Help me undestand this - if I am wrong (due to understanding) set me straight

[The Straight Story]

Geithner says major banks have raised $56 billion

By JIM KUHNHENN – 4 hours ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — Declaring that the financial system was "starting to heal," Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said Wednesday that major banks had raised $56 billion since stress tests showed several in need of more capital....

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Ok, so in less than a month 56 Billion was raised? In this economy???

I would guess part of their shell game is 'We raised interest rates on cards, so our potential income based on that is X dollars. And we have other (well...toxic) assets that we are suddenly valuing at $Y' Oh and we sold a lot of stocks, we bought bank B's and they bought ours.

We have learned that a lot of things on the books in the past were, well, suspicious. With all the weird accounting rules and way to charge of things now instead of later I am wondering - how much did they really raise?

And there is more:

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, wondered why General Motors, which has received $13.4 billion in loans from the government, is proceeding with a plan to increase U.S. sales of cars made abroad, including importing autos made at its Chinese factories.

"They're talking about closing plants down here and opening plants in China and selling them back," Brown said. "What gives here? What's going on here?"
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We gave them billions in loans and we lose jobs here, but those at the top and investors will make out well still?

....Oh and then there is this:
Still, the administration and the industry believe bank lending has in part been hindered by the amount of real estate-related loans and securities on their balance sheets. As a result, Geithner said a program that would combine up to $100 billion in government funds with private investments should be operating within six weeks. The program is designed to create a purchasing pool of up to $1 trillion.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jN6OI...

So a purchasing pool of up to a trillion dollars for industry, and yet folks on the ground level are getting nothing and losing jobs, homes, health care, etc.

The banks and financial institutions screwed the pooch, got into financial problems, and if they were you or I would have a terrible credit rating and not be able to jack for loans.

But got them they did, from US. Me and you.

Somehow, we got screwed, lost it all, and they got saved.

Go figure.