margin calls, page-21

I agree with almost all of what you say except for:
"give people a handout and spend... its pure and unadulterated fiscal suicide"
How is this fiscal suicide?
Fiscal suicide is giving tax breaks to corporations and high-end individuals to buy back shares or invest in disallowed or treasury securities without any benefit for struggling small businesses that employ 80% of workers.
Money given directly to the hoi-poloi is spent and has an immediate return of a proportion of it to the tax base.
The conservatives in Australia won't do it because they won't admit the Rudd govt got it right.