People Should Be More Scared Than Mad, Paulson Says

Rep. Steve LaTourette cut to the chase, summing up the frustration of members who think their constituents aren't getting the gravity of the situation from the dispassionate Bernanke and Paulson show.

"Tell the guy on his couch... is he gonna be out of a job?.. Is his credit card not going to work? Is he going to be able to send his daughter to college?" asked the Ohio Republican.

"He should be angry and he should be scared," said Paulson. "Right now, he's angrier than he is scared -- and that puts us in a difficult position because nobody likes to paint an overly dire picture and scare people..."

LaTourette interrupted: "Tell him you may not have a job... you may not have a credit card, you're kids may not be going to college—"

Replied Bernanke, "We agree wth you said."