Who is Right - The Republicans or the Democrats?

There's one problem in not saying, "See, I told you so." If you don't say it, you won't realize that the other side doesn't see that you were right and they were wrong. (Or at the very least, will try to portray it to others that they were right while the other side was wrong.

Thus it is with the US economy and the TARP bailout. Rush and other Republicans say it was a total disaster that hasn't done diddly squat to help the economy, the Democrats say that it was a success and helped save the world.

Which side is right, and why can't the other side see which side is right?

Story #5: Democrat: We Could Have Let Economy Fall
RUSH: "Retiring Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.) said that Democrats wisely passed the 2008 financial rescue bill, but it cost them politically. Addressing the economic collapse of 2008 and the subsequent passage of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), Baird told The Hill, 'Had we wanted to, we could have let the president, President Bush... stew in his own juices.' Baird insisted Democrats did the right thing passing TARP, which was signed by President Bush in the fall of 2008. Most Democrats in Congress backed it while it faced more resistance from the GOP. 'We could have said, "The economy is going to collapse. The world is going to go into a depression. You're going to get the blame and your party is going to get the blame because you're in power and we are going to ride this into the majority for the next 40 years." That is what the Democrats could have done.'" Instead we waited until Obama was president to do it. (laughing) Well, they're now trying to take credit for their seriousness and their patriotism. "Hey, you know, we coulda let the country go south and get screwed." Uh, haven't you guys been blaming Bush for the past two years, Mr. Baird, Congressman Baird?

The article from which Rush made the above observation:
From the Hill
Dem: We could have let economy fall and been in majority for 40 years
By Michael M. Gleeson - 12/05/10 08:57 AM ET

Retiring Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.) said that Democrats wisely passed the 2008 financial rescue bill, but it cost them politically.

Addressing the economic collapse of 2008 and the subsequent passage of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), Baird told The Hill, “Had we wanted to, we could have let the president, President Bush... stew in his own juices.”

Baird insisted Democrats did the right thing passing TARP, which was signed by President Bush in the fall of 2008. Most Democrats in Congress backed it while it faced more resistance from the GOP.

“We could have said, 'The economy is going to collapse. The world is going to go into a depression. You’re going to get the blame and your party is going to get the blame because you’re in power and we are going to ride this into the majority for the next 40 years.' That is what the Democrats could have done.”

Democrats “got punished” for supporting this legislation, Baird said.

“There are a lot of American families and working families who would get clobbered if didn't pass TARP,” he said.

Baird is not a partisan Democrat. He has broken with his party leadership on the Iraq war, claiming a few years ago that the troop surge worked. He also led the charge to allow the public and lawmakers to read legislation before it is voted on.