At a loss.
“The only banks who had difficulty were those who loaned many times more money then they had.”
Which is all of them. By definition banks lend far more than they have in liquid assets. Banks need only be capitalized to cover bad debt - something they've done well for centuries. When the amount of bad debt suddenly goes through the roof (due to govt interference in the market) and must be sold at a loss, the bank goes under.
“Bankers made billions...”
Only the politically connected - there's that govt interference again. So have car makers, oil barons, unions, etc. There is no industry immune to government corruption.
“...and not one has gone to jail for proven fraud, forgery and numerous other crimes.”
How many politicians or their buddies in ANY industry do you see going to jail for dishonest acts?
The average banker (the VAST majority) is no more greedy or dishonest than you or I. A lot of honest bankers went under in this government-created mess. Regarding the few bad eggs, it shouldn't surprise anyone that a few powerful bankers living in the pocket of hyper-empowered politicians and regulators were able the slink away with their golden parachutes.
Let's keep our eyes on the real target here and the real source of this problem. Next year, it'll be some other industry and the press will attempt to deflect criticism from the govt leviathan by fingering businessmen again.
The banks made BILLIONS of those loans, BILLIONS and BILLIONS.
“Let’s keep our eyes on the real target here and the real source of this problem”
The big banks are deeply intertwined with govt officials. They own stock in the banks, sit on the boards, family members work for the banks, bankers go to work in the govt.
Its really one and the same.