news-record.com

Area residents battered by a bearish economy said Tuesday that they'd rather the Bush administration spend $700 billion on them than a bailout for Wall Street.

And some of the politicians responsible for voting on the controversial proposal felt their constituents' pain.

"My first thought is, who's going to bail out the taxpayer?" said U.S. Rep. Howard Coble.

By late Tuesday, Coble's office had received about 200 e-mails, faxes and phone calls about the bailout, with the vast majority urging the Greensboro Republican to vote against the proposal.

Asked what the tone of the calls and e-mails to his office had been, U.S. Rep. Brad Miller used one word.

"Fury."

Then, the Raleigh Democrat thought of a second.

"Rage."

From Washington to Greensboro, the scope of the "rescue plan" left many Tuesday shaking their heads - and their fists.

"That's money that could be used to better the everyday person," said Mitchell Winfree, a 24-year-old Greensboro electrician, as he waited for a bus at The Depot on East Washington Street. "There are other things it could be used for."

The bailout amounts to $2,333 for every American, all 300 million of them.

Given the choice between voting in favor of the bill and seeing the economy encounter more turmoil, Coble said, "I may be obliged to vote for it, but right now, my heart ain't in it."

It's the lack of detail that bothers people like Jennifer Walker, who was drinking coffee and reading news on her Apple computer Tuesday at The Green Bean on South Elm Street.

"I feel like it's not that easy to get a straight answer about what's being proposed," said the 30-year-old landscape architect who is in the process of moving to Durham. "So I don't feel I understand it. It's being intentionally obscured. How I know that is that they're playing off people's fears. That's the big red flag."

Most people at The Depot transportation hub don't have stock portfolios, 401(k)s or IRAs.

They just wish someone would bail them out.

Craig Byrd, a 34-year-old Greensboro resident who works at a car wash, said he's worried about feeding himself and his wife, Anissa.

Last week, for the first time, he had to resort to public assistance for food.

"It does something to your pride," Byrd said as he waited for a bus.

Byrd admits he's not conversant on the bailout.

"I don't know what they have done with all the money they have on Wall Street that they would need to be bailed out," he said. "That's hard to understand."

But he added, "If the bailout is going to help the economy and help (create) jobs, I think it would be fine. If it is just for money they have squandered, I don't think it is fair."

Talbot Troy, 46, sees the nation bumbling into another large commitment.

"It scares me because we rushed into thoughtless decisions after 9/11 that got us into a war," said Troy, a school administrator who is between jobs. "I just don't want to rush into another thoughtless decision."

Aria Bilal, 21, just moved to High Point from New York state with her parents because her father has a new job at Banner Pharmacaps. She is an occupational therapist getting ready to attend UNCG.

Bilal said the economic bailout, at least what's being sold to the public, sounds like a good idea. "From what I understand, we're helping (the banks) out so we can help people out so they can keep their jobs," she said. But she has reservations: "I don't know if the government should be involved in that."

Dee Sicola, 41, who operates a food cart outside The Depot, said her customers aren't talking about the bailout, but they are worried about the economy.

"They are angry at Bush," she said as she served another hot dog. "They think Obama is going to save us. I don't think there is a savior for this situation."

Rep. Mel Watt, whose 12th District includes parts of the Triad, said he hasn't decided how to vote on the proposal, but added he has received "a substantial number" of calls from constituents.

"They want information about why this was necessary," said Watt, a Democrat from Charlotte. "I tell people we were in a hell of a mess."

Staff writer Mark Binker contributed to this report.

Contact Richard M. Barron at 373-7371 or richard.barron@news-record.com

Contact Donald W. Patterson at 373-7027 or don.patterson@news-record.com