The Green (with Envy) Party

Bulletin from the "Cut to The Chase", "Tell it Like it is" Department of Human Relationship Affairs:

I'm so jealous I could spit!

Well, not me personally (ok, maybe just a little bit...), but me collectively. The Royal Me. Us as a people, as a culture, as a way of life. We're just jealous of these guys and their millions..."where's mine" we say.

I, personally, don't care if Ed Liddy or John Thain or whomsoever made money during the Credit Default Swap/Derivative Mortgage Bubble (CDSDMB) That's now, and always has been, the American Way. Better mousetrap and all...

I don't care if they have gold plated faucets and trash cans and airplanes.

I don't care if they have 7 houses, all on the same street, one for everyday of the week (and all of their mistresses...)

What I do care about, however, is the fact that they are asking for billions of dollars in help from the government (you and me, if you had forgotten...) to keep their companies solvent because their companies are "too big to fail."

Imagine going to a friend, after you have made a huge, costly mistake in your business, and asking them for financial help.

"Fred. It's Milt. I messed up at work and I need $1,000 to bail me out of a jam."

"What happened?"

"I bought a machine that only worked for a few days and now it doesn't work at all. I'm flat broke and if I don't replace it I'll go bust and my four workers will be homeless and Millie's Diner won't be able to count on our breakfast money so she'll be in trouble too."

"I see...well, in that case, where shall I mail the check? Pay me back when you can. Good luck"

"Gee, Fred, you're the best...thanks"

Next day at the supermarket:

"Hey Milt...how's it goin'? Did you get the check?"

"Yeah Fred...thanks!"

"Say, what are the caviar, champagne, pate and truffles in your carriage for."

"Oh, we're having a party at work to celebrate your check. It only cost $950.00"

"Uh, I see..."

"Thanks again Fred...see ya soon!"

(Fred leaves the store mulling over the 2nd Amendment.)

WHAT THE F----- IS GOING ON?!

The mere fact that Paulson and now Geithner are members of the Wall Street club (alumni they call 'em...) shouldn't be any cause for concern. And Vegas is running good odds on the "Larry Summers will Really Answer a Question Sweepstakes."

I'm sure that the men and women on Wall Street are not getting a sweetheart deal from their old cronies. Nah...not these guys.

No...what I do care about is the notion that these "Masters of the Universe" made bad business decisions and now we're being caused to pay for them and they could care less.

Giving back their bounses my ass...how about giving back the economy and the jobs and the memories and the retirement funds and the mental health of the nation.

How about that for a plan.

How about we fire all of these clowns and start over...put an un-employed steelworker at Labor. Put an out of work cashier at Commerce. Put a frightened housewife at Treasury. Put a laid off financial analyst in full battle gear in Afghanistan.

These are people (except maybe the analyst...emphasis on "anal"...sorry, I know, a bit sophomoric, but I couldn't help myself) who really understand working within a budget and saving for a rainy day and accepting responsibility for bad choices.

Enough! (Remember Marie Antionette anyone...?)

But then again, without the Washington/Wall Street Circus, we'd have nothing to bitch about...except the Red Sox/Yankees rivalry...and A-Rod...and Britney Spears and The Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus and Bachelor and...