FDIC Failed Banks in 2009: 140

Sorry for the tardy posting.

January 2010 already started with a robust number: 15 banks failed.

And remember, FDIC is broke. As of September 2009, its DIF (Deposit Insurance Fund) was negative $8.243 billion. When FDIC releases its Quarterly Banking Profile for the 4th Quarter 2009 sometime this month, it's safe to assume it is in the hole for over $10 billion, guaranteeing $5.3 trillion (or more) deposits.

These days, numbers in billions fail to surprise anyone, don't they? If this is not inflation, I don't know what is.

For this inflated perception, we can thank Henry M. Paulson for throwing $700 billion number for the bank bailout - any number that's big enough to scare people into passing the bill. Up till then, George Bush's stimulus of over $100 billion was considered extravagant spending.

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