>> But jeez Louise, we've got to do something. The economy is circling the drain.
>>
>>This is well known as the politician's syllogism:
>>
>>We must do something.
>>This is something.
>>Therefore, we must do this.
>
>I think it's a good faith attempt to address our economic crisis. Just as the bailout package in the fall was. I don't think anything about this is business as usual.

The most recent bailout package has a little extra added. The house attached protectionism, saying any steel used for infastructure must be American steel. On the surface that is good. But . . protectionism begets equal action by other governments, and 'bingo' the trade walls go up around the world. Protectionism was a major cause of the great depression.