I know I should be looking forward and evaluating bailout proposals, but I can't help but point to this video [1] via Wonkette. I submit there isn't a better metaphor for where we are than a guy making a living spraying green paint on the dead lawns of foreclosed homes.

Also in the rear-view mirror department, check out this post [2] from a British stockbroker dated August 15, 2002.

[T]he American consumer is basically only still spending because he thinks that magic beans grown on the Internet will pay for everything. The strong suspicion is that when the Yanks look under the bed and discover that all of their magic Internet stock market money has turned back into rotting leaves, they're going to feel a little bit embarrased (and broke), and stop buying goods from Asia with money borrowed from Europe...

On the other hand, if you had been placing bets on a US double-dip recession so far, you'd have lost them, because Alan Greenspan and his merry gang at the Fed have a solution to this problem. Basically, the solution's pretty simple and it involves screwing interest rates down to the floor until mortgage rates follow them down to Low Low Prices levels, and pointing out to the Great American Consumer that it's "Bye-Bye, Magic Stock Market Bubble Money!" but "Hello, Magic Housing Market Bubble Money!". Marvellous.

Swallow that, George F. Will. You braindead hack.