Bring on the Show Trials!

Maureen Dowd has her hackles up. Her op-ed piece in today's New York Times argues that since we're becoming a socialist republic why not go all out and put those bad boys who did so much to destroy the economy—the bankers, et al—on trial. And televise it. (That last idea's mine, but I'm sure Maureen'd agree.)

Jon Stewart's Great Idea:

Last night Jon Stewart of Comedy Central's The Daily Show* proposed that instead of taking taxpayers' money and giving it to the banks, why not figure out a way to give the money back to the taxpayers on the condition that the money must be used to pay off credit card debt.

Currently credit card users owe something like one trillion dollars in credit card debt. The money would still go to the banks, of course, but the credit card debt could be wiped out, allowing taxpayers, provided they have credit cards, to start purchasing again, thus jump starting the economy.

* Link is to full episode.

Republicans Stonewall Obama on Stimulus Package:

President Obama went to the Hill to appeal to Republicans to support his stimulus package, offering to make some compromises, but the Republicans, knowing that neither they nor the country has anything to lose by voting against the package, since they are outnumbered in both houses of congress, merely called the president a nice guy and then laughed at his efforts.

Republican law makers (sic) can have it both ways, during the next two years. They can vote however they want, knowing that their votes count for little if anything. If the stimulus package works, no one will remember who voted against it or much care. If it fails, they can say it wasn't their fault.

Currently, the Republicans are, however, in the unenviable position of having to support policies that everyone, even they, know have failed worse than anything the country has seen in over seventy years.