When Bill Krystol, Bush's #1 water-carrier says no to the bailout, you know the United States are in for a world of pain. This from his Op/Ed A Fine Mess:

It’s not that I don’t believe the situation is dire. It’s not that I want to insist on some sort of ideological purity or free-market fastidiousness. I will stipulate that this is an emergency, and is a time for pragmatic problem-solving, perhaps even for violating some cherished economic or political principles. (What are cherished principles for but to be violated in emergencies?) And I acknowledge that there are serious people who think the situation too urgent and the day too late to allow for a real public and Congressional debate on what should be done. But — based on conversations with economists, Wall Street types, businessmen and public officials — I’m doubtful that the only thing standing between us and a financial panic is for Congress to sign this week, on behalf of the American taxpayer, a $700 billion check over to the Treasury.

Neo-cons love war because it makes them money. They want to control access to money because that's the way to Power. Yet even these power hungry beasts know that when you have a government take-over your banking industry there's no way out of calling "socialism". Actually, if this bailout had a bit more Italian or Spaniard in it, Giuliani would be right at home calling it the best since Mussolini's great government programs.

No wonder Krystol ends his essay with this thought :

Or McCain — more of a gambler than Obama — could take a big risk. While assuring the public and the financial markets that his administration will act forcefully and swiftly to deal with the crisis, he could decide that he must oppose the bailout as the panicked product of a discredited administration, an irresponsible Congress, and a feckless financial establishment, all of which got us into this fine mess.

Critics would charge that in opposing the bailout, in standing against an apparent bipartisan consensus, McCain was being irresponsible.

Or would this be an act of responsibility and courage?

Yup.

I can hear Ron Paul laughing his head off right about now.