why not let the bond insurers and big banks take care of themselves instead of the gov bailing them out.  a small buisness does not get bailed out because the owners go broke.

you have got to be kidding me, bailing out banks? They took the risk, made stupid decisions, and ultimately the little guy has to pay? Doesn't making bad business decisions have consequences anymore? same with the mortgage companies. Let the greedy and stupid pay for their mistakes. The dopes that sold mortgages to people that couldn't pay and shouldn't have houses should be fired, and the financial morons that bought houses and didn't care to know what they were getting into should sink, instead of everyone looking to someone else to bail them out

ok save the banks what about all the people loseing homes how about helping them

if the banks would work with these people help them and look at all this interst some has made i beleve if the banks were not so money hunger and look at these subprime loans in a way to help if someone has 15% well refince it so they have 7% would it be better for people to keep there homes pay less but there would not be this mess right now

what do you think

I am sympathetic that the BIG banks are losing money.  However let's understand the root of the banks' problem.  They lost all these money based on greed and/or speculaton.  It has nothing to do with any common citizen.  It turns out that I am a gambler and I lost $ in the casion.  Why not let the government bail me out?  The banks irresponsible behaviour becomes the whole country's problem.

It becomes ridiculous that the entire country is dragged down by the super-duper greedy wall streeters.  It is more unfortunate that our government needs to use the resources to bail out these punks, rather for more meaningful ways, i.e. education, health care.

God bless the government!

Big banks must learn by their mistakes otherwise what do they have to lose by making risky loans and making huge up front profits in the short term knowing they will get a bail out down the road if they run into trouble.  The big banks went into these loans with their eyes open and their ear to the ground and they got caught. As far back as 10 years ago professional people knew that the real estate bubble was not going to last forever.

Some banks were conservative, smart and used good common sense. The big bank boys thought they were 10 feet tall and bullet proof.

The big banks need to take their medicine like a grown up and perhaps next time they will think and aim before they shoot.

Rescue Big Banks and Bond Insurers?? Are you totaly stupid? They created this mess out of greed.  Let them bail each other out. Maybe a little Islamic law whould apply in this case.

Lets start the bailout by getting back the massive wallstreet bonus money that was paid in the last three years.  Why do we need to bailout foolish bank management and underfunded insurance executives.  Shame on the MBA's and captain's of industry for their greed and follish investments.  I don't loan my brother money he can't afford to pay back, why did they?  Wallstreet needs to feel some pain and maybe they would learn.

Read "The Creature From Jekyll Island: A Second Look at the Federal Reserve".  Large bank bailouts appear to the name of the game

No industry has had the luxury of too big to fail, be it steel, railroads, airlines etc. The banks can continue to make mistakes, mine the fed for cash, manufacture bogus financial instruments, and still make year end bonus that most people can only dream of.

The federal government has always bailed out big business and supported tax benefits for the ultra wealthy. Remember the S & L troubles, Chrysler, recent tax cuts, relief from taxes on autos costing over $100,000(Hummer). The only things trickling down to the midddle class and small business are more taxes, higher prices, no significant wage increases, unaffordable health insurance. The banks, brokerage houses should take it on the chin. Instaed of giving such inflated severance packages to executives who did not do their job with due diligence, give them  the same severance as a laid off auto or airline employee.