Money makes the world go 'round

I don't have enough time or smarts to propose any fixes or solutions to the world-wide money crisis but a few things just jump out at me.

Toxic assets. Why should the government be buying these up to save the companies that created or bought them or invested in them? If it was a little old grandmother who was cheated out of her life savings by a swindler and invested in something bad; OK. I can accept some exceptions where someone should step in and help. But why if a big smart company - let's pick any bank - if they somehow acquired a "toxic" asset, why should the govt. or me or anybody step in and take that off their hands? Now if they want to get rid of their bad investment so badly, then why don't sell it off for some % of the original value, take the write off and move on. But for the Feds to step in and say essentially "OK, we know you were stupid and invested badly but we are here to help so we'll take it of your hands so you can clean up your balance sheet." I don't get it. If I invested in say any stock, which reminds me, how about all my losses in my 457 plan (basically a 401K) where for years I invested in big name mutual funds managed by smart people but when the stocks turned downward, they got their commissions and I took the losses. Where was the Govt. to take those "toxic" mutual funds assets out of my retirement fund?

#2 peeve for the day: I guess GM is too big to leave alone but in too bad shape to fix itself. I understand that hundreds of thousands of jobs are tied to this behemoth. But when and where does the Federal Govt. get off suggesting that the CEO resign? I think he probably should have gotten out of Dodge a long time ago and that the shareholders would have been thinking about a 'tarrin' and featherin' long before the Feds started deciding who should run what company. I know Democrats like bigger government and more involvement but I never expected them to condone deciding who runs what company.

I guess this trickles down to the bonus issue recently. No way should any of those people have gotten rewarded for their bad decisions. But for the Govt' to start deciding how much people should be paid etc. Once again this seems like a slippery slope.

I realize that the money is either a loan or some sort of thing and for that the loaner should have some input but the key is making sure of a guarantee of getting the money back or a return on investment. Not being able to tell the company how to run their business. My mortgage company tells me I have to have certain kinds of insurance on my house in order to get my loan but they don't get involved in telling me where I should work or where and how I spend my money and I can hang pictures on my wall anywhere I please.

If this is where our govt. is headed, I'm not happy and slightly worried.

Quintessential American Songwriters

My daughter and I were just thinking out loud while listening to Jackson Browne when we came up with a poll - pick the quintessential American Songwriter. We thought about Singer/Songwriter but that skews things in a different direction - although many of these are singers too. Comment, vote - whatever but let us know what you think.

Pick one of these (or nominate your someone) who has created a lasting body of work that captures the essence of American life, whose work has endured and crossed genres, time periods, not necessarily the best or most popular songwriter or the most prolific. These are in alpha order. These are 20 we came up with quickly and we likely have left out some very good ones so - vote early, vote often!

the un-scientific Quintessential American Songwriter poll

Irving Berlin
Jackson Browne
Hoagy Carmichael
Johnny Cash
Bob Dylan
Stephen Foster
George and Ira Gershwin
Woody Guthrie
Billy Joel
Don McLean
John Mellencamp
Bill Monroe
Willie Nelson
Cole Porter
Rogers and Hammerstein
Pete Seeger
Paul Simon
Bruce Springsteen
James Taylor
Jimmy Webb