Up the river without a paddle (and heading for a fall)

Heading for a fall, acrylic painting, 22" x 29"

Today was certainly one for the history books with the DOW dropping 777 points. I just hope it's not deja vu all over again and we're heading for another depression, but it looks grim. I can't help but get the feeling that we're being held hostage by Wall Street and being shaken down for the few remaining dollars we have left. Let's see, the defense industry and big oil has made a killing under the Bush regime, and so has the financial industry for that matter. But it's apparently never enough and they're going to grab as much as they can before the door hits them in the ass with a new administration. I can't say the Dems have handled this very well and I'm disappointed that they were willing to give Bush, once again, just about everything he asked for with a few minor changes. The Republicans are expert at playing them for fools and it happened again with them turning the tables on the Dems and defeating the bailout bill in the House and making it look as if they saved the country from the fiscal irresponsibility of Pelosi and Co. Brilliant move on Rove's part (I'm sure he had a hand in this), and, oh by the way, there's got to be some serious money being made on this meltdown for those in the know. Apparently, this administration will stoop to anything to hold onto power and enrich themselves. I'm fed up with both parties and for the first time in my life I switched parties, from Democrat to Independent. Now, if we only had a viable Independent party, perhaps we could put an end to the rampant corruption that seems to infect both sides. It would have been interesting to see how Ralph Nader would have changed the tenor of the last "debate" (such as it was). He was on Bill Maher last Friday and when he could get a word in edgewise he totally nailed our problems. Something has to change and soon. I hope it's not going to require a Depression to do it.