True or False: The Banks have paid us back completely for their bailout?

[kentuck]

They have paid us back for the decline in the economy that they caused by their actions and decisions? They have paid us back for the losses in savings and losses in stocks on Wall Street? And they have paid us back for all the millions of jobs that have been lost because of the recession caused by their financial decisions? And they have paid us back for all the bankruptcies and foreclosures that are still going on, more than two years later?

The big bankers are back in the groove. Their bonuses are larger than ever. They are making record profits once again. But they would not be in such good condition if not for the American taxpayers and the good will of our politicians in Washington. Good fortune has smiled upon them once again. And the people they screwed are still trying to get on their feet. Have the banks paid back everything they owe the American people? What can anyone do about it??

[KansDem]

1. The whole question for me wasn't so much "will they pay us back?"

...but rather "why are we rewarding failed capitalists?"

Ever since I was a kid, I've heard about how capitalism is sooooo much better than socialism because it rewards the hard-working visionaries who see a need and use savvy and moxie to market a product or service to meet that need.

"Work hard and you'll make a lot of money; be lazy and you'll fail."

But now I see what a load of horseshit that was. And as far as I'm concerned, TARP was the last nail in the coffin of capitalism...

[CJCRANE]

2. It makes me laugh when the big bankers say they'll move to another country

if they don't get their bailouts and bonuses.

Why can't we just say "f*** off, you're useless anyway, let someone competent do your job instead".

[peace4ever]

3. i believe the details are top secret

makes it easier to catapult

[girl gone mad]

4. It's like this:

Let's say you give your neighbor a loan.

It turns out he doesn't really like having the loan because, every once in a while, you ask him what he's doing with that money that he owes you.

So, being the friendly neighbor that you are, you agree to just let him take some money out of your wallet to "pay back" the loan.

Problem solved.