[FReepaholic]

...The bankers, mortgage lenders, local governments, and builders who had a huge ve$ted intere$t in a continuing housing bubble didn't see it coming. Or if they did, they kept their mouths shut in anticipation of the bailouts to come...

They knew and didn't keep their mouths shut.

In 2005 during the height of the real estate bubble MBNA, Capital One, Citibank, Providian and other credit card companies pushed for draconian changes in bankruptcy laws: http://www.pirg.org/consumer/bankrupt/index.htm

[FReepaholic]

Ooops...here's a working link:

http://www.pirg.org/consumer/bankrupt/index.htm