Stossel is so intent on pitting his readers against Obama, he loses intelligent readers like me that are willing to listen to all ideas. In this column, he's already telling Obama that he's doing everything all wrong. The Republican party played a significant role in this mess and it the Bush administration that has, so far, fumbled its way so far using this TARP to save the economy. It is pure political partisanship that Stossel opts to rail against Obama, who heretofore has been a mere bystander. Quoting his fellow conservative columnist Thomas Sewell to support his arguments is like the Devil quoting Charles Manson. Anyway, if I can cut my way through his pundit-speak, he makes some decent points about our government, regardless of the individuals or political parties in charge. However, I disagree that government can't influence a quicker end to this economic collapse. The mortgage crisis created a credit crisis which, in all likelihood, if left to the market, will cause economic chaos. This is an economic downturn that had a very specific cuse that abruptly set it off. Quick action can certainly make a difference. Let's hope the people who are trying to find the best solutions will put aside their partisanship, something John refuses to do for fear he might alienate the like-minded ditto-heads and lose "fans".