This is what they need to do.
1) No institution participating in this plan may pay dividends, issue bonuses or issue or redeem stock options until the United States Government and taxpayers are fully reimbursed for the cost of the institutionâs aid.
2) At participating institutions, no employee or board member may be compensated above that of the highest paid US Civil Servant until the United States Government and taxpayers are fully reimbursed for the cost of the institutionâs aid.
3) No aid may be rendered in any state that provide for no recourse mortgages and loans.
I believe these three simple insertions will protect the tax payers. Wall Street has been so focused on immediate profits and bonuses that they knowingly engaged in unsound business practices for huge short term gains.
In California, the state with 40% of the mortgage problem, consumer mortgages are no recourse, the defaulting home owner is not responsible for a deficiency balance in the event of foreclosure. This allows them to simply walk away with out fear of being sued. These no recourse provisions allowed reckless speculation. See the site
http://www.youwalkaway.com to see this. The states must eliminate the no recourse provisions of their laws immediately. Reckless and greedy Wall Street and these reckless consumers of a handful of states have caused this problem.