AIG, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and now Ford, GM, and Chrysler all have gone to the federal government with their hands out,asking for money from Congress, ie: you and me. They say that the economic crisis was unexpected, and it threw all of their plans to become more "financially viable" out the window. Various federal officials have said that Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae and AIG were "too big to fail", and of course, if one of the Big 3 auto makers tanks, well that will just ripple out into the economy, and it will cause all sorts of problems...

Yeah, and from my Econ 101 class a few years ago, I found out that all of that is called "capitalism". Of course, with the election of Barack O'Bummer, the Lord of Heaven and Earth, who will heal the world and make the ocean levels rise or fall... we won't be worried too much about that evil system of capitalism that we have been using since the founding of the nation...

I'm not the first to propose this. I heard the story on the Rush Limbaugh radio show a couple days ago, but I had thought of it before I'd heard it on the radio. If a government bailout is good for AIG, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, and the others. If the auto makers can go to Washington DC and *BEG* for money, if credit card companies can pass themselves off as banks in order to put their hand in the till, so to speak, I figure I have an angle on this too.

Look, I am getting an MS/P on December 1 in Psychology. I am planning on applying to the University of Wyoming for a Master's degree in Counselling. This will allow me to get the year of field experience that most employers want, it will put me on the proper path to state liscensing, and it will complete my education in this field. I currently owe about $80K in student loans, and I estimate that the new MS degree will cost an additional $20-40K. However, even if I low-ball the thing and start my own practice, I'd guess I could repay the loan within 5 - 10 years.

So, I have a short-term need, much like the auto makers. There is the possibility of a good result, much like the auto makers, and I have a plan for repayment, much like the government does with respect to the auto makers.

So, I want a bailout from the government!

Why not? I deserve it as much as the auto makers!

Being realistic for a bit, two things...

First, as Rush said, no one should be surprised that all sorts of companies are trying to get in on the bailout binge that has hit DC. Hey, if AIG can be bailed out, if the auto makers will eventually get assistance, why not anyone else who is suffering economic hardship. Such a wide-ranging handout of money would make our economy implode, but no one seems to care very much.

Second, I probably will get a government bailout...or at least a government-backed repayment plan on my loans. See, let's say I get that additional $40K. Now I owe $120K, which I will then consolidate, and then hand to the government to take over. Sure if I default, I will be in HUGE trouble, but once I am done with my education and I have job prospects, I won't have a problem with repaying the loans.

A bailout however, would be less painful.

John B.