This post is a response to the question Once the market completely crashed in 2008, the government rushed to create bailout programs for banks and other large corporations. Why were there no programs similar to this for individual citizens or families? What would be the advantages and disadvantages to taking on this project? posed by 
In 2008, the decision was made that banks and corporations were deemed more critical and important than individual citizens and/or families to the wellbeing and prosperity of the economy. This miscalculation done by politicians was likely just a symptom of other things we have been talking about in this class. For example, this could be seen as a symptom of the potential for politicians and government to be “bought” and have aspects of corruption due to trying to serve their own best interests by propping up certain businesses instead of looking out for the wellbeing of our society. This miscalculation done by the government in 2008 was most likely influenced by a few different factors. First, it may have been due to the desire to protect special interests by bailing out the stock market. Second, it could be due to the fear of the collapse of these institutions and the impact it would have on the economy as a whole. Lastly, it may have been influenced by pressure from large donors to political campaigns. I believe that the reason these bailouts were not extended to individuals or families was because it did not feel as essential to both personal/campaign interests or to the benefit of the economy as whole. I feel as though it was thought that some people will slip through the cracks and into poverty or in some form of financial stress, but that was a sacrifice they were willing to make. Additionally, providing financial assistance to individuals and families may have been seen as more of an admission of guilt on the government’s part, so as a way of bypassing responsibility, it was seen as better to ignore the problems and distress of individual families. Some benefits that may have been seen from providing aid to families in 2008 is difficult to measure as they are the “unseen” consequences of the government’s decision, but one benefit may have been greater ability for upward mobility and future home ownership.