header 1
header 2
header 3

TARP

Remember TARP?

Here's the boring refresher about this huge spending program.

The Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) is a program of the United States government to purchase toxic assets and equity from financial institutions to strengthen its financial sector that was passed by Congress and signed into law by Republican Party President George W. Bush on October 3, 2008. It was a component of the government's measures in 2008 to address the subprime mortgage crisis.

The US ended up spending almost $500 Billion  on the program.  Most thought that the banks that received money did not use it to free up the mortgage market.  This was the "too big to fail" program.  However, our government did get the money back in the end, with interest.  So that is good. 

So why bring this up?  You should be wondering about that right now.

I came across this little picture show that I found entertaining and funny, even though it is in Japanese, I believe.  Fact check me on that.  You might say that it illustrates the dangers of throwing good money after bad, or something like that.  Or maybe it's just warning us about what often happens with many big government programs.

Check it out.  Look very closely at the last photo!  There is more there than you think!

The Troubled Asset Relief Program (in pictures)