Cramer's 'Mad Money' Recap: A Quick Fix for the Economy

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"The markets need radical changes, not a silly stimulus package," Jim Cramer told viewers of his "Mad Money" TV show Friday.

The market's problems, he said, hinge on mortgage insurers such as MBIA (MBI Quote), Ambac (ABK Quote), PMI Group (PMI Quote) and MGIC (MTG Quote).

Cramer said those companies are in dire straits because they don't have the money to cover $500 billion worth of bank loans mired in the subprime mess.

These companies, Cramer warned, could go "belly up" in weeks, if not days. If that happens, he predicts, the banks could quickly run out of capital, and the Dow could plunge as much as 2,000 points.

Cramer said the crisis could be avoided if the federal government steps in and purchases the four failing insurers and then pays out 50 cents on the dollar to the banks for the failed loans.

Under the current scenario, he points out, the banks get nothing and the whole economy suffers if the insurers fail.

With Cramer's plan, a single $250 billion injection could cure the entire problem and establish a bottom for the financial stocks. If this step is taken, he predicts, the Dow could rally as much as 2,000 points instead of losing 2,000 points.

The Best Tech Stock for the Bear Market

Cramer gave the nod to Microsoft (MSFT Quote) during the last installment of his weeklong series on beaten-down technology companies that harbor hidden value.

Microsoft, he points out, is the second largest global brand behind Coca-Cola (KO Quote), which makes it harder to knock down in a turbulent market.

Cramer likes Microsoft for many reasons, including its "beautiful" balance sheet, which boasts $21.57 billion in cash reserves. He also cites the company's stock repurchase program and the recent upgrade it received from Goldman Sachs.

In addition, Cramer says Microsoft will benefit from the launch of Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 later this year. He recommends getting into the stock before it reports earnings next Thursday, adding that "Microsoft is the best tech stock for this bear market."

Gene Simmons

Cramer talked with Gene Simmons, lead singer of the rock band Kiss. Both Cramer and Simmons appeared on this week's episode of The Celebrity Apprentice on NBC.

While Simmons would not comment on all of his motives or tactics in "the board room," Cramer said that he admired the entrepreneurial spirit and marketing ability the singer displayed on the show and in business.

Simmons has been credited with single-handedly reviving the Indy car racing series and successfully marketing the Kiss brand around the world for the past three decades.

Mutual Fund Tips

In his most recent book, Stay Mad For Life, Cramer highlights several mutual fund investors should consider for their 401K and retirement funds.

One of them is the FBR Focus Fund (FBRVX Quote), managed by Chuck Akre. Cramer invited Akre to the show to learn more about his investment strategy.

Akre said his fund has an optimistic view on the market and has a lot of cash on hand to take advantage of opportunities as they arise. One stock Akre likes is Toll Brothers (TOL Quote), which currently trades at just 80% of book value and has a strong balance sheet.

Akre also likes CarMax (KMX Quote) for its visibility, transparency and attractive growth rate.

Cramer said he stands behind Akre and the FBR Focus Fund, noting its five-year average return of 20.7% and its 32.6% return in 2001, when the markets were down considerably.

Lightning Round

In the Lightning Round, Cramer was bullish on Mercadolibre (MELI Quote), United Parcel Service (UPS Quote), Cypress Semiconductor (CY Quote), Omniture (OMTR Quote), Inverness Medical (IMA Quote) and Transocean (RIG Quote)