In the middle of what will likely be the largest financial crisis the world has ever seen, our "leaders" respond with platitudes, finger pointing and rhetoric.

Democrats blame Republicans. They have a simple story. One man, George W. Bush, led his party to destroy the world economy in eight years.

Republicans blame regulation and spending. Their story is slightly more complex. Democrats (and some tax-and-spend Republicans) forced the mortgage industry to loan money to people who could never pay it back, thereby creating the credit meltdown which had a domino effect on the world financial system.

Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican you must recognize that both parties are to blame.

Where were the alternative ideas that would have averted this crisis? Where were the warnings by politicians about the policies that were to cause this crisis? Why is it that only now we see such clarity among politicians about who is to blame? Why do we not have anyone in government really looking out for the American people?

All we hear is simplistic views of what is wrong, who created the problems and how to fix them, i.e., either spend a lot of money or lower taxes. Most of all, politicians who are always willing to take credit for positive occurrences are fomenting anger against "Wall Street Executives" and anyone else making what the average person would consider a lot of money. Never mind the fact that every Congressman and Senator makes more than the average person, gets more benefits and lives a life of royalty.

American politicians neither understand the economy nor know how to explain it to the American people. Their expertise is getting elected and re-elected, not finance, economics, manufacturing or any of the other competencies required to "fix" the economy. Yet the country and perhaps the world, is looking to them to fix it.