Its not just that big banks held on to the bailout money, its that the government won't make it possible for americans to dig themselves out of debt.

The damage being done to main street by our own government and wall street, is two fold. Not only has the government given out money to the banks that never made it back to main street, but the government refuses to provide financial incentives for main street to get out of debt on its own.

This second point is very disconcerting to me. It's one thing if the government decides to prop up our banks so they don't fail, but its quite another, and even more unacceptable, for our own government to not offer any interest rate reduction incentives to main street to allow main street to help itself get out of debt that it already has accrued.

The government tries to focus the discussion on giving out NEW loans, giving out NEW loans, giving out NEW loans. However, the alternative approach, that would not cost the government anything, would be to reduce interest rate charges on EXISTING DEBT to people who can pay down their credit card, auto, and mortgage related obligations.

I've written a four point economic plan at Wall Street Change that gives four ways for the government to help main street recover and none of the four ways requires the government to provide loans, or money, or even forgive debt!