That pretty much encapsulates the plan, as I see it.  If banks were interested in getting true market value for these assets, they’d be selling them off right now.  What’s keeping that from happening is Geithner’s plan to overpay so he can recapitalize these same banks under the table.

Slightly edited by elf.

Elections - General AND Primary - produce consequences. This prognosis is very likely, largely descriptive of the consequences visited on all the people of America by 53% of the 2008 Presidential/Congressional Election voters. Of course, when offered the opportunity to self-define ‘hope and change’ one tends to ‘blue sky’ the concept in personally comforting terms. I wonder how many are now experiencing buyers remorse. God have mercy on them and on all of us.

I’m not very well versed in finances and economy, probably like most people, but I’m starting to get the picture. This stinks, and there doesn’t seem to be anything that can be done, except sit and watch it happen, or ignore it and not watch it happen. This plan seems to be a transfer of everyone’s wealth (those who pay taxes, at any rate) to the same people that caused this mess, with no hope at all of the real investors (taxpayers) receiving any return, but still taking almost all the risk. Am I missing something? Does our investment sometime return to us? If so, how? Tax credits? Government health care? How are we supposed to feel good about this?