Debate: Should taxpayer dollars be used to bail out a private company?
Side: yes

"Never. You let the market correct itself. The Government should never interfere in the free-market unless it invades other people's rights and only to lower taxes/deregulate."MY TAKE: What free market are you talking about? Because the one we're in today has never been free.---"We never would have these bailouts if the Federal Reserve wouldn't give these line of credits away. What's interesting to me, and people don't seem to talk about, analysts anyway, the Price Purchasing Power of the U.S. Dollars now. It amazes me that all the Stock Market Channels like CNBC or FBN never disclose how much our dollar is really worth. We can bet our bottom dollar, literally to, that our dollar will be worthless by Christmas (not that it's worth something these days)."MY TAKE: Have you seen the dollars rally lately? All indications point to a strengthening dollar, not a weakening one. You see, the whole world is behind the US about a year (when it comes to the market) So we've been slowing for a year, but now so is europe, china, japan, etc... This is slamming the value of their currency and increasing the value of the dollar.---"So the Federal Reserve, this year alone, has printed half a trillion dollars to bailout companies. That bailout money is not through taxpayer money, earmarks, etc. it's through creating money out of thin air."MT TAKE: The Fed didn't create money out of thin air. they had a huge nearly trillion dollar bank account. and they are using it to LOAN not CREATE money. In essence, they are adding no liquidity, meaning the funds are sterilized against any inflationary pressures. Just read up a little bit more about it and you'll see for yourself.---"If these companies fail it would be devastating at first but time would eventually pass and, again, the market would correct itself. I agree with Peter Schiff when he said that we need a hard-line recession to people get a grasp of what is going on: "People need to spend less, save more and produce more."I agree, we do need a recession, but we don't need another Great Depression. But Peter Schiff also thinks we don't need any market regulation either. Last time i checked, we're in this mess because the Fed never regulated banks lending practices properly. And in fact, this whole mess is due to less regulation in the financial industry over the course of the past 20 years (think graham,leech act).---"This is just the beginning of the economic storm. Just think about our national debt now and our monthly budget. We're not even through September and look at what we have to spend: $85 Billion AIG, $225 Billion War on Terrorism, $10 Billion to Georgia, $10 Billion to Texas (I think that's correct) and we are going to have a new war going on with Pakistan (As Obama has promised and guaranteed us)."MY TAKE: That $85 billion to AIG will be paid back.. at an 11% interest rate. It seems to me the government is making out like a bandit. And should AIG stock move higher, the government can sell their 79% stake and make even more money.In the end i understand the need for what's happening today. I don't completely agree with the way the Fed has done it. But i think the repercussions (a worldwide depression that could start huge wars as foreign economies US debt all becomes worthless at once) if we don't do it are far worse.I also happen to think that the government will end up profiting from most of these bailouts. They aren't just handing out free money. they are all on loans, and for the most part, the fed is buying assets at ridiculously low prices. these are assets that - although they won't do well - should mature at a higher value then what the fed paid to acquire them.