In all essentials, the bill drawn up by the Democrats in closed-door negotiations with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Republican congressional leaders, and in direct consultation with some of the most powerful figures on Wall Street, conforms to the plan first proposed by Paulson on September 19. The Democrats’ press conference was an exercise in deceit. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, flanked by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the chairmen of the House and Senate banking committees, Barney Frank and Christopher Dodd, presented the windfall for the richest people in the country as though it were a punitive measure aimed at reigning in corporate greed. “The party is over,” she proclaimed. “No longer will tax payers be forced to bail out reckless investors.” Bloomberg: Bush, Congressional Leaders Back "Financial Rescue". WSWS: The Obama-McCain debate: Right-wing politicians agree on bailout and militarism: Two candidates stood facing each other, espousing nearly identical positions in defense of Wall Street and American militarism which would, in any other country in the world, immediately identify them as representatives of the ultra-right. Both agreed that all possible resources must be mobilized to prop up Wall Street, regardless of the cost to working people. Miami Herald: Congress to vote on bailout Monday.