CEOs must really believe that all Americans are stupid.

All this posturing is starting to wear thin.

The problem with paying back TARP - Feb. 13, 2009: "What's more, healthy banks that want to get out from the under the watchful eye of regulators may still have a hard time justifying doing so. That's because it may be difficult to find capital on terms that are as inexpensive as the government is offering.

So even if they are permitted to do so, banks will have to think twice about bailing on the TARP program.

Banks have already lost billions of dollars as a result of the freefall in the housing market. If the unemployment rate continues to climb, banks would face additional loan losses, putting further pressure on their capital levels.

In other words, bankers could soon find themselves eating their words about giving back TARP funds...assuming that they were serious about returning the money quickly in the first place.

'In our view, the comment on paying back TARP is simply posturing,' said Tim Backshall, chief strategist at Credit Derivatives Research."