Quote from Landis82:
I still don't think any kind of tax like this will fly. Moreover, half of that $700 billion is going to wind-up being spent in a much different manner than the "top-down" direct investment approach that Paulson used.
Larry Summers ( and others ) are bright enough to know that a transaction tax will distort the market. Even Dean Baker ( the economist that the NY Times writer Bob Herbert cites ) knows full well that Summers has yet to advocate any policies that would cause serious pain to Wall Street.
I hope you are correct Landis. I remember when it was brought up just prior to the bailout vote. Pelosi did not want to consider it because she feared she would lose the needed republican support, but she did leave the door open, and as you know, there are now less republicans to stand up against it...not that they would anyway.

