Bailouts and how they threaten democracy and capitalism

It is very rare that a vast majority of conservatives, liberals, indepedents, and non-politcal American citizens agree on something. So when it happens, it goes to reason that it would be an easy decision for Congress and the President to make. But with this year's political trend - bailouts - our government has decided that this is not a government by the people anymore. This trend is bound to have lasting effects on our way of life.

I find it astounding that voters (and non-voters) have spoken very loudly and clearly that both bailouts are NOT what Americans want. But Congress gave the voters the finger and pointed their condescending noses up at us by passing $700B to bail out the finance industry. I guess they think that the ignorant masses don't know as much as our wise leaders about the complicated economy. Not only is this extremely condescending, but it threatens our democracy. If our leaders won't listen to us when we have spoken very clearly against their actions, when will they listen?

Furthermore, passing the financial bailout paved the way for the auto bailout that the Senate finally had the wit to fail. Against voters' AND Congress's wishes, President Bush pulled money from the financial bailout bill (TARP) and pledged it to the auto loans. How are we to ever know how our money is going to be spent if any allocation of money can be redirected at the Presidnet's whim? Why pass bills at all? Why not just sign everything over to the treasury and let them spend it where they want?

The most dangerous part of the bailouts, however, are the intention of the government to buy stakes in the copmanies they are bailing out. AKA - a backdoor to socialism. When the financial bailout was passsed we were told that the money was going to be used to buy up toxic mortgage securities. What did they do? Buy up stakes in the banks so that the government could micromanage their companies. The atuo baiolout has a stipulation that the governemt would reserve the right to buy up large stakes in their companies for the same reason.

The mainstream media and left-wing blogosphere have declared the end of trickle-down eceonomics and capitalism altogether, and they may be right if the Democratic Congress gets their way. But if capitalism fails then it won't be because it doesn't work, it will be because beaurocracy has taken over and weeded out all efficiency, inginuity, and entrepenuerialism. That is what governement does in most cases.