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A table is presented that shows data regarding the amount of U.S. government bailouts from 1971 to 2008.

The article offers support in favor of eliminating the guarantee of government bailout with regards to what to do with mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac which have been in conservatorship. House Financial Services Committee chairman Jeb Hensarling is cited to have proposed abolishing Freddie and Fannie, and eliminating any guarantee so investors would be more cautious. Avoiding a moral hazard, and evidence of enough money floating around are cited as reasons to eliminate a guarantee.

The article contends that the auto bailout is assisting U.S. President Barack Obama lure the votes of such blue-collar states as Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Ohio is reportedly at the top of the must-win list for both Obama and rival Mitt Romey, and it has over 800,000 jobs directly or indirectly associated with cars. While Romney wins higher in polls on economic expertise, Obama allegedly outperforms him on likability and on who cares more about the problems of everyday Americans.

The article explores lessons from the auto-manufacturing sector bailout in the U.S. During the bailout, the government reportedly recognized how interconnected entire sector had become. One expert believes the government should intervene only when it can support multiple industries, when there is a natural government purpose, and when the private sector helps contribute to the work. Meanwhile, the electric-car sector is the part of the bailout that still struggles to pay dividends.

The article reports on the concerns raised by many U.S. lawmakers about the expanded role of the U.S. government in the private sector as of 2009. The government has invested hundreds of billions of dollars in large corporations, such as the American International Group, Chrysler and Citigroup. Majority of Republicans proposed rolling back the bank bailout and the economic stimulus package to boost the economy.

The article explores the challenges being faced by the U.S. federal government after the administration of President Barack Obama steered General Motors (GM) into a structured bankruptcy. It is noted that nationalized management of the automotive company left lawmakers to exercise control over the hundreds of billions of federal dollars invested to prevent an economic collapse. Republicans from automotive-producing states criticized Obama's handling of the bankruptcy of GM.

This article reveals that based on a CNN/Opinion Research poll conducted in mid-March 2009 support for the economic stimulus plan of U.S. President Barack Obama is declining despite Obama's full campaign efforts. Respondents in the March poll gave 54% support for the stimulus plan, down from 60% in February 2009 poll. However, the same poll reveals that Obama remains popular with 64% job approval rating. It presents information on the views of the public about failing banks.

This section offers news briefs related to the U.S. Congress for the week ended March 20, 2009. Congress was consumed by revelations that American International Group paid $165 million in executive bonuses even though the company's failures led to a government takeover. The Senate on March 19 voted 77-20 to approve a long-pending package of more than 150 public lands, water, and natural resources bills, sending it back once again to the House. The Senate on March 18 voted 92-5 to confirm former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk to become U.S. trade representative.

The author contends that the economic stimulus bill signed by U.S. President Barack Obama falls short of what the country needs to deal with recession. He expects that Obama will request additional funds from Congress to lift the economy. He explains that the manner by which the Congress approved the stimulus bill is unsual in that it the bill's details wereve never examined and legislators did not seem to have read the bill at all. He says that thought the stimulus bill is lacking it is good and can be expected to help the economy.

The article reports on the skepticism of members of the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs Committee on the bailout plan unveiled by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. They are certain that Geithner will soon be back to seek a new federal-commitment to prop up ailing banks and to ease the credit crisis. Lawmakers said they are exceedingly wary that Treasury's proposed Financial Stability Plan could enhance the widespread unpopularity of the 2008 Troubled Asset Relief Program.

The article discusses the bailout plan unveiled by U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to shore up the financial system. The author argues that in diagnosing the problems with the Bush W. Bush administration's Troubled Asset Relief Program, Geithner found a crucial lack of transparency. The plan proposes a much broader effort to aid banks, prop up securities markets, and provide credit to businesses and consumers, probably requiring more money from Congress.

The article focuses on the struggle of U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to resist the economic stimulus bill of President Barack Obama. McConnell has expressed his willingness to work with the Democrats on the bill if they include their proposals. But Republican political consultant David Winston said that it would be difficult for McConnell and his party to fight the bill due to the lack of White House and Congress control. Republicans believe that their resistance would help them regain the congressional majority in 2010.

The author compares the economic stimulus bill of new U.S. President Barack Obama to the economic policies of previous presidents. The bill is said to provide relief for umemployed workers, local governments and infrastructure and would boost long-term public investment. Based on the Office of Management and Budget data, he notes that Bill Clinton increased public investment over George H. W. Bush by $176 billion on two terms. He likens the tax cuts of Obama to the ones implemented by Ronald Reagan.

The article focuses on the expected inclusion of health care as a key component of the stimulus package that U.S. President-elect Barack Obama and congressional leaders are crafting. It cites the possibility that Congress will open Medicaid to unemployed workers and to extend the length of Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) coverage. It mentions the intention of Obama and key Congress members to include in the package significant amounts to promote the adoption of health information technology by doctors and hospitals.

The article focuses on the criticism against the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) of the U.S. Treasury Department for its alleged lack of transparency and failure to define its purpose. A legislative bill was introduced by House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank to require Treasury to disclose more details about TARP and mandate that Treasury help stop foreclosures by spending some TARP funds. It mentions the stand of President-elect Barack Obama on TARP.

The article focuses on the dangerous imbalance for the U.S. Republican Party resulting from their vote against the bailout plan for the automobile industry. It notes that the vote of Congressional Republicans may lead to obstacles for their agenda under the administration of President-Elect Barack Obama. It adds that Republicans may have a hard time recovering in swing or Democratic-leaning states. It mentions that the party faces a debilitating cycle wherein the caucus majority can gain strength while the minority becomes endangered.

This article discusses the need for a bailout by the U.S. automobile company General Motors (GM) in December 2008. The company announced that it was within weeks of bankruptcy. Many Democrats would settle for a short-term bridge to a healthier economy. Many Republicans, by contrast, want a long-term bridge to a viable GM.

The article focuses on the legislation passed by the U.S. Congress that has created an Office of Financial Stability within the U.S. Treasury Department and charged with implementing the Troubled Asset Relief Program. It examines the challenges in implementing the law like identifying the number of people as well as their necessary skills in running the bailout, federal pay constraints, and ethical issues.

An interview with New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine is presented. According to him, the bailout plan of the U.S. as of 2008 is ugly, unattractive but necessary. He thinks that U.S. Treasury Henry Paulson has a very tough task since he is responsible on identifying how to make the effectiveness of the financial system better. He says that the country has had weak leadership on the economic front for eight years.

The author comments on the rejection of the bailout plan by the U.S. House. He blames the failure of the initiative to House Republicans who voted against it despite pleas from President George W. Bush and Senator John McCain. He predicts that it would be difficult for McCain to mobilize House Republicans to support his agenda when he is elected president. He adds that the outburst of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi against Bush denotes that the interests of Senator Barack Obama as president will not be the same with his party's leaders.

The article focuses on mixed emotions on the bailout plan of the U.S. in 2008. It is stated that both presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain are blaming the administration of President George W. Bush for not taking action to address the financial crisis. According to a CNN poll conducted by Opinion Research, 62 percent of voters supported federal government intervention in the crisis. Bush says the program is aimed at rescuing the economy.

The article reports on the lobbying of the Financial Services Roundtable in September 2008 to change the $700 billion bailout package proposed by U.S. President George W. Bush's administration to free financial institutions from their mortgage-related investments. The roundtable wrote a letter to the Treasury Department to urge the administration to cover foreign banks in the package. The Chamber of Commerce also lobbied to prevent legislators from including measures that would set limitation to financial executives' pay and allow lawsuits.

The article presents an update on U.S. politics and government as of September 27, 2008. Democrats were considering proposing a separate $50 billion economic stimulus proposal depending on how long Congress takes to create the financial bailout legislation. A final version of the fiscal 2009 Defense authorization bill was approved by the House of Representatives on September 24. The House Standards of Official Conduct (Ethics) Committee established a subcommittee to investigate committee Chairman Charles Rangel.

The article focuses on issues arising from the proposed bailout of financial markets during the transition period in the U.S. It speculates that the suggested compromises between Congress and President George W. Bush's administration, which could make the Treasury even less accountable about the bailout plan, might worsen matters in two areas, the scope of the securities to be purchased and the choice of buying securities or troubled institutions. It cites the potential problem posed by the lack of participation in the bailout by other governments.

The article cites certain reasons to doubt that change in the U.S. will be so profound as a result of a planned financial bailout. It claims that the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley failed to achieve its goals. It asserts that nothing in the bailout plan would prevent the high-flying risk-taking that created the crisis, or reduce the huge incentives for taking such risk. It states that polls show no evidence that the public will support a newly powerful government, and tax increases are expected to be less popular.

The author reflects on the possible views of the late economists Milton Friedman and John Kenneth Galbraith on the U.S. government take over of lending companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He notes that Friedman would regard the bailouts of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as disaster. He predicts that Galbraith would blame the government for requiring finance companies to make home loans affordable for low- and middle-income people. He adds that Friedman would disagree with government's involvement because markets will innovate and create opportunities.