Bryanb

GM Backs Out of Magna Deal: It's Each Nation to Itself

Isn't this self-interest by countries the way it has always been? The only difference is that now face has been lost and the gloves have come off.

Otherwise interesting article.

Leonahope and Beverly: you don't have to agree with the writer. That is what SA is all about - various opinions by various commentators, so we as intelligent people can make our own decisions.

History Lesson and Bear Market Advice

Absolutely correct. This is also my investment policy. Even discounting for 20% lower earnings, there are some good dividend yields out there as well.

Read It and Weep for the USA

I want to repeat what was said above. "The plan should be to take over and dispose failed financial INSTITUTIONS, not to buy JUNK MORTGAGES from these institutions so they can go their merry way. This is a crucial difference between the RTC rescue and this proposal. This plan will save the jobs of the people who caused the mess, and leave the taxpayer stuck with bad mortgages." Spot on!

"There is good money out there to buy distressed companies at a bargain" Absolutely right! Many US companies (including Wells Fargo - wow a bank that actually did the correct conservative thing - that banks are supposed to do - and does not have it's hand out looking for taxpayer gold) are flush with cash and have been waiting for an opportunity like this to buy "distressed assets." Is Paulson and his Republican extreme-socialism punishing them?

Split Stock please grow up. The US governemnt would not bail out the world unless it was in self-interest. Please don't be conceited.

Brahm. "authority being vested in the Secretary of the Treasury is so vast, without limit within the $700 billion authorised" Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Even if we were to pray that it wouldn't. He is human after all.

SEC Will Ban Short Selling: America's Leaders Break Down

Scary if there was financial terrorism. Why didn't they act on the people behind 911 short trades before? Politics? My question is: Where was the morality and empathy of the Socialistic Wall Street Wimps when speculators were pushing UP the price of oil and other assets to the detriment of the middle-classes? Double-standards again I'm afraid. What are YOU going to do about it?

Buffett Warned Us in 2003

Apppro he has helped us by warning us of the dangers, but "you can take a horse to water........."
Nicky Sox was created to make it more difficult for company management to steal from shareholders. It seems to have worked, because that is not the problem now. The problem now is that those socialist wimps on Wall Street (previously Capitalist Kings) got too greedy, just like company management did pre-2001. I agree, SOX is onerous, but if derivatives, shorting, etc. had had that kind of oversight and disclosure, then maybe we would have been spared some of this excessive turmoil now.

Obama vs. McCain on Fiscal Responsibility

Wow! One typical politician who acts like a sleazy used car salesman and another who answers real questions with thought-out and sensible answers (even though they may be painful). Think about it guys. Which would be better for America?

Are Hedge Fund Programs Driving the Market?

I agree with Skoodog. Now you know what they are doing, create a strategy to benefit from their greed and fear (and be nimble).

The Current Bear Market: Death by a Thousand Cuts

Great article. I agree with (and fear) most of your predictions.

We have not yet hit a long term bottom, because there is still hope out there. We need complete capitulation and no hope for the better to reach that.

I have been short the past 2 months and this week covered my shorts and went long (hoping for a short term rally), so I am experiencing your slow torture firsthand.

It seems that a sound energy policy is something the US needs long term, but do either of the candidates have this as a priority? Wouldn't a short term fix for the US economy be a lower oil price? How could your authorities shake out the oil speculators to achieve this? So many questions to which I would love an answer.

Protect Your Portfolio from the Fraudulent Economy

I agree with you in principle as well Karchad; I too am a long term investor who likes to buy quality when there is "blood on the streets" with a 2 year view, but I think it is still too early to buy with both hands now. It seems like there is pain in your environment and discomfort developing in Europe, but no blood yet. I went long in January and am now short. I feel more comfortable being short, because there is bad news out there and sentiment is rather fragile. I look forward to both scorn and praise.