Money go-round

Two things have been bugging me for the past couple of weeks. They're entirely unrelated . . . or are they?

The US Congress has finally passed the $700 billion bank bailout. Which is good, I guess, for civilisation as a whole. I'm in the school that says if the US goes under we will all go under and Western civilisation as we know it would change irreparably. Very few people can claim to have lived in times when the fabric of civilisation changed overnight.

Now, while the stock market was struggling, it was continued to be buoyed somewhat by the deep seated knowledge that common sense would prevail and the US government would save the economy with the much needed boost.

But they said "NO!" And stocks began to plunge as the market crumbled. Once valuable shares plummeted in value.

Imagine this dark corner conversation between an average US politician and his brother-in-law:

"We're going to vote no on the first draft of the bailout bill."
"But that will . . ."
"I know."
"So you want me to . . ."
"Yes."
"But . . ."
"Then next week we're going to vote yes on the bailout bill."
"Ah, so then we can . . ."
"Yes."
"And we never had this conversation."
"What conversation?"

There is only one constant in this market. The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.

I think I'll get to the other thing that's bugging me tomorrow.