When do nontoxic assets become toxic?

A question with no point? Most likely.

However, with a mighty English degree in hand, and a lifelong avoidance of numbers, I am confident in stating that whether it's the stimulus package, the bailout bonanza, or the toxic asset clearance sale, the tab due for the next generation will be a sight for sore eyes.

No matter what good intentions he has, Mr. Obama started in a deep hole (see ancient Asian proverb at end of post) and he has to work with the insulated world known as Capitol Hill, so it's easy to predict it will get worse before it gets better.

With Congress, regardless of whether a D or R comes after their last name, worse could have varying extremes. If you watch enough C-Span -- in which case, I would recommend changing your current medication -- the House of Representatives quickly becomes House of Yahoos.

One solution to offer in my bid to join the administration despite my disdain for the bipartisan system: With the catch phrase "toxic assets" being the news anchor flavor of the moment, I can only think that financial education needs to be aggressively pushed in public schools. If you're not educated, how do you know if you're dealing with a predatory lender? I recall some finance education in my high school economy class, but I also recall failing the class and not giving two shits about a stock index.

Ancient saying by wise Asian sage Yi Grabowski: When one is handed a shit sandwich, one will undoubtedly make a stink in cleaning it up.