# So our bailout money isn't going to be used for what we thought it would? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 25, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527 "2008-10-25T16:57:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/21 "2008-10-25T21:37:00Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > In short, they plan to use the money to buy stuff. Or, to be blunt about it: [del]Mastercard[/del] Federal Reserve, I’m bored. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/22 "2008-10-25T21:58:21Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Can’t do that, ol’ bean. Funding those things would shift the fundamentals of our economy over to a different sector, and the people in the sectors getting the big bucks now would have to either figure out how to adapt or go broke, and asking them to do that would be downright unAmerican. Well, I want a presidential candidate to tell me what we’re doing with 2 trillion dollars, or they’re both the same to me. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/23 "2008-10-26T00:29:01Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > A trillion on Iraq. A trillion on this economic big business bail-out. Where does 2 trillion come from,\ Could we get an economist-type person in here to answer this? As far as I know, it comes from other countries buying US government bonds, but I don’t understand that very well. In other words, China owns you guys. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/24 "2008-10-26T00:32:03Z")
I enjoy eating Chinese food. I don’t especially want to work in a factory making it, though. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/25 "2008-10-26T00:53:53Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > In other words, China owns you guys. When one country is owed over a trillion dollars by another, it is not so clear who owns who. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/26 "2008-10-26T00:54:24Z")
China? There’s an old line, from a simpler time, when numbers were smaller. “If you owe the bank a thousand dollars, the bank owns you. If you owe the bank a million dollars, you own the bank.” Adjusted for scale, the principle still holds. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/27 "2008-10-26T01:06:01Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > A trillion on Iraq. A trillion on this economic big business bail-out. Where does 2 trillion come from, and why doesn’t it get spent on things I want, like the space program, or education, or healthcare, or blanketing the country in solar panels? Shit, I’d be happy with a five-hundred-dollar-an-hour prostitute three times a week, and a dime bag of weed on Sundays. A drop in the goddamn bucket. Tell me, how do I get my spoonful of this financial pudding? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/28 "2008-10-26T01:13:42Z")
In other news, I am not in fact a super-villain,and Britney Spears is in fact stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/29 "2008-10-26T01:17:12Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > Shit, I’d be happy with a five-hundred-dollar-an-hour prostitute three times a week, and a dime bag of weed on Sundays. A drop in the goddamn bucket. Tell me, how do I get my spoonful of this financial pudding? I think I will need a bit more weed than that – but giving up one visit of the $500 hooker should take care of that nicely. ---
**Author:** ![Incensed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Incensed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incensed)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/30 "2008-10-26T01:22:57Z")
An apt quote from the estimable Hunter S. Thompson. Ahem- _“These swine should be fucked, broken and driven across the land.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Mongo\_Ponton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Mongo\_Ponton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mongo_Ponton)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/31 "2008-10-26T01:42:31Z")
Hu’s your daddy now? I think the Auto industry is back for another go round, aside from the cash they got right before the bailout was approved. But they have to beat out AIG who’s coming back for the third time. Capital One, just about the most predatory credit card company out there, is also getting in line for a trick or treat bag from the taxpayers. Did you know Paulson got his start as Erlichman’s assistant in the Nixon Whitehouse? Go to the polls and get exactly what you deserve. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/32 "2008-10-26T01:53:58Z")
> [@Mongo\_Ponton](#): > > [CENTER][SIZE=“4”] …Did you know Paulson got his start as Erlichman’s assistant… Wow, I misread this as Paulson got his start as Eichmann’s assistant, as in Adolf. ---
**Author:** ![dgrdfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@dgrdfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dgrdfd)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/33 "2008-10-26T01:55:04Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > In other words, China owns you guys. Oh, fucking please. You know what this American economic downturn has confirmed for me? America’s absolute dominance of the rest of the world. There’s no question militarily no one can hold a candle to our fire. And even when WE fuck up we bring you to your knees. So yeah, China certainly owns us. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/34 "2008-10-26T02:35:20Z")
**elucidator** , “If you owe the bank a thousand dollars, you have a problem. If you owe the bank a million dollars, the bank has a problem.” The trillions of dollars being thrown around are fiat currency, created out of thin air. Eventually the FED will offer bonds to back the expansion of the currency. Usually these are bought by various pacific rim and middle eastern countries. In theory these countries could refuse to buy the bonds and the dollar would more-or-less immediately collapse. The problem with this is that these countries already have hundreds of billions of dollars in US Bond from previous purchases. These would all become worthless. In a few cases, these bonds serve as assets backing the foreign bond owners’ currency as well… so the collapse of the dollar means the collapse of the foreign currencies as well. It’s a big game of pretend. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/35 "2008-10-26T02:39:57Z")
> [@dgrdfd](#): > > Oh, fucking please. You know what this American economic downturn has confirmed for me? America’s absolute dominance of the rest of the world. There’s no question militarily no one can hold a candle to our fire. And even when WE fuck up we bring you to your knees. So yeah, China certainly owns us. :rolleyes: Surely you jest. While I’ll agree we were likely unbeatable in a conventional war before the turn of the century, that was before President Bush took us slinking toward Babylon. Moreover, the foes we are likely to face nowadays are not conventional conflicts. We are not invincible. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/36 "2008-10-26T02:55:00Z")
A trillion here, a trillion there. Pretty soon, we’re talking about some real money… ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/37 "2008-10-26T03:16:35Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Maybe Canada could come up with a bailout plan to buy the US. In anticipation, I’m trying to use the tern ‘hoser’ at least once a day. We already gave money to the Canadian auto industry, apparently electing not to simply burn the money in stacks of $100 bills to heat the Parliament Buildings, which would have been just as economically senssible. Oh, and the government bought up $25 billion in mortgages. We’re tapped out. [QUOTE=dgrdfd] There’s no question militarily no one can hold a candle to our fire. [/QUOTE] Actually, there are four countries the United States absolutely cannot win a war against; Russia England France China Oh, I’m sure those four couldn’t win either. But they quite literally COULD hold a candle to your fire - actually, a lot of them. I assure you the USA wouldn’t win. A war between and of those five countries is most assuredly going to be a tie. A very hot one. Actually, not so much a tie as a two-way loss. ---
**Author:** ![dgrdfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@dgrdfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dgrdfd)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/38 "2008-10-26T03:22:16Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Actually, there are four countries the United States absolutely cannot win a war against; > > Russia > England > France > China > > Oh, I’m sure those four couldn’t win either. But they quite literally COULD hold a candle to your fire - actually, a lot of them. I assure you the USA wouldn’t win. A war between and of those five countries is most assuredly going to be a tie. A very hot one. Actually, not so much a tie as a two-way loss. Oh, yes. I exaggerated as I was a assuming a conventional war and non nuclear. If it goes nuclear, everyone loses obviously. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/39 "2008-10-26T10:09:04Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Wow, I misread this as Paulson got his start as Eichmann’s assistant, as in Adolf. Ehrlichman, Eichmann, what’s the difference? 😉 OK, even in 1973, it was pretty clear that the German Shepherds (Haldeman and Ehrlichman) weren’t at Nazi levels of evil, even if the internal dynamics of the Nixon Administration, as revealed in the Senate Watergate hearings, did remind one a great deal of what Albert Speer described in _Inside the Third Reich_. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2008, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527/40 "2008-10-26T10:10:09Z")
> [@dgrdfd](#): > > If it goes nuclear, everyone loses obviously. _We will all go together when we go, every Hottentot and every Eskimo…_ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-our-bailout-money-isnt-going-to-be-used-for-what-we-thought-it-would/469527.md?page=3)