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Making our frustrations known may provide some relief but I back my frustration up by voting against every senior incumbent in office. I did it with Santorum and every 6 years with Specter. Never vote for Rendell and against every incumbent who has held office for more than two terms.

I don't see my fellow bloggers admitting to that.
Many are uselessly frustrated but few will actually DO anything more than write about it.

Frustrated, still??? How about trying carpooling??

The apathy that was addressed is the lack of effective actions by the American people to hold their Congressmen responsible for their CORRUPT actions in having tacitly enabled and allowed the FIs and the corporation to orchestrate and perpetuate the massive FRAUDS that have totally undermined our national economy.

People are unquestionably upset and angry with what has occurred; however, the Congressmen appear to be impervious to what the American people have done. Eighty five percent (85%) of the Ameicans who reportedly contacted their Congressmen before the approval of the original $850 BILLION "bailout" legislation were AGAINST approval of that legislation, especially with the $100 BILLION that the Congressmen added for pork barrel and earmarks.

Congress is unquestionably disregarding the voiced concerns and opinions of the American people . . . and "the people" are simply allowing all of this to occur.

As the French philosopher Rousseau stated "People have the government that they deserve . . ." If they tolerate "CORRUPTION", then that is what they deserve.

The vast majority of Congress has unquestionably "put the financial interests of the elitists corporate and ultra-wealthy special interests in lieu of the "best interests of our nation and the people".

The Congressmen obviously serve those who contribute the most to their political campaign funds, and in "other manners". this is the outright "selling out" of the Ameican people.

An example is the disclosure of Allen Stanford's political contributions to many Congressmen's political campaign funds just prior to their voting on legislation that would have increased regualation and oversight on his financial empire. The legislation was subsequently defeated. Bill Nelson (D-FL) reportedly rceived the largest campaign contribution of $45,900.00.

Regardless of whether these Congressmen return these campaign contributions, that does not deminish the "appearnce of what probable impropriety in all of this. and in my opinion, too many Congressmen appear to be "selling out" the American people for perhaps a penny on a thousand or ten thousand dollars".

So far, I have not seen any Americans "taking to the streets in protests" or other vehement outrage and pressure against these Congressmen. And the Congressmen are, for the most part, obviously ignoring the expressed opinions of the American people.

To me, "apathy" is in failing to take whatever actions that may be necessary to EFFECTIVELY address the obvious apparent CORRUPTIONS in Congress to a point that "the people" can change these problems. I haven't heard of any re-call election movements or other actions to pressure for purging these INEPT, INCOMPETENT and/or "CORRUPT" Congressmen.

As I discern it, the solutions to our problems are: 1) effective, prudent and reasonable NEW regulations to: a) require full disclosure and integrity of corporate financial reports, b) implementation of effective oversight of compliance with the regulations; 2) the prohibitation of "creative accounting practices" that have been the basis of so many frauds; 3) mandatory financial audits of all major corporations AND Congressmen by certified audit firms, with changes in audit firms every two years; 4) aggressive indictment, prosecution, and the fining and imprisonment of those who significantly violate the regulations and standards.

The token fining of corporations and management personnel, without the "admission of any wrong doing", has effectively made the fines a cheap cost of conducting unethical and fraudulent business practices.

The costs of these solutions would merely be a cost of business; and the audits of Congressmen could be paid for by the federal government. This would certainly be much less expensive and disastrous than the cost of these types of economic debacles that we have incurred; and it should eliminate 90% - 95% or more of this type of FRAUD.

By ""apathy" of the people", I refer tothe lack of overall significant actions by the people to get these matters addressed effectively. If there isn't sufficient action by the people to effect changes, then that speaks for there being "too much apathy".

A basic problem is that too many of our Congressmen are substantially or exclusively controlled via the special interests, and the special interests also control BOTH the RNC and the DNC for nomination and selection of political candidates.

The special interests are controlling our entire political process. In my opinion, the Democrats use of "super delegates" was merely a ploy for the special interests to control the Democratic Nomination Convention voting. The "hanging chad" issue was used by the Republicans to manipulate the Florida votes, etc., etc., etc.

The American people are hampered by a lack of an organization or organizations to channel or focus their pressure for changes. To break this political stangle hold, we need at least three or four political parties to empower the American people. The 3% fo the population who reportedly own 90% of the wealth of our nation surely have sufficient monies and will attempt to overly influence any political party; but the diversity of political parties would empower the American people substantially more than merely having only two political parties.

I have been a registered Republican for over 38 years; but I vote for what I think is in the best interests of our nation and the American people as a whole. I would switch political parties if it will make a difference. We cannot effect change by election of the lackeys of the special interests groups.

The American people have lost "their voice and influence" in American politics. Our economy was undermined by Congress "selling out" to the special interests for their exploitation of our economy and our FIs and corporations.

Even now, Congress is NOT demanding that the FIs andthe corporations reveal where and how the BAILOUT MONIES monies are being . . . and WHO the individual specific companies and individuals are who are receiving these HUNDREDS of BILLIONS of dollars.

This was just being discussed on the Diane Rhem show on NPR - National Public Radio. EVERYONE is upset and angry by what is happening, and the unaccountability of it all . . . and yet, Congress is not demanding that this information be disclosed.

Alan Greenspan's book, The Age of Turbulence, should have been named The Age of CORRUPTION.

The systemic economic problems lie in the systemic political CORRUPTION problems; and everything else flows from that. FIs and corporations could not have committed the FRAUDS that they committed, unless Congress had tacitly enabled and allowed that to ovvur during the LAST EIGHT YEARS.

The American people need a voice and influence over Congress in regard to these matters. Being "angry" doesn't do any good, if one cannot take actions to correct the problems. Congress is indifferent to the "best interests"and the opinions of the American people.

While I can understand and appreciate the need to keep our economic infrastures from collapsing, many of these massive FIs and corporations could be broken up and reorganized via Chapter 11, if necessary. Admittedly one problem of that is that the attorneys have become expert at maximizing their fees and expenses in bankruptcies to the detriment of the stockholders and creditors; and they would exploit the reorganizations to the maximum . .. but that is another problem that would need to be addressed.

As Shakespeare said: "Oh what a tangled web we weave when we first practice to deceive. . ."

Personally, in my opinion, Congress has been and still is the BIGGEST CULPRIT in all of this. the American people need a means to effect changes . . . and it isn't going to be accomplished via either the Democratic or Republican parties.

It appears that the American people are going to have to "take to the streets" and pound on the doors of their Congressmen's offices . . . nothing else has worked to date, has it?

@Bharrison:

If the people aren't going to do the simplest thing, voting out of office their senior bandits,
why would they take to the streets which is infinitely more inconvenient, and interrupts "The American Idol?

BH -- thanks for your further elucidation.

As noted in the article in regard to the politicians: "Nothing takes a higher priority then that; it's called political self preservation."

It appears that the American people who prudently lived within their means need to take a lesson from the politicians in regard to "SELF PRESERVATION" . . . it is boiling down to "them or us". Which will it be?

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And . . . to flipspiceland: Isn't that what would be termed or considered to be "apathey" on the part of the majority of the American people? I think that you made my point about "apathey".

Apathy is non-caring attitude. The fact that these people vote, means they do care but what they care about is skewed, irrational, and self-defeating.

As one Steelworker said when Pat Buchanan visited Wheeling, W.Va. during his campaign years ago, "He may be a son of bitch, but he's OUR son of a bitch". Referring to the politician who is now serving a prison term for bribery, kickbacks, and other assorted corruptive practices.

A friend of mine only votes for Kennedy in Massachusetts because as bad as he may be for the country, he returns $1.10 for every dollar that residents of Mass. paay in taxes , due primarily to his seniority in the Senate.

This activity, not apathy.