I don't know much about bailouts but the American people are being asked to participate in a $700 billion rescue plan for the financial sector.

The people I know in Northeast Arkansas are struggling to bail out their own boats in these difficult economic days. They don't feel like rescuing big banks and mortgage lenders who have mismanaged funds.

Americans I know are staying home more to save on high priced gasoline. Workers are hard hit trying to keep their gas tanks filled in order to travel to and from their jobs. That is, if they are fortunate enough to have a job.

Housewives are using cents off coupons at grocery stores and searching for bargains. Older citizens living on fixed incomes are seeing their savings dwindle and the value of their homes diminish. They feel swamped with high rising costs. Businesses are feeling the pinch too.

Now we are being asked to help bail out Wall Street executives, with golden parachutes, who don't in any way identify with Main Street USA..

The big banks have loaned money to every Tom, Dick and Harry who couldn't repay the loan. That I don't understand. There's a lot I don't understand about this whole bailout business.

I am frugal to the point of being called a tightwad. I've always been conservative.

But I've lived within my means.

My husband and I didn't use credit cards. We didn't run up debts we couldn't afford to pay.

We always paid our monthly bills, including the mortgage on our modest VA home. For 25 years we dutifully paid the monthly mortgage on time. The home wasn't deluxe. It was a three bedroom, one bath house without central air conditioning. But it was new and we were so proud of it. It was a struggle sometimes to balance our finances, but we did.

I remember once in our early marriage when we went into a butcher shop to buy meat for supper.

My husband dug into his pockets and dumped all his pocket change onto the counter.

"I want this much pork jowl," he told the butcher.

The butcher smiled, then cut and weighed the meat.

I'm sure he put in an extra measure for us.

That's why I cannot understand the mishandling by the big banks, nor the lending practices.

Who was minding the shop when all this went on?

I know the Congress must do something, and surely will before this column reaches print

But I'm wondering about the fallout after all the hoopla dies down.

Who's going to be footing the bill when the dust settles.

Is the average American citizen going to be feeling the ripples for years to come.

Seven hundred billion dollars is a lot of rescuing.

Yes, I know the country is in crisis and something must be done.

But is the Congress robbing Peter to pay Paul?

Will America be up the creek without a paddle?

Let's try to keep our heads above water.

And pray for the best.