[Wonder Warthog]

You want to generate jobs??? Take a chunk of that $700 billion "bailout" (say $100 billion), and turn it over the the Small Business Administration as available financing for new small companies.

This would generate a wave of new jobs (and likely innovative new technologies)---unlike loaning it to GM or Chrysler, which would be just pouring money down a (union) rathole.

[reaganaut1]

“You want to generate jobs??? Take a chunk of that $700 billion “bailout” (say $100 billion), and turn it over the the Small Business Administration as available financing for new small companies.”

I disagree. Will loan officers at the SBA lose their jobs if the loans are not repaid? No.

[ChessExpert]

“You want to generate jobs??? Take a chunk of that $700 billion “bailout” (say $100 billion), and turn it over the the Small Business Administration as available financing for new small companies.”

That sounds good to me. It also sounds politically feasible too.

My preference would be to reduce the size of the bailout, say reducing it from $700B to $600B. But that would seem to be an admission of error. We must protect the illusion of the infallibility of government.