One of the persistent criticisms of the Geithner plan is that it’s a sweetheart deal for investors. The government puts up most of the money, downside risk is limited thanks to the non-recourse funding, and there are probably lots of ways the auctions can be gamed. Matt Yglesias points to a comment at The Baseline Scenario that suggests a way to deal with this:
If Geithner’s taxpayer subsidized toxic public/private plan goes forward, I think it would be fair if the federal government allow non-institutional investors to participate via a no-fee investment vehicle. I think if Americans had the option of investing in this program (without having to pay the egregious fees to the investment advisors/PE shops), it would be much easier to swallow since they would at least get the same deal the sharks are getting.
Like James Kwak, I think this is a brilliant idea, and one that Treasury should not merely allow, but actively encourage. At least one of the fund managers chosen to participate in the program should be one that agrees to allow investment by retail customers. In the end, Geithner’s plan may or may not turn out to be a sweetheart deal, but surely us little guys should have the same chance to find out as the well-heeled crowd.
