Savage Hippy

(photo credit treehugger.com)

It may seem like forever, but it’s only been a week since the Mighty Fall of the Giants on Wall Street.  Now Washington is working to create answers, but 7 days seems like kind of a short amount of time fix this who-knows-how-long-in-the-making problem.  People take much longer than a week to answer some of life’s simpler business considerations, such as:  Should I buy that house?  Which nursing home should I put my parents in?  Should my company acquire that other company?  Next to what Washington faces, these decisions become as ordinary as a sneeze, with maybe a little more paperwork.

Now think of the last time you rushed into something important.  It may have worked out in the end, but there were some close calls in there, remember?  Or maybe your venture failed due to lack of planning, so you didn’t even have the opportunity for all that.  If you are so lucky to have never been scathed by a major decision made on the quick, then think about  the last time the US rushed into something.  That didn’t turn out so well, did it?  As long as the last week feels, the last five years feel sooo much longer.

That little war, this cute little bailout, none of these occurrences show me that my government is looking out for my best interest or that of my fellow human being.  I am, however, reassured to know some branches actually are aware of our existence, as evidenced by Congress’ refusal to accept the proposed bailout plan today.  Nevertheless, it’s hard to trust any government decision to when you have no logical reason to, other than knowing your money is funding great big war machines.  That is, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Anyway, I know we’re all in a panic about this whole economy thing, ready to flee the country and swim to the welcoming shores of…um…any place that doesn’t completely hate us.  But look at the bright side: we’re not going into a depression.  It may get bad, but it’s not gonna be like that bad.

So what’s the rush for a solution to a problem with about as much transparancy as a brick wall?  Maybe transparentarize it first and then sleep on it.  Just don’t let any CEOs walk away straight paid, and don’t expect the taxpaying citizens to fund it.  And then in these regards, your work is done.

(photo credit: telegraph.co.uk)

It’s finally happened, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs have thrown in the towel. Welcome to the beginning of the end of the beginning, wherein we will see the end of finance as we know it, the dawn of a new era of government involvement, and we’re just getting started with our $700 billion debt.  Not a great way for any new president to break the ice, either.