Changes

===Vague bailout plans===

===Vague bailout plans===

With banks on the verge of failure, Geithner unveiled yet another massive bailout program in mid-February. Trillions would be spent to move toxic assets out of the banks, but few details were provided. Geithner has the authority to decide what to do with the second tranche of $350 billion from the $700 billion banking bailout bill passed by Congress in October 2008. He does not need Congressional approval, but went to Congress on Feb. 10-11 to explain his plans. He proposes to create one or more "bad banks" to buy and hold toxic assets, using a mix of taxpayer and private money. He wants to expand a lending program that would spend as much as $1 trillion to cover the decline in the issuance of securities backed by consumer loans. He further proposes to give banks new infusions of capital with which to lend. In exchange, banks would have to cut the salaries and perks of their executives and sharply limit dividends and corporate acquisitions. But both Congress and the financial community expressed strong disappointment with the vagueness of his plans. [[E. J. Dionne]], a prominent liberal commentator pointed to the "almost uniformly negative early reviews" of Geithner's rescue plan.<ref> E. J. Dionne, "Centrism. Meh." [http://www.tnr.com/toc/story.html?id=d47f6de8-b20f-45d5-9e3f-56335162817d ''The New Republic'' Feb. 12, 2009]; Brian Knowlton, "Geithner Is Pressed for Bailout Details," [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/business/economy/12treasury.html ''New York Times'' Feb. 11, 2009]</ref>

With banks on the verge of failure, Geithner unveiled yet another massive bailout program in mid-February. Trillions would be spent to move toxic assets out of the banks, but few details were provided. Geithner has the authority to decide what to do with the second tranche of $350 billion from the $700 billion banking bailout bill passed by Congress in October 2008. He does not need Congressional approval, but went to Congress on Feb. 10-11 to explain his plans. He proposes to create one or more "bad banks" to buy and hold toxic assets, using a mix of taxpayer and private money. He wants to expand a lending program that would spend as much as $1 trillion to cover the decline in the issuance of securities backed by consumer loans. He further proposes to give banks new infusions of capital with which to lend. In exchange, banks would have to cut the salaries and perks of their executives and sharply limit dividends and corporate acquisitions. But both Congress and the financial community expressed strong disappointment with the vagueness of his plans. [[E. J. Dionne]], a prominent liberal commentator pointed to the "almost uniformly negative early reviews" of Geithner's rescue plan.<ref> E. J. Dionne, "Centrism. Meh." [http://www.tnr.com/toc/story.html?id=d47f6de8-b20f-45d5-9e3f-56335162817d ''The New Republic'' Feb. 12, 2009]; Brian Knowlton, "Geithner Is Pressed for Bailout Details," [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/business/economy/12treasury.html ''New York Times'' Feb. 11, 2009]</ref>

==References==

==References==

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