Exactly. As for the house analogy earlier, let's say two homeowners took out $200K loans for houses which cost $250K. After several years, the house value rises to $350K. Homeowner A keeps making payments on his house, and now owes $100K on his $350K house. Homeowner B refinances up to the new value, and takes $100K off the table and buys a boat, a new car, a blowout wedding for his daughter, and a vacation. All of a sudden, the real estate market takes a dump, and the house is now worth $150K. Homeowner A still owes less than the house is worth, and keeps making payments. Homeowner B now owes $300K on a house worth half that. He cries and whines, and declares bankruptcy because he can't make the payments. What happened to the $100K that he took off the table? Spent and gone. Can't take the vacation back, can't unmarry the daughter. In GW's case, the $100K was the hundreds of millions pulled off the table and put into the pockets of financiers, JG, and lawyers. Like they said earlier, the rich get richer baby. Welcome to America in the year 2011!