The AD hoc takeovers, bail-outs and guarantees of recent months have vastly expanded the federal safety-net and increased potential taxpayer liability by trillions of dollars.

Inspector General Neil Barofsky expressed concern about the potential for fraud, and called on Banks receiving bailout funds to report on their use of taxpayer funds.

Snower (2008) recently criticised this case-by-case approach, expressing concerns about the moral hazard, and excessive taxpayer sacrifice it entailed, and also about potential exit strategy problems.