Time was when American businesses were the pride of the world.

But oh, how times change.

Thanks to corporate greed, today American businesses have collectively turned into a pathetic agglomeration of beggars, all pleading for a handout from the government.

Soon, even pimps and prostitutes in America will be asking for a bailout. And why not…if the crooked swines of Wall Street can get it, why not the ugly whores of Dark Street.

Just look at the list of those asking for or already gotten a bailout:

* American banks (Morgan Stanley, Citi, American Express…) want to be bailed out.

* American insurance companies (AIG) want to be bailed out.

* American auto companies (GM, Ford, Chrysler) want to be bailed out.

* American mortgage companies (Fannie Mae) want a bailout.

* American builders (Toll Brothers, National Association of Home Builders) want to be bailed out.

* American restaurants want a bailout too (we just heard Ted Turner founder of Ted’s Montana Grill ask for one in the interview with Lou Dobbs on CNN).

* American car dealers (National Automobile Dealers Association) want a bailout.

And guess what, it looks like the hyper-moronic Bush administration is bailing out every frigging incompetent business in the land.

Everyone is getting a bailout in America, that is everyone except the average American citizen.

The stinking lobbyists are out there oiling and greasing the wheels of Congress.

As a New York Times piece on Tuesday put it:

The Treasury Department is under siege by an army of hired guns for banks, savings and loan associations and insurers — as well as for improbable candidates like a Hispanic business group representing plumbing and home-heating specialists. That last group wants the Treasury to hire its members as contractors to take care of houses that the government may end up owning through buying distressed mortgages.

No, the bailout money handed out so far (over $350 billion) has not significantly eased the tight credit market.

Worse, a big chunk of the bailout money will most likely go toward  paying obscene bonuses to Wall Street executives, who caused the current crisis in the first place with their nonsensical CDOs and credit swaps.

Is this what f****** capitalism is all about – when the good times are a rollin, I take my money and party but when the times are bad and the shit hits the fan, you’re gonna have to bail me out.

No sir, this is Cronyism.