No way, no how, no bailout without strings

I "borrowed" this image from Digby's site. There's lots of good writing over there today about the Bush/Paulson plan to reward the greedy bastards who now want 700 billion delivered to their financial institutions without any strings attached.

I tried to call my senator and representative, but no answering machines on today. Why don't they have them up and running? Not all of us have the time to call during business hours.

So email was the only option. Here's what I wrote:

Re: 700 Billion $ Bailout for Wall Street.

No way, no how, no tax dollars to bail out the greedy business people of Wall Street corporations.

Senator, I have a mortgage and I faithfully pay it every month and I pay 50 dollars extra on it so I can pay it off faster. I bought a house I could afford and have paid off by the time I retire. I have been responsible.

If 700 billion dollars is now needed to save the financial markets, I want to know -- who profited and who is sticking the tax payer with their debts? They are the ones who should be paying, not me.

I don't trust Paulson, I don't trust Bush and I especially don't trust this plan that was thrust upon us over the weekend and made to sound like we have to pass it immediately without any strings attached?

Please make sure that there are measures attached to prevent such greed from happening again. Transparency on every transaction. Accountability at ever step of the way. No golden parachutes. And tax the hell out of the bloody rich before taxing me!

Please write or call your Senators and Representative. I admit, I only contacted Sherrod Brown as it would be a wasted effort on Voinovich.

Thought for the day, via Digby: "I just have to add that when I heard Paulson say this bail out was actually going to make money for the government, I couldn't help but remember Paul Wolfowitz assuring us that the Iraq war would pay for itself."

Before buying into the buyout, be sure to read:

Historic Swindle by William Greider at The Nation

Greenwald at Salon.com

Radio Free Newport has a list of useful articles.

Psychobilly Democrat has a different kind of proposal.