The cost of bailouts are different than spending on social programs or consumer debt.

With a weak economy you have much more cost:

1) Lower income tax at state and federal level

2) People and Companies in distress that the government will need to support

The bailout plan solves the problem, liquidity in the capital markets. Once the capital market is made solvent the economy will be able to function/grow. This fixes the route of the problem and should take away the need to save a company or bank every day/week.

Somehow people view "Wall Street" as bad, but "greed is good" and it is the corner stone of the capitalism.

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