Bail them out, and simultaneously set up new rules to prevent them from putting themselves in this position again. The old Deal did both parts, but was sort of lax and loopholey on the second bit. In theory they're cooking up something now which addresses current and future problems a bit more satisfactorilyationly.
It's kind of the Big Brother equivalent of telling your kids that you'll post their bail, but they're fucking going to have to stick to a curfew.
This is basically my position. If we're going to spend money to pad the blow, I don't feel comfortable - at all - in that money going to maintain the system. The final version of the bailout bill had a provision that would have simply limited the tax deductions a company could claim against an executive's salary. If a bailout bill is made, it has to stop profiteering in it's tracks. No more severance packages, no more 20 million dollar salaries, no more 'bonuses'. On top of that, there needs to be provisions for outsourcing and tax sheltering with these companies, as a lot of them are basically stealing money and jobs from hardworking americans by utilizing these means. How many CEOs of major banks and investment firms cycle their money through offshore banks as a means of cheating us out of needed tax dollars?
The bill as it is should not be allowed to pass, period. The bill right now is as much reward as it is relief. It's the government telling them that it's OK to cheat us out of our money. I don't agree with that. I would rather see the banks fall and have our country enter another major economic depression before I would stand for our government writing a blank check to wall street and telling them 'We know you screwed up, but it's OK.'