After reading the bailout bill proposed by the House, I have decided to write a letter to my representatives.
Feel free to use this letter as a template, or write your own. Citizens should be powering this democracy, not the cash of special interest groups. Make your voice heard.
The letter reads as follows...
Representative Shea-Porter,
I respectfully ask you vote against the "Bailout" bill that will appear on the docket tomorrow.
First, I do not trust this administration, even with only months left on the calendar available to them, to honestly and ably disperse these funds. These are the same people that started the Iraq war, that politicized the Department of Justice, that think they are above the rule of law, and that tortured those held in our custody in violation of the Geneva Conventions.
Second, I've seen barely any discussion among the House or Senate of alternative ways to repair our economy, such as debt forgiveness for those with foreclosures or investing instead in infrastructure to help job creation. This is being rushed through in order to prevent proper oversight and clarity... the same lack of oversight that led to the issues listed above.
Third, it is heinous to think that middle-class citizens will have to bail out corporate types who should've known better. Many experts saw this collapse coming years ago, but the market players refused to responsibly govern their own actions. Why should we be forced to pay this exorbitant price for their misdeeds? Wall Street jockeys stress the importance of free market ideologies. I say we make them stay true to their word. Let the public sector buy these companies and stocks at what they feel are fair prices, rather than having our government overpay for toxic debts, in a scheme that might not even work.
Finally, this stopgap measure does nearly nothing for the taxpayer. For 700 BILLION dollars, the only thing that the American taxpayer receives is some nebulous promise of potential 'profit' and reduced executive compensation. What of equity? What of healthcare reform? No private actor would take this deal (in fact, none currently are), so why should America?
In closing, I urge you vote against this bill, and ask for more time to review better solutions. This bill provides no security, at unimagined costs. It is simply unacceptable.
Sincerely,
SSgt Michael Langer, USAF