Pantagraph.com | News | Weller votes 'yes' on retooled bailout; Johnson again says 'no'

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Jarhead71 wrote on Oct 4, 2008 7:20 AM:

" Oh, and thank you Congressman Costello! Again, vote the rest of the bums out! "

Jarhead71 wrote on Oct 4, 2008 7:19 AM:

" Thank you Congressmen Johnson and Shimkus! Throw the rest of the bums out! "

Bluedog wrote on Oct 4, 2008 7:08 AM:

" Reagan's philosophy of " government is the problem " coupled with Grover Norquists's " drown government in the bathtub " just suffered a serious blow. The " free marketers " are howling mad. Of all the reasons given for being against this intervention could the unspoken one be that they are afraid it might just work ! "

mickwd1 wrote on Oct 4, 2008 12:16 AM:

" I commend Rep. Johnson; I condemn Weller. I solicited both repeatedly. After the vote, Wellers Washington office told me he consulted local businesses and bankers in making his decision, and obviously ignoring those citizens who opposed it. Repeal is now necessary, by a new congress. This one does not work. FDR successfully campaigned to have ten percent of congress replaced with like minded individuals to accomplish his New Deal plan. That strategy is a workable one today for we the people. Ten newly elected senators, 40 in the House. A new face of government to reverse the course we are now on.
Its time the people reclaim their government and cease being abject slaves to it. "

markets work wrote on Oct 3, 2008 9:58 PM:

" This is not a band-aid. This is like taking a knife and cutting your jugular. The whole problem is too much government spending, too much credit, and inflated stock prices. How does adding more of all this help? "

invguy wrote on Oct 3, 2008 8:45 PM:

" The bailout is like a band-aid, but sometimes you need to stop the bleeding before you fix the cause. I think this is one of those times.

I sincerely hope that the next administration/Congress addresses the cause, though maybe that's too much to hope for. "

The Original JD wrote on Oct 3, 2008 6:56 PM:

" Many seem to see this as the lesser of two evils, but the government regulations which caused all the problems is still in place. As such, a bail out will only create the illusion of stability. In the end, the problem will still be there. We are a country which constantly spends money it does not have, constantly borrows money it does not have the ability to pay for socialist projects politicians use to buy votes, and allow the government to trick the American people by creating the illusion of economic strength as it slides into a future where our children are born owing more because of the deficiet than they will earn in their live times. "

invguy wrote on Oct 3, 2008 5:51 PM:

" I see the bailout plan as the lesser of two evils. I don't relish the thought os higher inflation and a deteriorating dollar the bailout is likely to cause, but I'm more afraid of the shockwaves more financial institution failures would send through the economy.

I'm normally a strong Republican, and a month ago would have opposed a bailout plan. However, the failures of financial institutions over the last four weeks has been dizzying. In the thirty-plus years since my college days as a business major I have seen nothing close to this--the savings & loan failures in the '80s were bad, but more localized than this. Even with the sky-high inflation and interest rates (by U.S. standards) of the late '70s and early '80s were not as scary as this. "

andJusticeforAll wrote on Oct 3, 2008 5:47 PM:

" $700 Billion to bail-out the big banks and finance houses, and NOTHING to save homes from foreclosure. This mess was created from the Countrywide's and other subprime and predatory lenders making loans they knew people couldn't afford. And then Congress won't provide relief for families facing foreclosure. What will happen is the "asset" (read here family home) will be foreclosed and further devalued as it is sold to the Treasury Dept. Family on the street and boarded up home, devaluing the rest of the homes in the neighborhood. But we bail-out Wall Street. Our priorities are upside down. "

miskaffon wrote on Oct 3, 2008 5:22 PM:

" This bail out is the WORST possible thing that could have been done. Not only does it fully socialize the banking system and threaten to socialize more business by precedent, it is not likely to work in bolstering the flagging economy. It will take many, many more YEARS to pull out of this quagmire being created, and then there's the added WASTE and horrible irresponsibility attached (tax breaks for arrows give me a break!!! And tax breaks for RUM makers???? HUH??!!) This was a LOSS for the American people we may never, ever recover from. What a sad horrible day in the history of this ONCE great country. "

albundy54 wrote on Oct 3, 2008 5:19 PM:

" This dirty SOB. He could have stayed out of DC but no he had to pay back his buds and once again ignore the people. This sorry individual is close to being indicted and I hope he ends up on criminal charges very soon. "

excuseme wrote on Oct 3, 2008 4:40 PM:

" I can't beleive that McCain voted for all this pork! "

observation8 wrote on Oct 3, 2008 4:34 PM:

" this bill is an absolute joke. It's got so much pork loaded into it that has nothing to do with the bailout it is not funny. Jerry Weller--you are a joke. Thanks for voting against America.Thank goodness you are leaving. Tim Johnson--thank you for using common sense. Just curious--does the ACORN group still get 20% of any profits from all this? "

earthling wrote on Oct 3, 2008 4:26 PM:

" Johnson's vote was politically expedient for him and spineless.Let the other Congressmen stand up and vote for the bill and let them suffer the withering, blithering, bull they'll get from the shrill morons who are so loud in their ignorant opposition. He's all for deregulation until it's time to own up to its consequences and "own" the failure of a" no government is the best government" way of "thinking". He hid behind the others so he can still say to the loony tunes who shouted him in to this cowardly vote "I_I_I didn't vote for it!" What a jerk. "

T wrote on Oct 3, 2008 4:14 PM:

" Yea Tim let the market work its way out of it while everyone runs to the banks to take their money out. Sound familiar? I say vote them ALL out not just the ones that voted for this package. "

temp wrote on Oct 3, 2008 4:10 PM:

" Way to go Tim! For once a representative listens to his voters. BTW - since the government has to borrow the $700 B, won't that negatively impact the credit market when that much money gets drawn out? "

The One wrote on Oct 3, 2008 3:36 PM:

" S&P down 9% on the week
Dow down 7% on the week
DESPITE the bailout being approved.
National debt now $1.3 TRILLION higher in just the last 30 or so days!

Thank you Congressman Tim Johnson for listening to your bosses and holding firm in OUR demands. Maybe if our other representatives would have voted THE WAY WE TOLD THEM TO, we would not be in this mess. "

truthiness wrote on Oct 3, 2008 3:28 PM:

" Thanks, Jerry... and all of those responsible for my new found debt, and my childrens debt, and their childrens debt.

Oh... and I'm REALLY struggling financially from medical bills, I'm sure the government is going to help bail me out right? Oh that's right, I don't have a 7 figure income. "

Gov't oppressed Mule wrote on Oct 3, 2008 3:25 PM:

" Weller doesn't vote on ANYTHING in how long 8 months or more? And now he votes to hurt the people even more. GOD BLESS AMERICA! "

Old man wrote on Oct 3, 2008 3:15 PM:

" In only a few short weeks the common citizen will realize this vote will do very little to help them. "

BNHuman wrote on Oct 3, 2008 3:12 PM:

" What...Stocks are down after the great, historic, wonderful bailout vote. I don't understand. "

Lloyd Dobler wrote on Oct 3, 2008 3:11 PM:

" Thank you, Tim Johnson. For those who say that this second bill was an improvement over the first one, I liken that to a preference of being mauled by a rottweiler instead of a pit bull... "

Ted Kennedy's Swim Instructor wrote on Oct 3, 2008 3:00 PM:

" Nice to see congress passing this bill the old fashioned way - larding it up with pork to grease it right through . . .

This happens every time. We get a role call of legislators that don't like the bill, but vote for it anyways because there is a little nugget of cash or tax credits in there for their own district. "

OGS wrote on Oct 3, 2008 2:44 PM:

" Contact everyone you know in the state of IL and inform them as to how all of these reps voted. The American people were truly ignored in this vote. Send a clear message and vote 3rd Party! Washington, You're Fired! "

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