U.S. NATIONAL DEBT CLOCK
The Outstanding US Public Debt as of 21 Sep 2008 at 01:31:32 PM GMT is: $9,669,515,508,293.The estimated population of the United States is 304,768,139
so each citizen's share of this debt is already $31,727.45.
God help the US Taxpayer if this goes ahead.

frank, Bristol, UK

Rather than bailing out the banks, why not bail out the struggling taxpayers. Most taxpayers have mortgages, it is these mortages that are causing the problems. help the taxpayer pay their mortgages, and in turn, the banks get paid. I would prefer a tax rebate rather than a bank bail out.

Andrew McLachlan, Huddersfield, England

This decision defies economics - we will pay for this for many years to come (ordinary tax payers) for what ? To support a group of highly paid gready people that should have known better. Its funny that the US & UK elections are both pending stop this madness & let a natural adjustment take place

howard, Preston , UK

The problem with this rescue, which was probably necessary, is that nothing will now be done about the bonus reward system in financial institutions that has brought this whole crisis about. It is not enough to say that some unlucky employees have been punished. Those that remain will carry on.

Robert Cookson, Bow Brickhill, UK

So the Amercian Government via the American Taxpayers' money rescue the failing Investment Banks and their overpaid Executives because they made some serious bad business decisions ... And they say "greed is good" ??? How many Schools and Hospitals could be built with $700 billion ????

Darren, Milford Haven, UK

I hope us citizens dont forgive and forget republican administration, when they will vote.
they should punish very heavily them for toke public money and gave to this, but not to that.
nevertheless, from a bunch of jaws like GWB and the heart-breaker Moby Dick Cheney, what hell you can expect?
this.

edoardo chioni, Rome , ITALY

You could just see them all drinking their champagne and smoking their big cigars after Bush planned to bail them out but I've got a horrible feeling that the rest of us are going to wake up pretty soon and think this is one big mess that has simply been brushed under the carpet and won't go away.

william thomson, lincoln, uk

Great idea. Lets write $700bn on a piece of paper, and put it in a cupboard, lock it away and forget about it. No one will ever know or remember. Lets hope someone will buy the piece of paper at a later date. Oh hang on. The tax payer can pick up the bill with inflation. Even better!

Phil Turner, Eastry, UK

God, if your reading this please help my country.

James McCullough, Queens, New York, United States of America

700 Billion, will it is said that there is 12 Trillion of bad debt! so they are just wasting tax payers money. Here in uk 80 billion so same again just wasting our money again, just to keep the untusted bankers and loan sharks there jobs

oliver, colchester,

I believe a colossal bailout was planned for a while. The administration just needed enough justification to get congressional approval. This is why Lehman was allowed to fail and the subsequent market turmoil would be just the ticket. It was all contrived. The Wall St billionaires are home and dry.

L Mckay, Norh Shields, UK

Lets hope that this agency has the power to recover the obscene bonuses paid out to those responsible for causing this catastrophe.

Ian Skelly, Hemel Hempstead, UK

There are two ways to wipe out unsustainable and unrealistic debt; either inflation or bankruptcy. Inflation punishes those not involved in the transaction. Bankruptcy punishes the parties foolish enough to lend unsustainable amounts. It appears that the US government has opted for inflation.

Simon, Epsom, UK

The huge bonuses were, supposedly, rewards for risk. Given the US taxpayer is picking up the tab as it turns out all the real risk was theirs, shouldn't they be allowed to pursue the bonus-chomping bankers through the courts to get their share.

David Masu, Zürich, Switzerland

Bush's war adventures have transferred hundreds of billions of dollars from US tax payer to the exclusively U.S. defence and reconstruction friends that put him in power. Now his toxic administration will transfer another $700 Bn from tax payer to investor as a parting gesture. Wake up, WAKE UP!

Tim Millea, Huddersfield, England

Those firms that need to be rescued should NOT give staff any ridiculous bonuses otherwise its simply tax payer giving money away!

Farrukh, Woking,

All Empires fade, it's just a question of when. It is unrealistic for one, albeit major player, to expect it's currency to be that of the world economy. A combination of the Dollar 50%, Euro 25%, Yen 10%, Yuan 10%, Others 5% might make more sense. Call it something catchy!

Chris, London,