Quotes of the Day

Bernanke: A Bad Call ...
TIME has got to be kidding in naming Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke Person of the Year for 2009 [Dec. 28-Jan. 4]. In my opinion, the benchmark for this title must have been considerably lowered for this man to receive it. The choice of Bernanke is an insult to all the hardworking Americans across this great country who because of the routine miscalculations and failed leadership of this Federal Reserve chairman lost their home, financial investments, retirement account or steady employment through no fault of their own.
James P. Dinger
Ruther Glen, Va., U.S.

Yes, Bernanke's actions have helped the world avoid another Great Depression. However, with the trillions of dollars in bailouts and money printing, have we not once again just kicked the can down the road for future policymakers to grapple with?
Loren Spiekerman
Foster City, Calif., U.S.

I am shocked and appalled that Bernanke was named Person of the Year. In my opinion, he set up the devaluation of the U.S. dollar and rewarded bad behavior and business practices of corporations that should have been left to fail.
Julie R. Seeley
Harvard, Mass., U.S.

While Bernanke deserves a certain amount of recognition for his role during the financial meltdown, you missed a golden opportunity to name the collective unemployed as Person of the Year. It shouldn't be ignored that the unemployed have endured the edge of the financial storm while government looks for answers. The millions of unemployed Americans deserve to be recognized for the impact they've had on society and for the impact they will have for years to come.
Steve Grisham
Kirkland, Wash., U.S.

Are you kidding me? Bernanke? The man whose excessively loose monetary policies put us in this predicament in the first place? This sort of endorsement is the last thing the country needs.
Patrick Carlevato
Chicago

Your 2009 Person of the Year issue is, as usual, heavily biased in favor of Americans. Maybe this is your last gasp as the American Century draws to a close.
Alan SyCip
Muntinlupa, The Philippines

I was shocked that you felt the tea-party movement didn't warrant being selected as even a finalist for Person of the Year. Not only did the tea parties embody our best democratic traditions of peaceful assembly and protest; they also showed a pivotal shift in the political involvement of ordinary Americans.
Jordan Breon
Loganton, Pa., U.S.

... Or the Right Stuff?
I am encouraged by your choice of Bernanke as Person of the Year. He continues to do extraordinary things for this country, and he has used his position to avoid a potential disaster for the global economy. In your words, he acted on our behalf when others sat on their hands.
Shanel Pontigo
Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., U.S.

Kudos to Bernanke for blunting the recession both in the U.S. and around the world. Innovation such as this is the only path out of our current economic slump.
Robert Cassidy
Warwick, N.Y., U.S.

I don't understand all of the criticism surrounding TIME's decision to name Bernanke Person of the Year. You throw a small man in a small boat into raging, uncharted waters, and he takes it to a calm, safe place. What more could you ask for?
A. George Newman
Verona, N.J., U.S.