GE's balance sheet

Look at General Electric's debt--$518 billion. That should scare any bean counter. They've lost their AAA credit rating, yet the government gives them cheap loans, keeping their borrowing cost at 3.3%. Even at that low borrowing rate, they have trouble covering their expenses. For reference, GM's debt was $82 billion at one point. I'm not even sure how GE Capital accounts for their bad loans and toxic assets, since the government allowed for mark-to-fantasy accounting instead of GAAP mark-to-market accounting standards.

http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/incomeStatement?stmtType=BAL&perType=INT&symbol=GE.N

No wonder they are selling assets like NBC Universal. Gotta keep the lights on.