I fully understand the reasoning behind the financial bailout and the auto bailout. I don't completely agree with them.
I think that the auto industry has had decades of being really poorly run and making on-the-crappy-side cars, with an emphasis on the huge SUVs that are suddenly unwanted. Other car companies have factories here in the states and they aren't asking for bailouts. Toyota and Nissan seem to be weathering the depression without whining for free money.
As for the financial bailout... If the big banks are getting tons of cash, why are they upping their fees and rates on all of us little guys? Bank of America, whom I quite dislike, recently raised my APR from a reasonable 9% to 21% for no readily apparent reason, and then they dropped my credit limit too. Of course, as soon as they dropped my credit limit, my debt to limit ratio was much higher, so that triggered another rate increase!!!!
Just like the restrictions on the auto makers, the banks should have had restrictions put on their windfalls too. Yes, there are new restrictions to take place the middle of 2010(!) now, and woohoooo, that'll help us alot, if we're not all homeless by then.
Whew... Thanks for letting me vent. I've been stewing on this for a loooong time.
I hope you all have a Merry Christmas,
Joy
