It's a Washington, D.C. adage -- one that can help investors understand the public policy process -- and House Financial Services Chairman U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Massachusetts, among others, have said it a dozen times, if not more: "Congress doesn't get credit for not doing something or for avoiding something," Frank has said.
Case in point: TARP I, the initial $350 billion allocation in Troubled Asset Relief Program funds. The initial allocation has been widely criticized as ill-conceived. Some of the money has apparently enabled certain banks to approve large bonuses, allowed others to complete acquisitions or position themselves for the same, or pay-down debt, while not resulting in what Congress intended the allocation to accomplish -- increase lending to businesses and consumers.
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