Yes it is what our govt does. Usually, like the case you pointed out, our govt gets us into a mess, then makes us pay to get us out of the mess.
In this case, I am especially pissed because IMO the govt didn’t get us into this mess. Yes there are policies that may have been enabling mechanisms, however unlike IRAQ each person that is now facing foreclosure is in that situation because they ultimately signed the loan docs. Bush didnt make them do it, nor did Rumsfeld, or any of the democrats or other republicans.
So this is one of the few messes our govt is not actually 100% responsible for. Yet here comes our govt to mop it up.
Now I know alot of people will whine and blame bush or greenspan or whoever for generating and enabling mechanism. However in my mind this is just people saying the govt is responsible for making everyone in society wear a helmet because we all ultimately ride on the short bus.