Jerry Eichenberger
Serious Thumper
   
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2006 S40. OEM windshield, saddle bags, Sportster
Posts: 2919
Columbus, Ohio
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Pine -
Unfotunately, your facts are off a little.
Loans were made to AIG, GM, Chrylser, and many banks. These loans carried interest like any loan does. Almost all of the lent money has been repaid, often early, with the interest.
The stocks that the gov't got were an added bonus to the taxpayers. The profit that the gov't made on the sale of that stock was in addition to the interest that was paid on the loans.
My sole point was to correct those few who thought that the 2008 and 2009 "bailouts" were gifts from the gov't to the ailing companies. They were clearly not. In fact, the gov't got a double return - interest on the loans, and profits from the sale of the stocks, in addition to getting the principal repaid.
The gov't never bought the stocks - they were an additional bonus.
As I think most people know, this program was begun, and designed, at the end of GWB's presidency. It was Republicans who engineered this double return for the taxpayers. Obama was wise enough to continue the program after he took office. Of course, Obama is now getting the credit, but that's politics.
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