One of the risks, and perhaps, the irony, of employing the wrong solution to "fix" a problem is that it can make matters much worse.

In my view, that sums up Washington's efforts to address the fallout from the crisis-cum-downturn. Aside from the fact that government actions -- especially those taken with great haste and a limited understanding of the issues involved -- often have unintended consequences, the moves have inspired a false sense of confidence in many of those who've been adversely affected. Instead of making adjustments necessary to cope with what is essentially a secular shift, many have hung on in hope, viewing the events of the past few years as a nightmare that will soon be over. In the meantime, they've used up valuable resources, stuck with inappropriate lifestyles, and failed to make contingency plans.