Use a BARTER-BAND-AID, It's Cheaper Than A $700bn Bail-Out.

As with most simple things, it is often a matter of not being able to see the wood for the trees. So it would appear is the case of the "$700bn bail-out".For a number of days now, we have our country's so-called best political and economic minds thrashing out a plan that may or may not work. The major worry, is that it is a mere "Band Aid" solution, not a cure. Just like Western medicine - the take a pill and see what happens system - this quick fix does not address the real underlying issues, and nobody really seems sure what the side-effects might be. Personally I'm glad they are taking their time.As with my opening statement, and I've mentioned it a lot recently (even before this crisis) the short AND long term solution to our current economic situation has been staring us right in the face for thousands of years, and the actual mechanism that will effectively allow it to happen has been perfected since 2000.Obviously I am biased towards Merchants Barter Exchange (MBE) because I am a part of the corporation, however one of the major reasons I joined the company and have been so active is that it was obvious that a well organized, secure, controlled and effective "back-up economy" was going to be VERY necessary years ago when the wave of IRRESPONSIBLE lending began.The talk about the necessity of this bail out plan because of the restriction of credit and the ensuing lay-offs, etc that will happen as a result can all be resolved very quickly and simply by all the worried companies (and CAT has been mentioned often in the news) joining the Merchants Barter Exchange network.MBE acts as a fair trading clearing house/ brokerage that moves companies' surplus time, inventory and capacity. Unlike the other so-called barter companies that are lurking around out there (and I'm sure they are not all bad - just some are worse than others in their practices) MBE conducts ALL of their barter transactions 100% on trade at the same prices as cash. The system has been so perfected that should the economy really tank before the whole network can roll out nationally (which could be achieved well before Christmas with the right incentive) employees can also benefit from the MBE program.As a company we have been ready and willing to discuss this with all the major players. Politicians (and we won't name any names) have been regularly contacted and warned, likewise many news sources and major business players. Thus far no major bites... Me wonders if they are still looking at the trees wondering how they are going to make an Ark large enough to survive this impending tsunami.Do it, don't do it, but as the folks on the Titanic found out... when there aren't enough liferafts... there simply aren't enough liferafts.