If a person was way over extended on their Credit Card and someone

[Winterblues]

came along a paid it off for them, how soon do you think it would be before they started charging it right back up?

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. Well, probably moments.

On the other hand, that person should probably have their credit card limit lowered drastically, just to play it safe.

[Betsy Ross]

2. Require a co-signer when they take out credit in the future?

Like your first credit card where your parents had to vouch for you. Very low limit.

[gateley]

3. Well after my dad used to bail me out, pretty much immediately. nt

[Orrex]

4. If the person had any discipline, financial sense, or integrity, that wouldn't happen

Of course, you're alluding to Wall Street, which has no discipline, financial sense, or integrity. So the answer is that they'll obey the bare letter of any laws/regulations/concessions (if any) imposed upon them in the wake of this bailout, but they'll also immediately begin searching for new loopholes to exploit in service of the bottom line.

In short, once we bail them out, there'll be a comparatively brief honeymoon, after which they'll start charging it right back again. Charging ahead full steam, so to speak.

[Vincardog]

5. They would start charging it right back up as soon as they had available credit OTOH

IF someone robbed a bank and someone came along and replaced the money without increasing security at all; how long before they robbed the bank again?

[Mind_your_head]

6. Some people "learn their lesson" and never-ever want to be in that

position ever again. I think it all depends upon the person.

If you're talking about the corporations and the bailout ~ yep, I agree. The bailout would just give them precedent to feel that they could do it all over again. Corporations don't have the capacity to ever feel any kind of 'remorse' like an actual person would. Corporations, like a spoiled child, only see "permission" and would do it again.