Back and the Jam is live in effect

I'm back with more on debt, life and politics laid bare.

And Then it Changed Again

On September 11, 2001 the whole world changed.

Today it changed again.

Such things are still possible in America.

A Year on the Verge with Barack

This has been a year of turning points. Of lessons and opportunities. A year on the verge.

The "Economic 9/11" gets its Patriot Act

CATASTROPHIC events occur.

Everyone agrees SOMETHING must be done.

EXPERTS claim to know what it is.

CONGRESS listens to them. Passes something within days.

NO DEBATE. Lots of "lawmakers" don't even read the thing.

Are we in September 2001 or September 2008?

This isn't conspiracy theory. Just a plea for calm before we sign the keys over to Hank.

Stop Celebrating

That uneasy feeling I had about the bailout?

Smarter people articulate the reservations with the plan as proposed.

Krugman:

And there’s no quid pro quo here — nothing that gives taxpayers a stake in the upside, nothing that ensures that the money is used to stabilize the system rather than reward the undeserving.

I hope I’m wrong about this. But let me say it again: Treasury needs to explain why this is supposed to work — not try to panic Congress into giving it a blank check. Otherwise, no deal.

Mallaby:

The Treasury plan outlined on Friday involves vast risks to taxpayers, huge complexity and no guarantee of success. There are better ways forward.

Check out the leaked plan here.

The Short Unraveling

The mother of all bailouts. It needs to go down.

People who know have been predicting the meltdown for two years. Let's not kid each other: the alternative to this bailout is global depression.

And yet it doesn't feel right now that it's here. Only a few days of pain. Two days of wild rallies?

A ban on short selling. Let me get this straight: smart people who saw this coming aren't allowed to profit from it?

I'm sorry, but this all smells like a rigged game.

Let's hope a certain someone articulates this without resorting to class warfare or demonization.

Actually, More

More details. What are you going to do differently? McCain's speech was more specific.

Tomorrow. Please do it.