Uncle Sam in pinstripes: evaluating U.S. federal credit programs

It is a long-held perception that America is a nation where the government typically stays out of day-to-day business activities. Yet the U.S. federal government is in many ways the biggest and most influential financial institution in the world, with 10 trillion in federal guarantees and loans going to the private sector. Even before recent implementation of massive interventions meant to stave off financial calamity, the federal government directly or indirectly provided significantly more credit than any of the country's largest private sector banks. And, of course, the government's credit

Explains the pervasiveness and complexity of the many federal lending programs, their effect on the overall economy, the costs, as well as the benefits and risks they pose, and actions that should be taken to ensure such programs are more efficient and effective. - Provided by publisher