This was mentioned in a recced diary about f'ing with the NYT, but it seems like it deserves some discussion on its own
Twenty-six large financial institutions are under DOJ investigation for fraud related to the mortgage meltdown.
Twenty-six.
The list includes Fannie & Freddie, Countrywide, IndyMac, and apparently a whole lot more. So the DOJ thinks there's the potential that these companies engaged in fraud that helped cause the current unpleasentness. It begs the question:
Why are we bailing out a bunch of crooks?
Well, the answer is that they made such a big freakin' mess that we have no choice.
The next question:
How do we make sure the evildoers get punished?
Well, I don't know. I'd love it if there were some way to tie the issue of punishment into the bailout bill. In Republican Land, this sort of crime is "water under the bridge" and "we need to forget the mistakes of yesterday and look to how to fix the problem now". But I disagree. If people/corporations were participating in fraudulent activities that helped precipitate one of the largest financial crises in our nation's history, I want them punished.
Am I asking for too much here?