Letter to the Secretary of the Treasury

Dear Secretary Paulson,

As a dedicated and honorable citizen of the United States I would like to respectfully request a bailout in the amount of $400,000.00.

 Justification for request

All of my adult life, and before, I have worked hard for everything my family and I have. When I first realized that I was getting nowhere, I joined the Air Force and gave 23 years of my life in the service of my country. When I retired from the service in 1997 I could not find a position within the state or US Government as I would have liked. I turned instead to selling used cars and mobile homes while I continued searching for an opportunity to improve my status.

 After 9/11, I saw an opportunity to again serve my country and accepted a position in Muscat, Oman supporting a US Air Force contract. After two years I took another position in Baghdad, Iraq working for an Arab company. This position allowed me more direct contact with the US troops, I so deeply admire.

 After two years there, I returned to the US only to find myself out of work for nine (9) months. Out of desperation, I accepted a position as a production supervisor in a linen plant. Without notice I was laid off after eight (8) months due to a plant realignment. Fortunately, I was able to find a new position within a week. Not so fortunately, after increasing sales from 15 to more than 150 a day, I was again laid off after 11 months. It then took eight (8) months to find my present position with the state government.

 During these long periods of unemployment I sold possessions on eBay, worked odd jobs and even sold my truck to make ends meet. Naturally, I also went deep into debt, although I continued to make my mortgage payments.

Request and Terms

I am requesting a bailout in the amount of $400,000.00, before the entire $700 billion+ is gone. In order to ensure that this is a one-time request, I will immediately implement the following:

      1. I will immediately resign as HOF (Head of Family) and my successor (my wife) will assume my responsibilities. I feel that I was responsible for getting my family into this position and therefore should not be trusted with the bailout funds.

      2. A plan will be submitted to your office and congress that outlines the use of every dollar of the bailout funds. The plan will include:

         a. Paying off all the 20%+ APR credit (that’s crazy isn’t it, there should be a law to protect consumers from that) to a point where there is some money left at the end of the month. (Why, when you are having trouble paying a debt, do they raise the APR which increases the debt?)

         b. Establish a savings account in a protected facility that doesn’t charge me fees for using my money for their investments.

         c. Help my children to pay off Sallie Mae to finally get out from under those student loans that they have been paying for eight (8) years. After eight (8) years the principal has only come down by a few hundred dollars. It’s a shame that students have no recourse but to get loans like this so that they start life in severe debt. (Maybe we should be looking at Sallie Mae’s practices as well, aren’t they backed by the federal government like Freddie and Fannie?)

         d. Pay off my own Sallie Mae loan that I received for classes I took after I retired from the Air Force. I was told the Veterans Administration would pay for these classes but they didn’t.

         e. Start investment accounts for my two grandsons. If these accounts can be started before they turn 5 years old, maybe they will have enough to at least pay the first couple of years of college. Of course if we don’t start concentrating on education instead of extracurricular activities (football, basketball, etc) in the universities, then the cost will continue to rise.

         f. With the blessing of a federal government adviser and the new HOF, I will expand my online presence at www.TellMeAboutThat.com in an effort to make a few extra bucks and prevent future economic difficulties.

       3. I will sign the appropriate documents releasing the new HOF of any requirement to pay me exorbitant amounts of money for having failed to get my family out of this mess on my own.

       4. We will make room in our home for a Federal Regulator who will monitor our use of the bailout funds and make recommendations for improved future investments.

       5. We will begin paying back the funds immediately upon realizing a reduction of monthly output based on the payoff of current debts.

       6. I will not apply for future positions as HOF or any other positions where I will have responsibility for funds, for a period of at least 5 years and never in the United States of America.

 Summary

I realize that it is not my governments responsibility to help me out of a financial situation that I got myself into. However, it is apparent that you are willing to use my tax dollars to help poorly run banks, investment companies, auto manufacturers, cities and states and other yet to be announced entities. Additionally, I understand that you are concerned about helping citizens who made bad decisions concerning their mortgages. Therefore, I feel that as a taxpayer who has struggled for years to support my family while paying my taxes to the federal, state and local governments, I should be entitled to my cut.

Some of the terms stated are negotiable as long as I maintain the upper hand and you don’t ask too much of me. In lieu of cash I will accept a decent piece of property in an area of my choice. I’m sure you know how to contact me to have me pick up the check or deed. You simply need to check my most recent tax return.

 I look forward to hearing from you and please call if you have any questions.

 Sincerely,

 Tom