"Is One Of Us Supposed to be a Dog in This Scenario?"

The best metaphor I've come up with for the $700B bailout of the financial markets (and how the President is selling it to the American people) is that it's like the Iraq War "surge."

We shouldn't have been in Iraq in the first place, and if those in charge of the decision had not relied on incorrect and/or fabricated intelligence, we wouldn't have been. But we were, and given that, the President told us it would be irresponsible to pull out and just let Iraq sort itself out. Doing that would cause chaos that could destabilize the entire region, so we had to increase our presence in order to stabilize the country, despite the tremendously high cost.

Similarly, the financial markets shouldn't be this fucked up in the first place, and if those in charge of the markets hadn't relied on confusing and/or suspect investing techniques, they wouldn't be. But they are, and given that, the government is telling us it would be irresponsible to do nothing and just let the free market sort itself out. Doing that would cause chaos that could destabilize the entire world market, so we had to increase government control in order to stabilize the market, despite the tremendously high cost.