1. You have no idea who is receiving the bailout and how it works.

    There are way too many people around supporting this thing with ABSOLUTELY no clue of what it entails.  You can’t support something that you can’t explain.  It’s just not possible.  As a rule, the use of taxpayer funds to support failed companies is something that should be dealt with on a case by case basis and taken very seriously.  If you don’t know what is going on, how can you really forumulate an opinion?  I’m sorry, I know you are entitled to your opinion, but its just worthless.

  2. You can not explain how the economy works, how we got to this point, and/or how the bailout affects the economy

    This goes right alongside number 1.  You don’t have to be right, but you have to be able to plead a good case.  You can’t just say because we need credit - that means you really have no idea what you’re talking about.  You ESPECIALLY can’t say because its going to be Armageddon if we don’t.  You don’t know that - and while it may be true, you can’t tell me why.  If you don’t know how the Fed affects the markets then you don’t know this.  If you don’t know how we got here, then you don’t know what the assets are that we are “rescuing”. If you can’t rationally theorize how a bailout would affect the economy, then you have no basis on saying why it should be approved.

  3. You can not tell me what the following mean: CDS, CDO, CLO, SIV, MBS, tranche, PO’s & IO’s, mark-to-market, derivative.

    Every one of those words either led us to where we are today or, even better, will be owned by you now. l  Better brush up on this if you want to support the bailout.
  4. You can not illustrate the process or processes by which the money is being generated to fund this (Hint: its not current tax revenue)

  5. If you formulated your opinion after it was nixed and the market dropped.

    That is not an informed opinion but a reaction.  You still have no idea about the bill.  You are just scared.

While there are a bunch more, it just drives me mad when people blindly support something so large, unprecedented, and important with such little understanding and information.  Unlike other things such as a war or social security, while most people are not deeply entrenched in the facts, they understand it enought to make an informed opinion.  Just because this is finance and you “don’t do” finance does not mean you don’t have the responsibility of learning something about it before concluding that it is good.

Over the last year a problem has developed where many citizens are at the same time in confusion, shock, and awe at what is going on in the markets.  They are nervous, they know it affects them, but they are unwilling to take the next step and understand that. Many are incredibly smart people who just are “turned off” by it for whatever reason.  I have yet to hear an argument from someone who supports the bailout that contains any hint of understanding or even familiarity as to what it is.  I’m sure they exist and I would would love to speak to someone who does so I could hear both sides of the trade.

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