Wall Street's made billions in profits over the last decade on mortgages and mortgage-based securities. Now that the possibility of a loss arises, the same firms are screaming for a lifeline from the taxpayer (actually, it's more like they want to trade boats - our good one for theirs with the hole in it).
Let 'em all die, the bunch of crooks, liars and charlatans. They can all join Enron in financial Hell.