Remember when banks were revered as strong, stable, mostly ethical companies?  That’s why bank buildings used to look the way they did:  strong, sturdy buildings of brick with commanding columns and steps leading into their doors.  They portrayed an image of strength and fiscal responsibility.  After all, this was the place where it was safe to put your money.  These guys were trust-worthy.

But the new TARP bailout program is putting a significant dent in this image.  Banks are lining up, hat in hand, to recieve governemnt funds.  It wasn’t enough that you entrusted them with YOUR money, now they’re admitting that they messed up in managing YOUR money.  And the remedy?  They’re going to get more of YOUR money from the government!

So here’s a nifty TARP scorecard of what’s been going on with the TARP plan.  It shows who’s been approved, who’s preliminarily approved, and who’s waiting to be approved to receive TARP funds.

It’s pretty much a who’s who in the banking community, and your bank is probably on there.  Mine is. 

Some have suggested that you should punish these banks by not doing business with them anymore if they accept TARP funds.  The thought being that if they can’t manage their…I mean YOUR…money, and they’ve proved it by accepting TARP bailout funds, why stay with a bank that admits to mis-managing its and its customer’s money?

I’ll probably not be participating in this, as I like the service I receive from my bank, although I am disappointed in the names I see on this list.  But it would seem like participating in TARP would mean that now you have to waive all fees for non-customers, and cash checks of non-account holders that are US taxpayers.  After all, we’re part share-holders now. 

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