FAIL OR BAIL?

Not surprisingly, the much debated $700 billion bailout of the U.S. financial system was at storm center this week at Propeller. In "Burning Down The House: What Caused Our Economic Crisis?," with 756 props and 304 comments, the membership argued over who was to blame in the first place. FSU92grad fingered the Democrats: "Dodd, Raines, Paulson, Obama and all the other [Democrat] crooks need to be held accountable." Said RedRiverJ: "G-R-E-E-D." Replied tchef: "It's the Republican mantra." Added Will1313: "Fear and greed are the two driving forces of the marketplace... and it is bipartisan. Both sides are equally guilty." Regardless of who was to blame, ADAGUY balked at the proposed fix: "Why the bailout?" Replied Endoscopy: "You want a financial collapse, right? It has more to do with self-preservation than feel-good [tactics] and compassion." Then there was "House rejects $700B bailout," with 92 props and 141 votes. One member, cliff88007, argued that the terminology wasn't helping: "A better sales approach for this plan is needed. It should not be referred to as a bailout program. Instead, it is a government investment in America." There was also a discussion about whether those American who have maintained a balanced budged in their own households should shoulder the burden for those who have not. "Excuse me," said Eagle Eye, "but my husband and I sold our place, paid off our mortgage and all debt.... It is not right to penalize those of us that are responsible with those that are irresponsible." Replied indo06: "Unfortunately this penalizes you as well, no matter that you have paid your bills on time.... We're all in the same boat, responsible and irresponsible alike." Meanwhile, at least one member, bigurn, snorted at the idea of an impending credit crunch: "Just so you know, I put my money where my mouth is: I bought a house today. I financed the 20% down payment at 7% interest, and financed the 80% value at 5.69% interest. It's DOOMSDAY out there, kiddies." Other related stories included "Messages to Congress as High as 300 to 1 Against Bailout," with 108 props and 258 comments," and "McCain Campaign Blames Obama for the Bailout Bill Failure," with 107 props, 457 comments, and 8,317 page views. The latter turned into a predictable exchange of brickbats. Said amervtrn: "This is supposed to be an election for president, not PR rock star. You are hiring the CEO of Firm USA. Who do you want to run the firm, a manager with over 25 years experience or the newly hired stock boy?" Replied obiefrommuskogee: "[McCain] is a doddering old fool. I'll take the stock boy."

BAD MEDICINE

"Medical Costs End 48-Year Marriage" racked up an impressive 71 props, 431 comments, and (hold on to your hats, folks) 179,806 page views. The comment thread turned into a long referendum on nationalized health care, deregulation, and personal responsibility. DCFRaulein was skeptical about the Democratic nominee's plans for universal healthcare: "As a nurse practitioner, I will not be voting for Obama, simply because of his healthcare 'reform.' The reformation will result in the medical field being transformed into a DMV." Replied Tangent001: "It's too bad you have such a skewed impression of universal healthcare. I would think [that] as a healthcare provider, you would welcome removing a profit-minded middleman, who is constantly standing between a patient and decent care for the sake of a profit." Not so, said NeonKelly03: "I work in the cancer field. I can tell you one of the biggest problems with nationalized healthcare: you would have to wait 6 months or more to receive basic diagnostic tests such as a CT or MRI to diagnose any number of different cancers." Meanwhile, jos scoffed at the idea that nationalized healthcare was necessarily inferior: "What do you think Medicare is? It is government-run healthcare, and it is the best-run medical program in the US. It is run for an overhead of 3%, not 18% like the for-profits. Medicare accepts everyone instead of cherry-picking the healthy, and you can't find anyone who has it that wants to give it up." Added MABARKER5678: "Those with insurance don't get it. We're a middle-class family with excellent credit... and we can't afford insurance!" Some members, such as alakazam, still fretted over handing the federal government the keys to the medicine chest: "I agree that there should be a better system for health care, but putting it in the hands of the same people who brought yet another banking bailout, the No Child Left Behind program, and the reprehensible condition of the nation's infrastructure, may not be our best option." On the other hand, there are few more compelling arguments than physical pain, as mgoose811 made clear: "With nationalized health care, I would have had preventative dental care. Instead here I sit with an impacted wisdom tooth, doped up on Vicodin which is barely hitting the pain, waiting for my $1,500 appointment Monday with the oral surgeon." Ouch.

HIGHLY DEBATABLE

The first of three presidential debates also stirred up its share of conversation. "Why McCain Won the Debate," with 88 props and 324 comments, got the ball rolling. For leftylemn, the title of the story was strictly factual: "I am jumping ship. The Republicans are the winning ticket this time. Democrats are too liberal and socialistic this go-round." Engnr agreed: "The debate came down to this. On the stage I saw a little boy and an experienced statesman. There is no question who is ready to lead." Replied PapaWolf: "I bet it's been a LONG time since McCain's been called a little boy. He'd probably appreciate it, too." This sardonic shaft was echoed by somecommonsense, who described the senator from Arizona as "angry, stubborn, mad that he couldn't call a timeout and postpone the debate, unable to be a real man and statesman and face his opponent and stare him down." There was also the flip side of the coin, "Obama Looked Presidential, While McCain Was Angry," with 78 votes and 296 comments. This time, protoham argued with the title of the post: "BO looked like a 10-year-old kid and was lying through his teeth. I can understand why McCain would get upset. He did a great job restraining himself." Goppy shot back: "Obama validated my assessment of him that has been crystallizing since he became the nominee. He is a serious, straight talker, not prone to typical 'old school' ad hominem attacks, and very, very prepared." UnDumbed replied with one of the stranger attacks we've seen on the Democratic candidate (and we've seen plenty at Propeller): "I don't like that purple lipstick that Obama wears. Is the color purple sending a coded message to his friends in Hollywood?" (Replied ISITJUSTME: "Well, tell us what kind of lipstick do you like.") But DeadXXXManXXXTalkin addressed a complaint to both candidates: "I wish those 'bracelet-type' anecdotes would be outlawed. [It's] irrelevant and a cheap attempt at personalization and emotionalism. Transparent and smarmy as all get out."

AND DON'T OVERLOOK....

"New Bible to Be Handwritten by 31,000 Americans" bagged 30 props, 439 comments, and 45,450 page views. The thread occasioned a certain amount of theological pugilistics. Said antibrainwasher: "There is no end to what you blithering religious idiots will believe in." To which sweetone2 replied: "You seem quite angry and in need of some love. So in that spirit, I will pray for you, your soul, your family, and that you may find peace!" (That didn't end the exchange, by the way. Inoit said: "Amen, antibrainwasher!! I couldn't have said it better myself." Answered MadeInMississippi: "You are an idiot, but it's OK.... God still loves you!" And so on and so forth.) The Propeller community sounded off about child abandonment, David Letterman, and a bad word John McCain may or may not have uttered during the fracas in Ole Miss. And finally, there was widespread sadness at the death of actor and philanthropist Paul Newman. Said GregD: "R.I.P. Paul. I'll have some Newman-O's in your honor today." Added chevydog: "A very good actor and not an oversized ego to go with it." But epiphannyy had perhaps the most personal tale to tell in the thread, and it was a testimony to Newman's fundamental decency: "I met him when I was very little, with my dad at the races.... My dad, a former midget sprint driver, had a bum leg and hip. After walking around for hours, we stopped to rest by taking a seat on the back of a parked golf cart. I was only about seven years old, but I knew Paul Newman when he walked up and started talking to my dad and me. Instead of making us get off of his cart, he invited us to take a ride with him around the infield. We spent much of the day with him, and I remember him just being so nice." Perhaps ind06 put it best: "Miss you? You bet I will, old man." But at least we've got some amazing moments to remember him by: