Seven hundred BILLION dollars

[mudesi]

Would that be enough to pay for a universal health care system?

I think it might.

But instead, bailing out greedy corporations that forgot how to manage their own risks is just fine.

[MsLeopard]

1. K and a big honking Recommend!

No healthcare for us - but the uber wealthy cannot be allowed to lose a dime. We will be in the streets soon, I hope.

[CJCRANE]

2. That subject line

reminded me of Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers movies. It's just an unimaginably large number.

[htuttle]

3. Thinking the same thing...

[jimshoes]

4. and not one dime for the poor.

Nice!

[Eric J in MN]

5. When Bush asked Congress for $87 Billion after the first phase of the Iraq War,

...Congress didn't cave as quickly as they seem to be caving now.

While most Americans have turned against Bush since 2002, members of Congress seem more eager than ever to give him billions.

Please write Congress against this.

[nichomachus]

7. But they're not giving the money to Bush

they're giving it to the corporations -- the same corporations that donate huge sums of money to politicians from both political parties.

Our political process is owned and operated by corporations -- not the people. This is why your representatives don't care about you, but will dance to the tune of the corporations.

[Eric J in MN]

11. The $87 billion was also for Bush to give corporations (and the military in that case)

The issue is whether Bush should be trusted to do a good job of distributing money.

I don't trust Bush.

[gulliver]

6. A second Iraq war cost added to our kids' tab.

When our time comes to retire, our kids can't be blamed if they decide to park us on an ice floe and push it out to sea. Eight years of the Republicans. Eight years of Bush/Cheney. Decades of misery to follow.

The gut shooting of America by the Republicans is a crime.

[slipslidingaway]

8. Possibly more than 700 billion...

http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2008/09/700-billion-bailout-proposal.html

"Sec. 6. Maximum Amount of Authorized Purchases.

The Secretary’s authority to purchase mortgage-related assets under this Act shall be limited to $700,000,000,000 outstanding at any one time



......Inquiring minds are also noting "The Secretary’s authority to purchase mortgage-related assets under this Act shall be limited to $700,000,000,000 outstanding at any one time."

The idea behind the above statement is to allow for a continual dumping ground such that there will always be $700 billion in toxic garbage held under this program. As soon as any asset can be unloaded by the Treasury at cost, another toxic loan is eligible to be assumed on the books of the Treasury. This process can last for as long as two years..."

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

9. $1.2 trillion is my best guess.

[butterfly77]

10. Notice how when it comes to the rich..

and the wars they find the money and I haven't heard them mention a thing about the poor, I know that this winter will be hard for many and sky high food prices. They also are acting as though the economy just took a downturn in the past few months when this has been going on for years and there are many unemployed and homeless. Remember Bush's favorite words for the past eight yrs "remember its your money"

[Eric J in MN]

12. Yes, they're not expanding the food stamp program by $700 billion. NT

NT

[butterfly77]

14. Or the home heating programs for the poor...

or any type of relief for anyone but the oil companies...

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

13. The $700 billion doesn't include the AIG and Fannie Mae transactions I don't think

At least, I've heard people on talk shows saying that the $700 billion is on top of the recent bail-outs.