If you're still struggling with the bailout idea, here's a pretty good primer on what it's about.

If you're still struggling to figure out what the political heavy hitters are up to, know this: Except for some lightweight grandstanding by John McCain, neither candidate has done much. Neither has been willing to step up to telling the American people why this very unpopular problem must be solved. Here's a short summary of their activities.

For a more liberal view of the needed solution check this. And here's a report on how Sweden successfully dealt with this same problem 20 years ago.