ROBERT SIEGEL, Host: We're also hearing a lot from listeners about the economic crisis, and some of your letters offer observations about the new financial reality.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, Host: Here's one that caught our attention. Dewitt Kimble of Brunswick, Maine has his owns stimulus package. He writes, I've been listening to the various experts, pundits, bailout promoters, and detractors as well. It seems that one of the biggest concerns is that the money is not getting to the people that need it most. Mr. Kimble says divide up the money among taxpayers. They could choose to have their mortgage paid down, their credit cards paid down, auto loans paid, down, or any other outstanding loan. With these payments, banks would not need to foreclose on homes. Credit cards companies would avoid the debacle of having credit cards go into default, and people would be able to pay down monthly bills for one year. So, if jobless they would have less stress.</s>ROBERT SIEGEL, Host: And Stan Heney of Longmont, Colorado writes to tell us that he is suffering from TMNPR syndrome that's Too Much NPR syndrome. Not too much exactly, more like too much that's too dark with all the bleak economic news. He writes, there is so much opportunity out there even with all of the trouble. People are reevaluating their consumption, beginning to correct spending habits, often paying down debt, making their businesses more efficient and smarter. Tough times help us correct the bad, sloppy, even somewhat corrupt ways of being. A lot of good can come from all of this as well. And Mr. Heney concludes, keep up the good reporting you're known for it, but give your listeners some upside as well. Please stamp out TMNPR syndrome in your lifetime.</s>MICHELE NORRIS, Host: So keep your economic stories coming, we'll use some of them on our program. As always, please write to us at npr.org and click Contact Us at the top of the page.
Listeners respond to the coverage of the economic crisis with both criticisms and recommendations. Robert Siegel and Michele Norris read from listeners' comments.