Meltzer says that because banks lend long-term and borrow short-term, “Crises occur when the market changes.”
What most people want is to understand the problem, how it affects their pocketbook and what each candidate will do to clean up the mess.
University of Arkansas political science professor Rob Maranto says that because the press focuses on such things as intercepted e-mails, pregnant daughters, Obama's slickness or McCain's temper, we all understand the candidates’ personal characteristics and can make some sense of them.
But the larger issue is, who understands today’s financial meltdown?
Only time (short-term time, since we are now just 30-odd days from Election Day) will tell if McCain cowboy-upped during his “suspended” campaign and achieved something worthwhile or if he and Obama simply picked up where they left off -- allowing the chin-waggers to frame the campaign’s final month and leaving Main Street in suspended animation.