"We All Deserve Blame."

Linda Chavez: We all deserve blame in economic crisis

For too long, Americans have been living on borrowed money they could never pay back. We've bought houses we couldn't afford and taken out loans on home equity that didn't materialize, assuming housing values would continually move upward. We've paid for every new gadget Madison Avenue hawked with credit cards whose principal we never paid down. We sent our children to college on loans, saddling them with debts that crush their futures.

No, we "all" didn't. Some people did do those things, and they were allowed to do those things by congressional leaders who thought it was more important that everyone have the same access to credit and houses and "things" than it was for people to be responsible and live within their means.

The only people who will suffer are the responsible. This bail-out encourages the behavior Chavez writes about.

I'm not without concern. If payroll can't be met, then let's tally up who needs what and think about that number. Not $700B.

I agree with Rep. Garrett (R-NJ) who says this plan doesn't fix any underlying problems, and if we pass this will be right back here in the future. He says we need something, but this bill isn't it.

I agree.

Dallas Morning News says we have to pass this bill or credit will just cease to exist.

Uggghh ... guy on the house floor, Dem from Michigan, wants something in the bill to give more money to automakers so that consumers can get more loans so they can buy American cars.

Let me make this clear. American automakers aren't selling cars because they suck. Not because consumers can't get credit. Even if you gave me one, I probably wouldn't drive a Ford. It makes me sad to say that ... but something that expensive I can't get justify buying American when it's an inferior product.