By SAM ZUCKERMAN, San Francisco Chronicle

If you're a financial institution, it has become a little easier to borrow money. But for most of the rest of us, it's tougher than ever.

The 2008 presidential contest between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain is taking place against an economic backdrop that is more troubled than at any time in the past generation.

Credit -- the grease that lubricates the economy -- is in short supply now and apparently getting even shorter.

The housing bust will put more banks out of business, but all but a handful of institutions will weather the crisis, one of the nation's top financial regulators said this week.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Americans have been receiving their tax rebates since the beginning of May, and early indications are that the program is giving consumers a real shot in the arm.

Ruth Britton enjoys her part-time work as a college instructor. But, at 69, there are plenty of other things the Greenbrae, Calif., resident would like to do -- volunteer, write, take classes, travel.

The days of cheap travel are over and may be gone for good.Blame soaring airfares and gasoline prices, which are pushing up the cost of getting from here to there. Add to that a feeble dollar and an overall economic squeeze. The result: For many in the middle class, long-distance travel increasingly is out of reach.

Is the housing bust taking the California economy down?

SAN FRANCISCO -- Visa Inc.'s upcoming initial public offering is shaping up to be this year's hottest ticket on Wall Street. But should individual investors try to crash the party? It all depends, market pros say.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Antonio and Simona Benvegnu from Milan, Italy, found watching the bay near San Francisco's Fishermen's Wharf recently, have visited the United States four times in the pa