The Republicans have managed to own both the credit and the failure of this bill.

What genius...

The candy-ass House Republicans pretty much indicated as much today. It was clear that they didn't mean for it to go south. They wanted the cover of Democrats to pass it so they could return to their districts to campaign against it. All of them know that they have to do it so they'll probably tweak it a little and present it as a satisfactory compromise.

We all recognize that this completely blows. But as I said before, you want the flu or cancer?

The House Democrats need to figure out how to explain the tightening credit market to the American people and what it means to them. I read most of the letters posted on Salon yesterday and I'm left with the impression that a lot of people think that we're really sticking it to Wall Street fat cats by not voting for the bailout when nothing could be further from the truth.

It would also help if someone would write a comprehensive article about what has taken place beginning with the Great Depression through WWII, post WWII inflation (including salary caps which ultimately helped to create employer sponsored health care), through Vietnam era "guns and butter", through 1970's staggering inflation (remember WIN buttons?), to Ronald Reagan's push to deregulate and privatize industry, to this bailout. I know it's a lot, but it's needed.

We are credit junkies. I agree that we need to ween ourselves off so much credit, but the idea that we can just suddenly go cold turkey on credit in this country is nuts. It's frightening how much credit is used while, conversely, how little it's understood.

Yesterday, I used the analogy of flu and cancer - which would you rather have? The bailout is the flu and I'd much rather take my chances with that.

FDR wasn't successful in explaining his programs to everyone. My grandfather lived through the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression and hated Roosevelt to the day he died. But Franklin was successful in reaching enough people, and that's what it takes.

What happened in the House yesterday was irresponsible and the Republicans know it. They wanted the Democrats to pass a party-line vote so they could return to their districts to campaign against the Democrats for passing a bill they themselves knew was needed. Pelosi had made it clear that this was going to be a bipartisan vote and Boehner couldn't deliver. Blaming the shortfall on Pelosi's speech was pathetic.

Alkaline, dhadbawnik, riconap103, Ellylon, amspeck, and ReganaD all make valid points.

...The Democrat Party is the party of class warfare. The Republican Party is the party of a growing economy.

I'll give you benefit of the doubt and assume that's the booze talking.

That should be hilarious.

Also, I agree with Max - look for electronic devices similar to the ones Bush used in his debate.

The effect of RU486 in the abortion debate cannot be minimized. If the Supreme Court knocks abortion back to the states, and some states ban it, two scenarios emerge. One, the pregnant person would drive to a state where the procedure is legal. (I'm using "person" since "woman" would imply someone of age.) Two, RU486 becomes a street drug to be scored through a dealer and information on how to use the drug can be easily accessed on the internet.

Technology has changed this debate in ways that I have yet to hear discussed.