That I like?!?!? I hated the TARP bailout. The problems were caused by insanely lax government oversight, poor institutional risk assessment and a healthy dose of outright fraud. IMO people need to go to jail.

That said, the government had no real choice. I'm no financial system expert, but used to work in finance and even I can see that something was needed or else the system would collapse. Is it possible that you're letting your distaste of the financial system and players involved color your judgment?

The choice we faced was either cut off the leg or the patient dies when the gangrene spreads. No one likes cutting off the leg, but if the alternative is that you die, I think the choice is obvious.