The Backlash: For Many Americans, Fear and Distrust Run High

The Backlash: For Many Americans, Fear and Distrust Run High

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The leaders of the country said: Trust us.
The people said: Not this time.

The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 in the end was a $700 billion piece of legislation that few people could truly love, and it offered citizens from across the ideological spectrum a little something to hate. Conservatives said they could not abide the government intrusion on the free market. Liberals recoiled at government checks rescuing Gucci-wearing Masters of the Universe. There were those who sniped that this was a "No Banker Left Behind" program.

A political establishment held in higher regard might have been able to hold together some kind of coalition of the willing. But distrust of the nation's leaders, from the leaders of Congress to the president of the United States, foreclosed that possibility.

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Washington, finally, has unstopped its collective ears and heard from the people, and they're royally furious.

Political legitimacy, with Bush's and Congress' approval ratings at or near record lows, has simply dissipated. Politicians are no longer believed; their word and motives are suspect.

This failed bailout may be a watershed moment for renewed accountability in government, as incumbents suddenly foresee the unthinkable possibility of their own near-term unemployment if they do not carry our the will of their constituents.

Nothing focuses the mind like a politician who is in danger of falling off the gravy train.

The money quote:

"You've got massive public distrust and dissatisfaction, with the bailout specifically, with government in general, and George Bush and the entire political establishment," said Doug Muzzio, professor of public affairs at Baruch College in New York.

Well, you don't need to be a professor to figure that out.

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There are a couple ways to look at this.

First, we could, as you said, be reaching a place where we may be able to take government back. This would be a great moment for the country and could allow us to finally get back on the road to limited government.

On the other hand, this could be seen as an opportunity for the government to finally come out and admit they believe we are too stupid to make these kinds of decisions. Then we lose the power to influence anything government does. The road to socialism.

The second outcome may be a bit far fetched, but it's something to think about. If nothing else for the sake of having something to counter my first point.

I know I personally haven't believed anything said by any politician in decades.

There's to much history of them lying constantly to us and getting caught at it. I know I don't have to list instances here, as most members are pretty well informed on these issues.

The bail-out deal, or even the last few years in general, have not changed my opinion on this at all. I lost all trust and faith in politicians long ago and have seen absolutely nothing to restore any of it.

As far as I'm concerned, anyone who wants the job probably shouldn't have it.

All I can say is it's about freakin' time. Two days of good news in a row !

Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that despite American popular consensus they continue to waste time trying to fabricate a palatable 'cure' for their buddies on Wall Street.

There are thrashing about tryig to convince they have to do 'something' to 'save' us from the repercussions of not letting the anti-American monopoly "Fed" get away with its endless siphoning of wealth from this country.

The amazing fundamental level of capitulation represented by this is stunning. Even the President himself seems anxious and aware that the masters will be truly upset should their capital flow be restricted in anyway. So much so that the Fed created $700 billion, then $630 billion (which we automatically MUST repay with interest - think IRS), - all without comment from the media DURING the so-called debate for the bailout. As a gesture of subservient goodwill the senate locked us in to borrow another trillion with interests for defense spending (of course from the Fed).

And yet they continue to insist that the well-connected treasury goon Paulson be allowed to sock it to us at any given moment for $700 billion at a time - with Royal impunity and Papal infallibility.

They had apparently decided to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs, and found that the goose may actually be capable of fighting back.