they did get a lifesaving bailout, regardless of the merits or whether US got their money back They did, and given the systemic importance of the companies tha

they did get a lifesaving bailout, regardless of the merits or whether US got their money back They did, and given the systemic importance of the companies that received this money, that was a gift not only to the companies, but to the entire economy. We wouldn’t have an economy today had they not done this. Today we are capable of giving away trillions with no hope of recovery in part because of what was done in 2008 - and it was done at no cost to taxpayers.