[joe_the_user]

The government already insures most private pension funds.

That insurance fund would indeed have been wiped out, however, the government could have injected more money into it. This would have been the appropriate level for the bailout to take. Save the pension funds and FDIC insured savings, let all the large banks and brokerage houses go bust. The small business administration could also have provide some bridge loans for smaller companies stuck without capital.

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pension_Benefit_Guaranty_Corpor...