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Bailout Bucks

Solving The Nation's Financial Crisis
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I've been a reader for a short while and am now posting for the first time. I originally submitted my plan to solve the national financial crisis on a local blog but got NO responses, so I'm hoping for some feedback here. Be gentle with me, please, as I'm a half-baked virgin.

Bailout Bucks - sounds like a game, doesn't it? It's more like a contest in my opinion. Who can get the most money the quickest and squander it the fastest? Who will then get to proceed to the next round to do it all over again?

It just chaps my backside to watch all these banks, insurance companies, auto companies and others running to the government with their fat, sweaty palms up in greedy anticipation - no, make that expectation - of unearned money. And particularly when some of them are responsible for the mess in the first place! It awards them for poor management and diinishes their incentive to run a successful business. Do we really have to pass out awards for bad decisions?

Recently I heard on the news that each person in this country (not each taxpayer – each PERSON) has incurred a debt of about $24,500 so far because of these bailouts. It’s a shame the government doesn’t offer such generous emergency cash to individual hardworking folks when they mismanage their own funds by spending too much on frivolities such as food, housing, insurance, etc.

How’s this for an idea? Rather than forking over our hard-earned dollars to be misused yet again, let’s make these companies work for their money. How about:

(1) Killing the auto unions. If this is truly the tremendous crisis as it's being claimed, then drastic measures are called for. I’m sure there are a lot of talented people available who would work for far less. Remember the government stepping in during the air traffic controllers’ strike years ago? This is as good a time as then to intervene, and

(2) Beginning February 1st, begin a one-time tax-free giveaway of a new green car (hybrid, electric, whatever) for every tax-paying citizen who holds a valid driver’s license. The make and model could be determined by a lottery; i.e., people born on a certain date receive a specific type vehicle. It could solve some of the unemployment problems – immediately in the accounting, auto, insurance and transportation fields. And don’t forget that somebody’s got to deliver these cars and keep track of the whole deal. It would also help secondarily in many other fields with people having more bucks in their wallets. And hey, it would improve the atmosphere too!

This puts the benefit of Bailout Bucks in the hands of the taxpayer and better controls it's use. Awww – you’re 16? Too bad! You need to get over it and work for your own car or talk Daddy and Mommy into getting you one. Lost your license because of DUI’s? Too bad! We want to keep you off our roads anyway.

Let’s make everyone present a current auto insurance policy when they receive their vehicles too. That way at least we know that they had insurance for at least a day! And how about making insurance companies follow up on cancelled policies by reporting them to the government? I could be mistaken, but I don’t believe there’s enough monitoring/follow up in that area. You hear of too many people being hit by uninsured drivers. I hate the thought of growing government, but a national database may be necessary for more effective monitoring. Whoops – there’s more jobs!

I keep hearing that the taxpayers will be paid back. Has anyone heard any specific plans as to how and when this payback will begn?

Bailout Bucks - Thanks for playing!

ginny2k, Dec 24 2008

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       While the auto unions aren't at the top of my list of favorite clubs, I fail to see how they're responsible for the finacial mess created by the issuance of bad mortgages. I also fail to see how giving (almost) everyone a free car helps solve the problem. Can you enlighten me?
phoenix, Dec 24 2008
  

       I thought the national debt was more in the region of 30k/person... woohoo things are looking up >_<
FlyingToaster, Dec 24 2008
  

       Yeh, I see your point. It's hard to understand why Darwinism hasn't caught up with the US car industry. As an outsider looking in, it appears to me what's really killing them is the huge superannuation and health benefits they carry for workers and ex-workers. Get rid of those and they might have a shot at survival. Well, that and some decent products. My two cents worth.
Hairy Sock, Dec 24 2008
  

       The hitherto survival of the US auto industry in it's unionised form is indeed a puzzle. I can't see how the handouts will do anything other than delay the inevitable (some time in the term of a different government?), but then I can't see how the industry survived this long either.   

       Back on topic, I don't think that free cars are the answer (in fact I would lean towards _reduced_ government intervention, but I'm no expert).
Texticle, Dec 25 2008
  

       Detroit has recently majorly improved their product quality. Unfortunately they're bucking against 40 years of poor quality and arrogance. Heres hoping they survive to give Japan some competition.
Voice, Dec 25 2008
  
      
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