Robert List, President, The Robert List Company
It was a badly executed response to problems caused in part by the government itself. The bailout money has been spent arbitrarily and recklessly. The anticipated bonuses to the failed executives of the recipient banks are a disgrace, and a liberal Congress is now poised to pour in good money after bad. Government should step aside and allow the free market to function.
Dr. Aury Nagy, Neurosurgeon, Las Vegas Neurosurgery & Spine Care
I think the bailout package was necessary. Government and private sector leaders have realized that one way to prevent a future crisis is to provide funds to the strongest, best managed banks and to allow them to buy weaker banks. Each surviving bank will have many more healthy loans, which decreases the pressure to fund risky loans and make risky investments.
Gregory Pike, Vice President, McFadden Insurance Agency
700 Billion? “Is it enough? Moreover, where will it go? Most of us are either fortunate or lucky enough not to have to answer these tough questions. My personal opinion regarding the bailout is very simple; give folks a hand up, not a handout. The last thing this country needs right now is an expansion in our welfare mentality.
Jay Heller, Managing Member, Heller Companies, LLC
Government-owned businesses are not good for free market enterprise, but faced with the ripple effects of a global credit freeze and the risk of significantly erasing our nation’s wealth, the approval of the package outweighed anything less. This isn’t a Wall Street “bailout” it’s a “rescue” of the U.S. economy.
John Kaspar, CEO, Win 4 Charity
These are very challenging times, but I’m convinced that we can’t rely on the government to generate solutions that are best achieved on a local level. The bailout is an expensive way to stabilize the economic system. While I hope it’s successful, I’m focused on building support for charitable organizations that directly help many people.
Diane Fearon, President & CEO, Bank of George
Restoring confidence in the financial system of the United States is critical and the bailout package Congress approved was designed to do just that. Many details of the bailout are yet to be finalized, but well-capitalized, strong community banks are positioned to support business customer’s needs without delay.
