Why is it people trust the Fed to Save the day but not to run things?

[ThomWV]

Seems to me to be a paradox, that the very same people who will argue that it is the responsibility of the Government to step in and save companies are adamant that the very same Government can not be trusted to run health care.

[Sal Minella]

1. Because "saving the day" means cleaning up the mess after the Big Boys have absconded with all the

profits.

"Running things" implies a philosophy based on rationality, not on leaving globs of excess profits hanging out for the Uber-Wealthy to grab.

[phantom power]

2. you have to consider two kinds of "people" ....

The people in power are just sociopaths who do whatever is convenient. When things are going well, it is convenient to complain about getting government off their backs. When things are going poorly, it is convenient to ask for a govt bail-out.

The "little people" probably don't approve of these bail-outs, because they really buy into the "small govt/free enterprise" hype (if they are republicans). But nobody is asking them for permission to bail these companies out. It's just happening. So they grumble about it, and gradually move on with their lives.

[Sal Minella]

3. Yes, we haven't heard much about "the magic of the marketplace" lately, have we?

We hear whining about "government interference" a lot when minimum wage is mentioned, but government is expected to tap the taxpayers immediately to foot the bill when the marketplace moguls screw up and mess their own nest.