Comtemplation

I suspect that Obama funneled money to Wall Street and banks because he knew that those are the primary sources of monetary flow in the economy, so they had to remain healthy (or recover it) in order for the economy to recover. Both funds and optimism that the funds would continue were required. He could have sent money directly to people, and did (as did Bush), but that doesn't start jobs or enhance credit flow; it just provides a stopgap. The machinery had to start turning again.

He had to know that propping up Wall Street and the banks would create a political millstone which would come back to bite him. (Mixed metaphor alert!) The only surprise is, so soon. That's why why he's now making statements about 'too big to fail' banks are nothing of the sort - to begin to regain populist credibility and thus deflect some (but certainly not all) of the conservative opposition commentary. An eye toward the next set of elections, not to mention, 2012.

Sorry if this was flamingly obvious to everyone else.

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After writing that, I found this. I knew I liked Australia.....