Capitalism for Sale: Trillions and Trillions

You may think I am going a little overboard when I say that we are in the (probably very long) process of swapping out Capitalist principles out for Marxist principles. But, I believe that is exactly what we are doing, if we realize it or not. The Fed's plan is now to buy ownership in "healthy" financial institutions in an attempt to inject capital into the banks and confidence to the markets. Nine major institutions have agreed to the Fed's plan "for the good of the American people." I am not saying this plan will not help the economy recover from some of the symptoms of its current debilitating sickness. Maybe it will fix all of our problems and usher us into a time of peace and economic Utopia. But, at what price? When the next great crisis hits America, what freedoms will we decide we can live without then? I feel we have set a precedent, first with the Patriot Act and now with the T.A.R.P., that will be very hard not to look to every time things are not going are way. Maybe I'm wrong and should just take a ride, on what I like to call, the Marxist Express. Maybe extraordinary times call for Socialistic...I mean extraordinary measures....not exactly how I remember that saying but it seems appropriate considering current circumstances. I guess only time will tell. By the way, if you disagree with me please feel free to slap some sense into me. Or at least feel free to expose the folly of my position.

You may not believe me, but I really do want this bailout to work, even though I have some major reservations on how it is being conducted. The fact of the matter is that this is the way it's going to be and there's nothing we can do to change that. Trillions of dollars, which our Nation has to borrow or print, are going to be pumped into the worlds financial institutions. Our taxes will raise and inflation, oil, and other commodities will most likely follow. This is just how it is. I accept that neither you or I have any power to change these facts. Only our votes this November 4th will have any changing voice in Washington. So, if our tax money is going to be spent in unprecedented obscene amounts I really really really hope this works. If not we're going to be out $3 trillion dollars and our economy will still be in the tank. Who wants that? Not me.

I guess we old fashioned Capitalists/Constitutionalists are just going to have to hunker down and hope we can hold onto some form of a free market in the weeks and years to come. If not, we will undoubtedly go on being upstanding and law abiding productive citizens, but I don't believe we will just "go quietly into the night." The constitution and free markets will always have a voice, however small that voice may become.