!

jack, call me crazy but I have said this all along and people think I
am crazy. Of course Paulsin is giving his friends the money, they knew life would change during the elections, so it all got
dreamed up and the “wag the dog” went into play: Lie to the people and steal all you can while you can. This is a sham and we bought
fear again: I say freeze the money, investigate and recall it all: let big
business fall and we can start all over again, hopefully a few americans will learn and protect their hard earned cash. There is more to this than even you can report in 60 seconds, I wish you had more time to let us know the truth:
Mack from Massachusetts:

Jack: They absolutely need to put a “freeze” on the remaining bailout funding. They bailout is a “complete mess” with not panel or oversight to track the funding. Obama needs to replace Paulson and Bernake as soon as he can, because it is apparent they have no idea on what the hell is going on. It is Halloween in Washington, and the “treats” are being giving out like there is no tomorrow, and the “tricks” are being played on the American taxpayers.

Absolutely freeze that money until we get a clear accounting about where and how the earlier billions were spent. Congress or the Treasury should put up a web site that shows us every detail. Lack of transparency and oversight is part of the problem that got us into this mess - is there no learning curve?

- Lao
Boston MA

That’s as good as plan as I have heard from anyone else. By the way you’re doing a good job Paulie.

L.M.,Arizona

Dont’ let Paulson or Bush decide what to do with it. There should be investigations as to how the initial sum was spent as well, and if Paulson and Bush are sticking it the American people once again, then we will hold them (all the thieves) accountable to their actions - just like Bush will be accountable for many many many many of his actions.

Jack,
Yes they should, until Pulson gives an account of the money he has used so far. Why give the Treasury more money when they can’t or won’t say were it went.
Sherry, Ohio

I can’t believe that much money has been allocated without a plan to ensure it’s intended use. This is truly frightening. I think it’s time to cut losses and move on. Don’t allow them to spend another dime.

A freeze would seem a good move. If they are unwilling to say what they have done with the $ so far, they must have something to hide.

Start checking their bank accounts and offshore accounts; who knows what you might turn up.

Let’s just freeze Bush, Cheney, and Paulson. We can thaw them out January 20th at 11:59 a.m., let them wave goodbye and then toss them into a nice warm moving van. In the meantime let Obama and his team figure out the best way to spend the the rest of the bailout bucks.
Tim in Texas

Yes, they should. The bailout was designed to help the main street but it has been modified to help Wall Street’s CEO. They have enough money and let them take the hit.
Mike
Snellville, Ga

The problem I see with the auto bail out is they are not really bailing out the auto industry,but we are bailing out the Unions.This industry needs to take it’s lumps from pandering to labor unions.They wanted twenty-five dollars an hour to sweep the floor,then once the got it ,they couldn’t or wouldn’t sweep the damn floor!!!!!!!

I do not trust Bush and Paulson at all.

If President-elect Obama has no say until he takes office than a freeze is a good idea.

Don’t think for a second that Bush doesn’t have one more screw-up left in his presidency.

Congress has handed Paulson a 700B check and said spend it as you like; he should have be the first one to go as he has NO accountability as to how the monies are being spent; and they let him continue, wake up congress and America! Freeze all monies and when Obama takes office; he should state that when he does he’ll be looking for accountability and if it is evident that those who have not been accountable for this they should ALL go. If Obama wants to get a hand on our ecomony there should be heads rolling when he takes office on the 21st., both Dems and/or Rep. If Obama isn’t going to be the man of change; then he won’t have my vote next election.

They should put me in charge of the last $350 billion… I sure as heck could find a better way to spend it than these guys.

Yes. It is clear that Paulson and the Bush administration and even our congress have no clue what is going on at this time and they’re simply throwing money at everything that burps. It is time for a short pause toput some deliberate thought into what is it we’re trying to accomplish.

Your darn right that money should be frozen. It’s bad enough we didn’t like the bailout in the first place because we didn’t trust the whole process, now they have only proven we were right! Nobody’s bailing me out on my mortgage payments and health insurance costs so too bad. I have to be responsible so do they.

If they’ve really spent half of it already, I’d REALLY like to know where it all went before they spend any more, Jack.

although the original bail-out proposal was 4 thin pages, and teh result was 400-plus pages, there doesn’t seem to be anything in it to protect the interests of the american people! what about the foreclosure problem? what about small businesses who are letting their workers go or who are about to shut their doors? It is these kind of problems I want and expect our government to help with. Just giving a big check to a big bank or mortgage company doesn’t mean that businesses or strapped homeowners are getting the money they need to help stimulate ourselves out of this quagmire. I am not an economist, but it seems clearer to me than it does to Hank Paulson. We have to put a name on each check we write - such as “this is for small business lines of credit” or “this is for homeowners with usurious adjustable mortgage rates on homes that are underwater”. Perhaps then the money will “trickle” where it is needed most - into the economy instead of into wall street..

YES > Can we wait until Jan. 20th?. Then perhaps sane people of intelligence in Gov’t and congress can handle the situation with a great deal of thought and logic. & accountability.

Of course the bailout money should be frozen otherwise they will give the rest also to the Rothschild-dynasty Paulson’s so called “friends”.

9-11 Was an inside job.

Yes Jack, That money should be frozen and have it ready to give to “Main Street”. Seems like to me, we’re about to get into a Heavy Recession, and god forbid, not a Depression. Thousands of employees are going to lose their jobs and if that’s the case, the rest of the bailout money should be used for “Main Street”.

Democrats need to learn from recent history here.

Their Wall Street Bailout vote is the new Iraq Invasion vote. If this bailout is as mishandle as the invasion, then come the next election cycle, get ready for “I didn’t vote for the bailout” campaign slogans like you did with the invasion.

In fact more of the public supported the Iraq invasion in 2003 then people who currently support the bailout so this is a real opening for the wounded republican party.

Yes, any further bailout should not be considered unless the recipients propose a credible plan for the use of the money and stipulate payback terms and assign whatever real property they gave as collateral. Then, maybe.

William in Indiana

Funny, how after all these years the Republicans are using the “R” word. “Regulation”.

It should be frozen until January 20th when the new administration will use it to jump start the future rather then reward the incompetence of the past.

Yes, the bail-out money should be frozen if it cannot be accounted.

There should be a bi-partisan watchdog group put on as oversight….not to include Barney Frank or Chris Dodd or anybody else who said there was nothing wrong at Fannie and Freddie or receives campaign contributions from financial institutions….duh.

Transparency should be as follows…….
We should only be taking debt instruments which are convertible to common stock and available online for all taxpayers to watch grow.

Yes, they should! This whole bailout has been a typical Bush administration con, with no prior planning, no oversight, no transparency, and only helping big buisiness, not the taxpayers who are forced to pay for it. I say freeze it until the new administration takes over in January and give Paulson two options, ether keep his promises or go to Jail!

Jack

This question indicates how sad Americas leaders are ,they beg for the money without a clue as to how it will be administrated. They’re not smart enough to give away our money. Looks to me like someone would have thought of this before now. What we need is another Blue Ribbon comitee to tell us who should get the free money. They should fire Henery Paulson first

You betcha Jack! Who would give all of their hard earned cash to someone without a plan or budget who just says trust me, I’ll fix your economic worries. However, if you don’t give me the money (now) you will certainly go down in economic ruin. Wait a minute, Congress did just that and we said okay! Now we are trying to get our money back. Good luck!

I think the rest should be frozen for awhile….until the proper assessments are made for who should get the help. It seems that it’s just going toward year end bonuses at this point and the transparency is non-existent!

I want to see an accounting of every last million of those dollars!!! Everyone has their hand out right now and I think it went out of control in one man’s hands.
If we ever needed a ‘committee’, it’s now! But by that I mean that it should be made up of more people who have the interests and survival of the citizens of this country in mind!…and not just interests and survival of the handful of irresponsible millionaire idiots who got us into this mess in the first place!

As each day passes, I wonder if it might have been better if the money was given to each and every citizen of this country so it really could help Main street…and trickle up. So far, it doesn’t seem to be reaching any of the streets I know and the problem is getting worse instead of better!!

YES…..this is a no brainer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Congress should freeze the money, then invest it in time travel technology. Then they could go back in time and demand a bailout package that had some transparency and oversight written in it. That’s not hindsight bias, thats just common sense. And heck, if the time machine doesn’t pan out, then the money would have had an equal effect on the economy anyways.

Freeze it, take a breath, and really plan out what needs to be done with the remaining money. there are those that argue that perhaps things would already be much much worse if the bail out had not happened and those who say it is a mess and has not worked at all (looking at the market as “proof”). the truth may be somewhere in between, but the one thing that is absolutely certain is that more thought needs to go into how to use next 300 billion. the question is not should the money be used, the question is how should it be used. home owners need to be helped desperately, laid off workers need to be helped desperately, the car companies need to be spanked, put in the corner and be told to really think about what they did wrong and come up with some amazing change in behavior in order to even think they are getting some, etc.

No bail out. Loan it at the same rate a person would have to pay with a bad credit history.

Inhofe is one of the good reasons for term limits - but, as to the bail-out, the money has been voted on already and there should be a over-sight committe to insure that the tax payer’s money is not being wasted - If the game has changed since the money was allocated then there should be Legislative input as to where the money is to go and when, otherwise get the politics out of this mess and follow some sort of plan - I’m so sick of this in-fighting by the old guard on both sides while the Country falls further into a hole. Lynn, SD Calif.

The money needs to be frozen until the oversight committees are established and ready to work.

Jack, This is such a scam that the only way to begin making it right is for a lot of folks to go to jail for a very long time. It seems like a good reason to keep Gitmo open. Back a wagon up to the White House, Senate, and Congress and load them all up for the boat ride south.

Although I do understandd the wisdom of not telling the American people where the money is going in order to avoid runs on those banks, oversight is critical.

I would like to see a freeze until a joint group or republicans and democrats review where the money has gone to date and approve each and every new pice of money that goes out. After all Obama is going to be left cleaning up this GOP mess, his to be soon administration deserves to have input as to where the money is going.

Yes the remaining money should be frozen until somebody competent is charged with allocating it out. So far nearly $300 Billion has been handed out and nobody seems to know who it’s gone to or what for purpose! Also this money is being given to companies without any preconditions as to what they are to use it for. The banks aren’t using it to finance lending, as it was intended, they are using it to pay bonuses, pay share dividends and even to fund buying other banks!

Do ducks quack……this bailout was a joke, while middle class is in shambles while big companies who is at the fault of all this gets rewarded for doing bad business. If i overdraw my bank account I get charged an overdraft fee but seems in big corps world the more you go in debt the more money your handed and I’m still struggling and overdrown, pulling myself out of debt. Thanks for the help.

Why should we freeze the corporate robbery? Any transparency will be as clear as mud anyway!

Of course there should be a plan submitted for Congressional approval before any of those funds are released to the Treasury. Perhaps it should wait for the new Congress. Paulson has admitted he was wrong, and it is likely he still doesn’t have much of a clue. It is time to wind down the Bush incompetency.

Yes a freeze it what’s needed until some firm regulation is in place with accountability. The way this bail out is structured is misleading and reckless just like the last eight years of the Bush Administration.
I’m truly disappointed with the way congress handle this bail out plan. You would think congress would have learned from the failed mistake of the pass by having structured guidelines for distribution of funds. Instead, this lack of COMMON SINCE mentality is what we don’t need. Freeze the bail out plan until there’s cohesive regulations and restriction in place.

Jack,
Why not, their sorry bailout plan isn’t working the way they told us it would. Maybe President Bush will order a new surge to fix our economy this time…

C.I., New York

why stop now Dubya has a couple of months. Let them spend it all and shut the door on it. Pass a law that this can never happen again, period not matter what, no mulligans, no take backs, never ever again. Then tale over AIG, GM. Fanny and Freddie get them in the black and buy everyone Health Care with the profits.

Absolutely, the American people have a right to know who their money is being given to.

Absolutely not.

The only reason a lame duck Congress would get anything done before their term expires would be to give the money to THEIR friends. Besides, only $300 billion of incompetence later (cheap by recent standards) Paulsen may actually be getting it right. One of the voices in his head finally told him that In a consumption-driven economy, maybe he should put the money where it will be used to create consumption instead of being hoarded.

Yes, they should until they get a better handle on what they are doing, put some type of oversight in place for the companies receiving the monies.

Congress should not only freeze the remaining bailout funds, but repeal the bailout and demand immediate repayment from the institutions that have abused the funding. If the affending institutions can’t return the funds the government should seize the Institutions assets and place the company under a conservatorship. Government should also hold all upper management accountable and seize their assets if it is warranted to cover the losses under their mis-management. Congress could have taken a better approach by starting at the bottom by taking care of the people who could least afford the crisis caused by the wealthy elite of this Nation who live lifestyles so far above the rest of our society it is almost criminal because it has been funded by greed.

We should definitely freeze whatever is left of the bailout money until an oversight committee has been hired. Before one more cent is allocated, Henry Paulson MUST account for every penny he has given out. The paper trail must be transparent. We need to know who is getting this money. Look at the fiasco at AIG, with bonuses to management coming out of taxpayer bailout funds! If any improprieties are discovered, jail sentences need to be imposed on the perpetrators. I can’t believe that Henry Paulson was given a blank check and nobody is watching the store!!! How stupid is our government? How many times will the taxpayers be TOLD (not asked) to bail out failing financial institutions, insurance companies, manufacturers or cities??? This boils down to “taxation without representation!”

They shouldn’t have authorized this plan in the first place. The money should have gone directly into working with home owners to slow the stream of foreclosures that is further depressing the housing values for all Americans.

Instead what we got was yet another trickle down economics plan that funneled massive amounts of tax payer money towards companies that gambled in the credit default swap market. Now we will watch as this money will fail to trickle past the massive executive bonus packages of the vary same gamblers that got us into this mess.

Yes, Congress should freeze bailout money now until the
20th of January and real accountability will finaly be present
and The Good Old Boy Cronies will finally reach the end of the
road at least for the next four years.

my feeling is that if they wanted to jump start the economy they should have given each american citizen who votes and pays taxes a portion of the money. We could then pay off our bills, paydown our mortgage and back payments, buy some christmas presents and feel that maybe with alittle hard work and budgeting we can get thru this. I don’t like the fact that fat cats are getting the money. It should be put into a trust account and they can borrow the money at a certain interest rate, only if they remove the idoits that got them into this mess in the first place. No raises or bonuses for anyone, CEO’s must take a hit in the wallet for the good of the company, just like the average guy on the street. If they were so great and smart then they would not have helped themselves to tax payer money to buy themselves fancy houses, cars, and or trips. Treat them like the simple minded people they are, BUT remember that they have sharp teeth.

Who would think that I would every agree with Inhofe about anything?

Yes, Jack. Absolutely. The approval of the theft of this money from our treasury was crazy in the first place. It is simply being hoarded and used to conduct business as usual by the friends of Bush and Paulson. It’s a crime what our representatives have allowed to take place. They were frightened into this bonehead move at election time just as they were frightened at previous election times to okee dokee the Patriot Act, the invasion of Iraq, FISA……you name it. Our elected leaders have caved in time and again to the bullies in the White House. Shameful!

Rich Green
San Clemente, Cal.

Please stop the goverment from trying to help. The country was built with an open exchange system and this has led to the greatest ecomony in the world. Only intervention by goverment has created this mess we are in now. Let the economy correct it self.

P S if the goverment has so much money sitting around I could use an extra billion for my company

Jack: my taxes are being used for this bailout just like every other working American in this country.. I say instead of bailing out the very companies that have put us into this mess, use the remainder of the funds for Unemployment Benefits for those that have lost their jobs because of those compaines that have benefitted greatly by the lack of oversight.

Yes it should. It then should be reinacted for the next administration to administer. This administration is the most crooked in American history and it is beyond me that the democrats pushed and voted for this farce in the first place. Shame on Pelosi and Reid!

Jack
Freeze the bailout money, everyone is coming out of the woodwork for funds, cities have applied, soon all business’s that are about to go chapter 11 will be looking for money. Joes Hot Dog Stand in Maspeth will need bailout money, how far does this go ?

Senator Inhofe is absolutley right. Paulson, despite his introverted demeanor is looking out for no one except his former Wall Street Cronies. He is the one who insisted on total control himself with no accountabililty. However, any apresident worth his salt would have booted him out of the Oval office at the kind of suggestion that only the T Secretary control it. The closer we get to the end of the Bush syndicate, the more we find out about the possible thieves and robbers. No wonder Bush is talking about a blanket pardon.

Freeze the bailout balance and put a stop payment on the first checks that were sent out. This whole secret bailout for the buddies must be stopped. Or send me a check for a couple of million and I’ll just go on my way. After all, we all can be bought. Just look at the election results.

Yes Jack freeze the money. Then they should send a check for $8,000 to all americans who had to suffer under George Bush for the last 8 years.

If Congress has to vote on it, that means Bush has to sign off on it…. We all know how that will end so why waste the time…

Well, considering what Paulson and his cronies have done with the bailout money, yes, maybe it should be frozen. All the promises of transparency, accountability, etc. has “Gone with the Wind.” We have no way of enforcing accountability. Maybe the poor managed companies need to fail. Just not sure where to go next.

Barb

Virginia Beach, VA

If they can not control were its going then they need to terminate the agreement. Send me some I would be happy to help the housing market!!!

In a word: ABSOLUTELY. We are at the end of arguably one of the most deceitful presidential administrations in history. We’ve already given Wall St. folks close to 450 billion (if you include was was given out to AIG et al before the bailout), which they have apparently wasted no time in using to line their own pockets and feather their own nests while letting middle America continue to slide deeper into a quagmire by refusing to loosen credit. Let’s put a freeze on anyt