The Brian Sullivan Blog
  • September 30, 2008 09:05 AM EDT by Brian Sullivan

    D.C. Debates and the "Shadow Bailout" Rolls On (Update)

    While Washington debates, there may be a "shadow bailout" taking place and acting as a de facto rescue plan.

    For the last several days the U.S. Fed and central banks around the world have been aggressively adding money and liquidity to the markets.   Yesterday the Fed announced a $150 billion dollar lending program for banks as well as an additional $330 billion dollar "swap line" with foreign central banks.   This is in addition to the $230 billion that the Fed borrowed last week and now brings the total to $620 billion dollars.

    Additionally, the Fed is also increasing the size of a special auction known as the Term Auction Facility, or TAF.    Without drowning you in numbers, the point is the Fed has also made about $225 billion in short-term loans available.  It will also hold two other TAF sales in November totaling another $150 billion dollars.

    This is also a global phenomenon.   Overnight, Ireland guaranteed the debt of its banks.    This was meant to restore confidence.    The market, especially in Europe, needs it.  In the past few days five European banks have been bailed out.   Coupled with the backing of the Irish banks whose debt was guaranteed it makes 13 European banks that were "rescued" in the past two days.

    Politicians talk and the Fed, Treasury and global banks are acting.

    Update: Asked former Fed official Vince Reinhart about this in an interview today:

     

The Numbers Are In (Shadow Bailout redux) at The Brian Sullivan Blog

[...] wrote a few days about about what I called the “shadow bailout.”   It’s about how [...]

October 2, 2008 at 5:45 pm

Kevin McArdle

The financial systems have been over-inflating for the past 25 years, critically so over the past 5 years. It's time to just allow the bubble to burst, feel some pain, let wall street suffer and use the money to help people at ground level. Kevin, G-Portal UK

October 1, 2008 at 12:10 pm

Scott Bourne

the sky is falling the sky is falling the sky is falling TYPICAL POLITICS. BUNCH OF PEOPLE THAT CAN NOT EVEN BALANCE THEIR OWN CHECK BOOKS ARE TELLING US TO FORK OVER BILLIONS + OF OUR MONEY TO BAIL OUT PEOPLE THAT BORROWED TO MUCH MONEY. YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING. MY ADVICE TO FRIENDS HAS BEEN IF OUR GOVERNMENT PASSES THIS EVERY ONE QUIT THERE JOB AND FILE FOR UN EMPLOYEMENT THE NEXT DAY. SHOW THEM WHO REALLY DRIVES THE ECONOMY OF THE USA.

September 30, 2008 at 12:45 pm

Vincent Riggs

Don't forget the billions already spent on Fanny, Freddie, AIG, and others as support payments (not laons). Bailout? What Bailout?? Our country, our government, and our resources are being handed over to greedy Wall Street criminals and dollar whores as mafia style insurance payments. Welcome to the Wall Street Extortion Plan! A fully supported and government sponsored initiative to transfer your investments and savings into failed financial institutions. Garunteed to hold property for 30 yrs while it falls into disrepair and devalues to a point you have to pay to have it bulldozed. If you don't pay -you'll lose your job! If you don't pay - you'll lose your retirement! If you don't pay - you'll lose your house! If you don't pay - you can't send your kids to college! If you don't pay - you can't get a loan! If you don't pay - (reserved for future use)

September 30, 2008 at 12:08 pm

Patriot

I thought this was about economics? Who knows what the real number is I believe it’s in the trillions but we will go along with 700 billion. So if you have 700 billion in debt then the other end would be someone profiting 700 billion right everyone? Keep things simple. This is just like the Iraq war everyone running around in circle trying to blame the rest of the world when the problems and enemies are right in this country. We allow the country to be flooded with non europeans for economics and political correctness what do you expect to happen? America has turned into a 3rd world freak show cartoon. ok back to the 700 billion besides prison which id give most if you are looking to get the 700 billion back then just go back to the people that made that profited through the grapevine its that simple. The details the ripple effects who cares its not our problem and if it becomes our problem then good the truth will come out more of this bogus system. Their pitch is we need 700 billion now well just "f" ing go get it from all the paper asset musical chair games they play, the derivatives, offshore accounts, bundled package shit to other countries. Go get it all back now HOTSHOTS!

September 30, 2008 at 11:46 am

Lois

Please have someone tell the American people about the "pork" in the bailout. How many congressmen and senators know about Barnie Frank's "Acorn" to recieve 20% of profits IF the bailout makes money? Tell them it was Frank that required the FHA to give bad loans with 0% down. Also tell them over a year about McCain tried to pass a bill to stop the run-away economy ...it got no where! Who has really read this 100 page document? My guess is most won't waste the time! It's bad for America, as the treasury can handle each bank, company on an as need basis. It worked with WAMU and Wachavio. Enough! trust the government to make a bad situation worse.

September 30, 2008 at 11:45 am

Donna Hecky

I hear all this talk about the tax payers funding this bill and how it has a sort of "payback" and how it could possibly make money (which if run by the Government is unlikely) and for who? As many times as I have heard this statement I wonder how do we the taxpayers "make money"? We should all know that there is no payback for the tax payer. If it made any profit (unlikely), the taxpayers wouldn't see a penny of it. The elected officials would only spend it. They would find some way to spend it someplace else or put it in the general fund and spend it however they wanted to. I would like to hear the plan for "payback to the tax payers". Got any ideas?

September 30, 2008 at 11:10 am

s vick

I believe "Fox Business Network" does an outstanding job of keeping the public informed on this current situation and all things financial. However I strongly believe the panicky vocal tones and excited conversations need to be kepted in check. Please be the voice of calm for your viewers.

September 30, 2008 at 11:08 am

John

Its frustrating that our congress and president are trying to saddle america with more debt. Now is a time for President Bush to show america that he really wants small government, he could take advantage now to remove costly oversights, and regulations that burden banks and companies by executive orders to relieve regulations. It is outrageous that they want me and my heirs to pay the price, when we don't gamble in the market. We pay our bills as best as possible. It sickens me to watch the lawmakers dump all over our captiolist system to rush in socialism. George Bush is showing is true colors, he is a liar, theif and a big government socialist, I puked at the tought that I voted and fought for him, man are we ever fools!!!!!

September 30, 2008 at 10:23 am

Susan B.

No wonder that folks are so far in debt, they have a great role model in the government. It's sad to think that my kids will inherit a shell of what this country used to be.

September 30, 2008 at 10:19 am

Robbie

In the Dallas/Fort Worth area, whole neighborhoods have sprung up on the back of bad paper loans. It is not uncommon to drive through these neighborhoods of $250K-$500K homes and witness cars on blocks and a goat roasting on the spit in the front yard--taking the definition of the American dream to a different level? These are the individuals who took loans and fully knew they could not make mortgage payments on these homes. My grandfather (not an FDR fan, to put it very lightly) was and my uncles are Kansas farmers. I have an uncle who still has the first nickle he ever made. These people have worked for everything they have earned and paid back any loans taken EARLY. It is outrageous to compare the two. Both types of people living in this country, knowing that one will have to continue to carry the other. How is this allowed to happen? It is sickening to see our so called lawmakers wad up the Constitution and try to use it as toilet paper. If we wanted socialism, we would live in Europe.

September 30, 2008 at 9:31 am

about this blog

  • Brian Sullivan joined FOX Business Network (FBN) in April 2008 as an anchor. He co-anchors the 10am-12pm ET hours of the FOX Business block. Prior to joining FBN, Sullivan served as an anchor for Bloomberg Television where he hosted the programs Morning Call and In Focus.

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