11 Trillion.
That's 11 with 12 zeros after it.
That's how much our leadership has committed in bailouts to all financial institutions, banks, corporations, etc. to date to save them from the problems THEY made.
And from what I read, many of the toxic loans aren't even being recorded on the books.
What could America do with 11 trillion dollars?
Let's see. We could pay off 99% of all home mortgages in the United States.
We could pay off 97% of our national debt. (We can't do this really though, because we are borrowing the 11 trillion. The United States has no money. I only offer it up to show what could be done if there really was 11 trillion dollars to be had.)
I have some other ideas. If we are going to spend 11 trillion, let's see what it would cost to send all 14.6 million unemployed to college for a year. 14.6 million is the government's number. Just to be on the safe side, let's say there are 30 million unemployed, which is probably closer to reality. Let's see some comparative costs.
The politicians who represent us have done everything but the right things. They have aided banks which produce nothing. They've bailed gamblers who produce nothing. They have been complicit in sending our jobs overseas and breaking the economic ladder for everyone born after 1980. Perhaps even earlier.
Maybe some of you know Kevin. He hasn't worked in some time now. I suspect there a lot of Kevin's out there, and the number is growing. Take it away Kevin:
I agree with a lot of things Kevin says. (Not the xenophobia, and not the tea party). How many of you out there know a Kevin in your community?
If you think I am being an alarmist, listen to a prominent economist who worked under Regan, Paul Craig Roberts.
I don't want to live in a Mad Max world. But I have to be honest, I have been losing sleep lately. Am I paranoid? Is it all coming undone?
What do you think?