Giving credit to the government for the bailout

Jan 24, 2013
Alan Blinder, an economist and former vice chairman of the Federal Reserve, discusses why he thinks the government doesn't get enough credit for saving the U.S. economy from a much worse fate.

Behind the scenes of the bank bailouts

Jul 23, 2012
Former TARP Inspector General Neil Barofsky talks about his new tell-all, "Bailout," on what went on during the height of the financial crisis.
Neil Barofsky, Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), speaks during a hearing of the Senate Finance Committee on Capitol Hill July 21, 2010 in Washington, DC.
Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images

Neil Barofsky on the failures of TARP

Jul 23, 2012
The Troubled Assets Relief Program -- TARP -- was the formal name for what we often just call "the bailout." In 2008 Congress allocated $700 billion to stabilize the U.S. financial industry. Congress and President Bush assigned one man to build a team, and police all that spending.

Small banks struggle to pay off TARP funds

Apr 25, 2012
The Troubled Asset Relief Program’s inspector general says bailout funds helped community banks, but many are struggling to raise fresh capital.

Are small banks in big trouble?

Apr 25, 2012
A report out today from the special inspector general who oversees the 2008 bank bailout known as TARP has some bad news about small banks. He says more than 300 small banks that borrowed money from the federal government during the financial crisis have yet to pay it back.

Small banks struggling to pay TARP funds back to feds

Apr 25, 2012
In a report to congress, TARP's inspector general says while the program will likely end up making a profit for taxpayers, there's ongoing worry that many small banks are having trouble paying back the feds.

For public good, not for profit.

MIDDAY UPDATE: TARP, HAMP, and retail

Dec 14, 2010
Today Jeremy Hobson spoke to former Democratic Ted Kaufman, chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel. About $50 billion of the $700 billion TARP...

MID-DAY UPDATE: Unemployment and genetically-modified food

Nov 30, 2010
The two million long-term unemployed could find themselves cutting back drastically if unemployment benefits ends today, and this could affect...

Bank Bailout & Stimulus Spending: dynamic duo, or evil twins?

Oct 1, 2010
On trial today: the government's response to the financial crisis. The White House is officially evaluating the $800 billion stimulus program. ...