TARP money wasn't "given away", it was loaned. The banks have paid back all that money and the US treasury made a profit. The auto industry has also paid back

TARP money wasn't "given away", it was loaned. The banks have paid back all that money and the US treasury made a profit. The auto industry has also paid back their portion, but the government still holds some stock in the companies, so people can debate whether that portion of it is really "paid back". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troubled_Asset_Relief_Program http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troubled_Asset_Relief_Program and http://www.financialstability.gov/latest/tg_10082010.html http://www.financialstability.gov/latest/tg_10082010.html