Let the bankrupt financial institutions fail. Let the market sort out the value of their assets. Don’t prop them up with taxpayer money.
I realize that this seems like a good idea on the surface... but its not.
If you let even 1 bank fail... you will cause a bank panic... in which people don't feel safe about keeping their deposits in the bank (Even with FDIC). SO they in turn pull their money out of their own banks... then these other banks suddenly have a shortage of reserves... and next thing you know.... they collapse.. which causes more people to pull their money out.. and you begin to see the cycle.
This is why you always see pictures of people lining up in front of closed banks during 1929-1931.. desparately trying to get their deposits back.
THis is what would always happen before WWII.. and this is why we would ALWAYS have depressions every 8 to 10 years.
I can't stand to see these negligent greedy banks being salvaged... but again.... if we don't, we fall into an economic free-fall. Banking is one of the few industries that has to be VERY TIGHTLY regulated for this very reason. Because all it takes is one stupid bank to start gambling with other people's money.. .and that causes ripples that effect even the most prudent and conservative of banks.
Every time this happens.. it involves a different kind of gambling by the banks. IN 29.. it was dangerous margin investing of stocks... in 88, it was Junk Bonds and Linked financing... and today.. its gambling by giving home loans to people who were very unreliable... and in the end... its always the depositors who get screwed.... as they are often unaware of what horrible and risky things are being done with their money.