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We would not begin to know the answers to our economic problems.

Far more knowledgeable people have obviously failed us terribly in avoiding the problems.

We do have a few observations and questions.

Of course, one of the first is where will the bailout stop?

Restaurants, retailers, automobile dealers, ALCOA, wholesalers, newspapers and many other businesses are also hurting -- businesses that have not only followed the rules but used good business judgment.

We do think that certain segments of the economy must be reinforced from taxpayer funds but on a non-political and hopefully refundable basis. They should be loans, not gifts of taxpayer money.

Obviously many major lending institutions have, in the absence of stringent regulations, used very poor lending judgment.

We think we have already made serious mistakes in the bailout in that more strings should have been attached to the help. Some banking institutions that are being helped still plan large end-of-year bonuses for top executives. Can you believe that? A bonus for poor judgment that caused their problem. They contend the bonuses are not coming from the federal (taxpayers') funds used to keep them going but from their other funds. While they may not be breaking a law, it is our opinion that strings should have been tied to the money to prevent that. Or perhaps even yet, that bailout money should be withdrawn.

We also feel some of the lending institutions who have already received bailout money are being too slow in trying to meet the needs of the public as was intended.

Among the urgent needs is some temporary relief for those facing immediate eviction from their homes. This, like other help, should not be a gift but a temporary effort to help these homeowners save their homes by making their debt manageable.

We think help must be given the three major American automakers because they are a keystone block of our economy and will soon be out of operating money which would be an almost unmanageable job loss.

General Motors states it has made arrangements for prospective customers to have access to hundreds of banks nationally who will make loans to qualified borrowers. The problem is money for continuing production until the drop in sales can be overcome. We think this aid should come with government interest in the stock of the companies until the funds are repaid.

Some of the automakers' problems also date from refusing to offer more less expensive, smaller cars as well as the expensive hybrid cars. True, we Americans are often suckers to buy the biggest and best, whether or not we or the environment and really afford them. While foreign manufacturers also make big and expensive automobiles, that is not how they made inroads into our once all-American automobile industry.

And the really bottom issue is how regulated should the economy be? We can't pass and enforce laws that requires people to go eat or to the bathroom or even to use good judgment in all matters. Obviously most of the "bad loans" were really bad judgment which became widespread in our highly competitive economy.

How do we compensate the lending institutions that continued to use good judgment?

These are among the questions that many Americans have today.

A well-divided Congress is wrestling with this issue.

We do not think there are easy or perfect answers, but neither can we afford to leave these issues unanswered. Action is needed.