Of course we do not want the bailout but it will most likely go thru. What is happening is a margin call by debtholders to the companies with massive debt. The CDS market implosions going on from company to company are basically debtholders demanding a company raise capital by diluting shareholders. They know the economy is going into a deep recession. How to profit? When the market celebrates the bailout get short commercial real estate stocks either by shorting or buying puts. My two favorites to short are VNO and SPG. They will bounce up on the news and then buy puts a couple months out, out of the money or short them directly. The creditors will get around to margin calling them soon as well. I suspect by the new year or far quicker(within weeks) they will be hitting new lows. Wait for the bailout bounce though. You should make plenty just in time for Christmas presents.