I'll also point out that the interest on T-bills is exempt for state and local (but not federal) income taxes.

You don't need a banker, Bobert, unless you want one. You can buy T-bills directly from the Treasury.

So...if I buy Treasury bills, notes, or bonds I'm not supporting the US. It would be better, I guess, to put it into stocks so that a large corporation -- Walmart, Sears (which is, of course, Kmart), Ford, GM, IBM and so on -- can use it to pay workers in other countries to produce things to sell to people in the US, and thereby keep jobs from workers in the US.

Harpgirl -- I invested $2,500 in Fidelity Magellan in 1991 (the money came from a very small inheritance I received). It is now worth about $8,000. That's not really enough to retire on. (Until very recently my job was such that I couldn't afford to add to investments.)

I have never claimed to be a conservative, or a neo, or even a liberal. I suggest that if you think otherwise you read or re-read my first post.