Stimulate my package

I want to know where I get in line for some of this federal bail out money.

First it was the financial institutions (who created their own mess). Then the car companies said, "Hey, give me some sugar, baby!" (Thanks Ashe!). Again, these corporate leaders (raiders?) created their own problems, and the arrogance on display when seeking this money was mind boggling. Only after a dressing down by those whose assistance they seek, do the Big Three heads put up their corporate jets for sale and, in the case of the Ford CEO, offer to reduce his salary to $1 per annum. A day late and a dollar short. When you are humbled into making this kind of gesture (long after Lee Iacocca did it), it doesn't look so altruistic.

And just tonight, on the local news site, I'm reading that the University of Washington is looking to get a $150 million hand out from the state taxpayers to make renovations to Husky Stadium. Another story has the Governor saying "Yeah, we could use a $600 million for short-term road and bridge projects that would help kick start our ailing economy." I suspect in the not to distant future, EVERY governor is going to show up with their hands out, looking to squeeze the teats of the bailout cash cow. When does it end? At what point do we say, enough with the requests for federal dollars? There is only so much money to go around and, truth be told, we don't even have that.

Guess what? A LOT of us little guys could use a stimulus package. Across the country, there are millions who, through no fault of our own, have seen our savings and retirement account get vaporized over the last few months. I have yet to hear a politician even broach the subject of attempting to make up for those losses.

I've been out of work for the last year, admittedly by my choice, but is that any different than the choices made by the banking and auto industries, whose final damage has yet to be realized? They want the easy, no-strings-attached escape plan.

Boy, can I relate. If, for example, I was to receive the paltry sum of, oh, let's start small and say $1 million (I can always come back for more if I need to, right?), I could pay off my bills, pay for my education, AND pump some much needed money into our economy. I'd even be willing to buy a new car, to help keep the auto industry afloat. See? I'm not a bad guy, I'm not greedy.

I just want my share...