Bailout pales compared to total U.S. debt

Americans are upset over the bailout of Wall Street millionaires but as bad as this may be, it's unimportant compared to what every man, woman, and child in the United States owes on our consumer and national debts. Every American owes approximately $33,000 to eliminate our national debt and $8,500 to pay off all consumer debt, which doesn't include the trillions of dollars of mortgage debt.

Wake up, America. We are broke, yet everyone wants the government to bail them out with tax breaks, free health care, free college education, and anything else. The only solution is to shut down Washington and for the next four years take all our tax dollars to pay off all debt. Just think of it, we all could start from scratch. ??Maybe this is what our Founding Fathers meant by all men are created equal.

John A. Flynn

Overland Parkway

This past week, we have been bombarded with 'economy collapse,' 'credit has been frozen,' 'jobs will be lost' and other scare tactics from 'analysts' who admit this area is new and they can't predict what will happen if the bailout is not passed.

On Oct. 1, I got a call from MBNA America Bank and was offered a credit line of $8,000 for my small, two-person sole proprietor business which has been dormant for the last four years. I declined.

Interesting coincidence that MNBA offered me this much credit when 'credit is frozen' and that this bank is President Bush's top all-time donor, surpassing Enron?

Once again, the American people have been duped by politicians who protect corporate America's big time bonuses, outsourcing of jobs, and minimum-wage hiring practices.

Delores Boone

Monroe, Wash.

Amid the discouraging financial headlines there is positive news: Credit unions are safe, sound, and serving their members' needs, and despite the credit crunch, they continue to lend to their members.

Credit unions are member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperatives. Members benefit from the cooperative structure by receiving some of the most competitive rates on loans and deposits that you will find.

Credit unions follow sound management practices dictated by member ownership and are closely supervised by either the National Credit Union Administration or the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions. And all credit unions protect member shares with deposit insurance.

Credit unions are ready to lend. In fact, Ohio credit unions have witnessed a 53 percent increase in mortgage loan activity during the last 12 months

.

For more information, visit www.FindACreditUnion.com.

Jennifer Ferguson

President/CEO Bay Area Credit Union Oregon

The bailout law is 451 pages of pork. I'm going independent.

Throw the bums out.

MARK KONWICZKA

Risingsun, Ohio