Who do you think won Tuesday's Presidential debate?

McCain wants the government to take over the defaulted mortgages of the citizens who were foolish enough to enter into those loans even though they couldn't possibly afford them. He said he wants the government to write a new mortgage based on the now lower value of these properties so that those who have defaulted on their mortgages can afford the homes. First of all; "what about the rest of us, the citizens who DID NOT enter into mortgages that we couldn't afford? What about the rest of us who have made sacrifices but always made every effort to pay for the mortgage we entered into? These people who entered bad mortgages and purchased houses that have now lost value are going to get that same house at the lower value and I who restrained myself and only bought a house in my means will not get the same advantage??? I'd have liked to have had a home worth something like $500,000 and now only have to pay maybe $300,000 for it. Instead, with McCain's plan, I have a home that was valued at maybe $150,000 to $200,000 at it's peak and might now only be worth $100,000 due to the drop in house values across the board. I'd like to have one of those $500,000 homes for only $300,000 but I'm sure I won't be able to have one, unless McCain has a plan where I can get funding to buy my home at it's former higher value. I certainly won't be able to get a loan because thanks to the failures of government to regulate the banks and loan institutions they crashed and brought down the market and our economy. The economy that McCain kept telling us, (since the presidential election campaigns began), was essentially strong! Of course that was before he tried to lie to us and say that what he meant was that the work ethic of the American working class was strong even though he used the word 'economy'.

The economy was hurt by greed of the banking system, the false values placed on goods and services for several decades, the policies of several administrations (both Republican and Democrat), the loss of jobs through free-trade policies and the outsourcing of labor to other countries. The lawyers and the justice system added salt to the wounds in the economy through frivolous lawsuits and extreme awards. The loop holes in the tax code that allowed 'golden parachutes' for the leaders of companies while these leaders robbed the investors and employees through false or misleading statements of earning further harmed the economy.

All of this must be eliminated. In the past when the government felt that inflation was rising to fast it quickly placed restrictions on the working class limiting their rights to bargain for wages and benefits. In some cases wages were even set back to previous levels, thereby wiping out gains that had been made through collective bargaining agreements. Restrictions need to be placed on the wage/income of the so-called 'leaders of industry', perhaps tied to a formula based upon performance of the company as monitored by a board comprised of the a regulatory agency, the investors, and the employees of the company. It is unconscienceable that, as we just learned, a company such as AIG would receive a government based rescue plan and immediately spend over $400,000 for a luxury junket for certain employees. Who in the world is watching this and allowing it to happen.

The judicial system should prepare charges against these companies and those who led them. The assets of all these individuals should be seized to try and make the company solvent and continue to employ the common employees. If it is not possible to save the company or there is an excess the recovered funds should repay the government and tax payers.

Change is needed and now is the time for Change!