Something smells rotten.

[kurukami]

The longer I examine this $700 billion financial bailout deal that Paulson and the Bush administration have proposed, the more suspicious I become. The enormity of this financial outlay, with questionable oversight, the fact that the Wall Street firms are lining up like hyperactive kids looking to get some candy from the Federal bailout pinata, and the fact that there's this bit in the fine print:

Section 8. Review: Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.

All that makes me think that this is little more than a heavy-handed way for the outgoing administration to soak the taxpayer and gift their ultra-rich corporate cronies with a going-away present (and chop the feet off any incoming administration's plans, as well). I used to think that, having broken so many laws, covertly and openly applied strong-arm leverage to push their own corporate-friendly agenda, and busticated not only our own economy but the stabilities of most of the Middle East, the Bush neocons wouldn't so easily let go of the power they'd accumulated. From all appearances, though, they're just going to use their last months in office to openly rob taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars -- and it won't even solve the problem.

Additionally, the White House assistant press secretary has openly said that this isn't just for failing banks -- it's for ones that have performed admirably and responsibly as well. If they're not failing, why in God's name would we taxpayers be bailing them out?

Every Congressman and Senator should oppose this utterly corrupt bailout. Any financial aid bill should be focused on the everyday people who, because of corporate malfeasance, aren't able to pay their mortgages. It shouldn't go to the ultra-rich assholes walking away from failing firms with multimillion dollar golden parachutes.