Also, the job market for bankers was pretty bad circa 2009 so I am sure bankers would have held up a year or two until business bounced back again. Everyone in

Also, the job market for bankers was pretty bad circa 2009 so I am sure bankers would have held up a year or two until business bounced back again. Everyone in the banking industry knew that 2008/2009/2010 were going to be bad years so bonus expectations were low. Bankers/traders find loopholes and opportunities in systems (stock market, real estate, etc.) and exploit them for profit. Of course any poorly orchestrated bailout was going to end in this.