As I watched the replay of the weekend's debate on the proposed $700 billion bailout, or economic stimulus package, or whatever you want to call it, I listened for partisan clues. Actually, I wasn't watching per se. I was listening while packing to move to the next leg of my vacation. Which provided the opportunity to guess whether a Republican or a Democrat made the statement I just heard. Then I'd step over to the television to catch the name and party of the "gentleman/gentlewoman" speaking.

Fortunately, the speakers were all over the map. Nancy Pelosi was among those reinforcing the alleged mortgage crisis is not a partisan issue. Others, including shopkeepers in Three Rivers, California, at the mouth of Sequoia National Park where I am right now, say anyone watching would have known years ago that we were headed for financial disaster.

You probably agree. I do. Well, maybe not years ago, but certainly with enough forethought that the "fix" doesn't need to be restricted to what can be hammered out in seven days. Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune Blogger O'Brien (the "sound of one hand clapping") referenced pros and cons from both sides. One point he made that I profoundly appreciated was a comment about fundamentals…

As Maxine Waters and others pointed out in the debate, we've drifted so far from fundamentals of either party, or the intent of policies designed to help home owners, that any fix we instigate right now is going to tip the boat to an equally precarious opposite side.

That's what was wrong with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - in my opinion. Once the government got into the mortgage business with uninsured guarantees, disaster was only a matter of time. Those who said over the weekend that the free market should be allowed to work were way too late in calling on that principle. We already interfered with the free market!

CNN reported just a few minutes ago that the vote was close, but the measure failed. As I said before, ordinary citizens like you and me saw this brewing for a long time. What if the fix takes more than two weeks to settle on?

Keep in mind, this is after the AIG bailout, after the Bear Stearns Bailout, after the Fannie and Freddie bailout. Whose bailout is next? Yours? Mine?

And is this plan, or any plan, constructed around the home buyers in danger of losing their houses, or is it only and always for the suits that bought and sold paper in high-risk ways?

Add your comments below and we'll email them out. The best thing, in my opinion, that has come out of this mess is a more open and honest discussion of how money works. And it should work the same way on Wall Street that it works on Main Street and your street and my street.