Note 13 - Income Taxes (Notes)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Income Taxes [Abstract]
Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]	Income Taxes We provide for income taxes in accordance with the provisions of the accounting standard regarding accounting for income taxes. As required under this standard, our deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized under the balance sheet method, which recognizes the future tax effect of temporary differences between the amounts recorded in our condensed consolidated financial statements and the tax bases of these amounts. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the periods in which the deferred tax asset or liability is expected to be realized or settled. Given the impact on our pre-tax results of net gains or losses resulting from our derivative transactions and our investment portfolio, and the continued uncertainty around our ability to rely on short-term financial projections, which directly affects our ability to estimate an effective tax rate for the full year, we record our interim-period income tax expense (benefit) based on actual results of operations. For federal income tax purposes, we have approximately $1.8 billion of NOL carryforwards as of September 30, 2012. To the extent not utilized, the NOL carryforwards will expire during tax years 2028 through 2030. To protect our ability to utilize our NOLs and other tax assets from an “ownership change” under U.S. federal income tax rules, we adopted certain tax benefit preservation measures, including amendments to our certificate of incorporation and by-laws and the adoption of a tax benefit preservation plan. As of September 30, 2012, before consideration of our valuation allowance, we had deferred tax assets (“DTA”), net of deferred tax liabilities, of approximately $934.2 million. We are required to establish a valuation allowance against our DTA when it is more likely than not that all or some portion of our DTA will not be realized. At each balance sheet date, we assess our need for a valuation allowance and this assessment is based on all available evidence, both positive and negative, and requires management to exercise judgment and make assumptions regarding whether such DTA will be realized in future periods. Future realization of our DTA will ultimately depend on the existence of sufficient taxable income of the appropriate character (ordinary income or capital gains) within the applicable carryback and carryforward periods provided under the tax law. The primary sources of negative evidence that we considered are our cumulative losses in recent years, and the continued uncertainty around our future operating results. We also considered several sources of positive evidence when assessing the need for a valuation allowance such as future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, future projections of taxable income, taxable income within the applicable carryback periods, and potential tax planning strategies. In making our assessment of the more likely than not standard, the weight assigned to the effect of both negative and positive evidence is commensurate with the extent to which such evidence can be objectively verified. A valuation allowance of approximately $918.2 million and $797.7 million was recorded against our net DTA of approximately $934.2 million and $813.7 million at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. The remaining DTA of approximately $16.0 million represents our NOL carryback, which we expect to utilize against the adjustments proposed by the IRS relating to tax years 2000 through 2007, as discussed below. We are currently contesting proposed adjustments resulting from the examination by the IRS for the 2000 through 2007 tax years. The IRS opposes the recognition of certain tax losses and deductions that were generated through our investment in a portfolio of residual interests in REMICs and has proposed adjustments denying the associated tax benefits of these items. The proposed adjustments relating to the 2000 through 2007 tax years, if sustained, will increase our tax liability for those years by approximately $128 million, in addition to any associated penalties and interest. We appealed these proposed adjustments to the IRS Office of Appeals (“Appeals”) and made “qualified deposits” with the U.S. Department of the Treasury in the amount of approximately $85 million in June 2008 relating to the 2000 through 2004 tax years, and approximately $4 million in May 2010 relating to the 2005 through 2007 tax years, to avoid the accrual of above-market-rate interest with respect to the proposed adjustments. In late December 2010, we reached a tentative settlement agreement with Appeals. However, because we had claimed a refund of approximately $105 million with respect to our 2006 and 2007 taxable years based on a carryback of a net operating loss generated from our 2008 taxable year, review of the tentative settlement agreement by the Joint Committee on Taxation (“JCT”) was required. Based on its review, the JCT has indicated that it is opposed to the currently structured settlement agreement and has recommended that Appeals reconsider the settlement agreement. Following the JCT review, Appeals has now indicated that it is reconsidering the terms of our settlement. We are currently attempting to address the concerns raised by Appeals and the JCT, but there is a substantial risk that we may not be able to settle the proposed adjustments with the IRS or, alternatively, that the terms of any final settlement will be significantly less favorable to us than the tentative settlement, which we agreed to in December 2010. Additionally, we would be required to litigate the proposed adjustments to our taxable income, if we are unable to reach any settlement, in order to avoid a full concession of the proposed tax liabilities, penalties, and interest to the IRS. If we determine that we cannot reach a settlement with the IRS and determine that our interests may be better served through litigation of the proposed adjustments, then we may incur substantial legal expenses and the litigation process may be lengthy. Based on the indication that Appeals will reconsider the proposed settlement agreement, we remeasured our tax provision and liabilities associated with these proposed IRS adjustments during the fourth quarter of 2011. After discussions with outside counsel about the issues raised in the examination and the issues surrounding our settlement efforts, we believe that an adequate provision for income taxes has been made for potential liabilities that may result. However, if the ultimate settlement or the litigation process produces a result that differs materially from our current expectations, there could be a material impact on our effective tax rate, results of operations and cash flows.

Income Taxes

We provide for income taxes in accordance with the provisions of the accounting standard regarding accounting for income taxes. As required under this standard, our deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized under the balance sheet method, which recognizes the future tax effect of temporary differences between the amounts recorded in our condensed consolidated financial statements and the tax bases of these amounts. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the periods in which the deferred tax asset or liability is expected to be realized or settled.

Given the impact on our pre-tax results of net gains or losses resulting from our derivative transactions and our investment portfolio, and the continued uncertainty around our ability to rely on short-term financial projections, which directly affects our ability to estimate an effective tax rate for the full year, we record our interim-period income tax expense (benefit) based on actual results of operations.

For federal income tax purposes, we have approximately $1.8 billion of NOL carryforwards as of September 30, 2012. To the extent not utilized, the NOL carryforwards will expire during tax years 2028 through 2030. To protect our ability to utilize our NOLs and other tax assets from an “ownership change” under U.S. federal income tax rules, we adopted certain tax benefit preservation measures, including amendments to our certificate of incorporation and by-laws and the adoption of a tax benefit preservation plan.

As of September 30, 2012, before consideration of our valuation allowance, we had deferred tax assets (“DTA”), net of deferred tax liabilities, of approximately $934.2 million.

We are required to establish a valuation allowance against our DTA when it is more likely than not that all or some portion of our DTA will not be realized. At each balance sheet date, we assess our need for a valuation allowance and this assessment is based on all available evidence, both positive and negative, and requires management to exercise judgment and make assumptions regarding whether such DTA will be realized in future periods. Future realization of our DTA will ultimately depend on the existence of sufficient taxable income of the appropriate character (ordinary income or capital gains) within the applicable carryback and carryforward periods provided under the tax law. The primary sources of negative evidence that we considered are our cumulative losses in recent years, and the continued uncertainty around our future operating results. We also considered several sources of positive evidence when assessing the need for a valuation allowance such as future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, future projections of taxable income, taxable income within the applicable carryback periods, and potential tax planning strategies. In making our assessment of the more likely than not standard, the weight assigned to the effect of both negative and positive evidence is commensurate with the extent to which such evidence can be objectively verified.

A valuation allowance of approximately $918.2 million and $797.7 million was recorded against our net DTA of approximately $934.2 million and $813.7 million at September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively. The remaining DTA of approximately $16.0 million represents our NOL carryback, which we expect to utilize against the adjustments proposed by the IRS relating to tax years 2000 through 2007, as discussed below.

We are currently contesting proposed adjustments resulting from the examination by the IRS for the 2000 through 2007 tax years. The IRS opposes the recognition of certain tax losses and deductions that were generated through our investment in a portfolio of residual interests in REMICs and has proposed adjustments denying the associated tax benefits of these items. The proposed adjustments relating to the 2000 through 2007 tax years, if sustained, will increase our tax liability for those years by approximately $128 million, in addition to any associated penalties and interest. We appealed these proposed adjustments to the IRS Office of Appeals (“Appeals”) and made “qualified deposits” with the U.S. Department of the Treasury in the amount of approximately $85 million in June 2008 relating to the 2000 through 2004 tax years, and approximately $4 million in May 2010 relating to the 2005 through 2007 tax years, to avoid the accrual of above-market-rate interest with respect to the proposed adjustments. In late December 2010, we reached a tentative settlement agreement with Appeals. However, because we had claimed a refund of approximately $105 million with respect to our 2006 and 2007 taxable years based on a carryback of a net operating loss generated from our 2008 taxable year, review of the tentative settlement agreement by the Joint Committee on Taxation (“JCT”) was required. Based on its review, the JCT has indicated that it is opposed to the currently structured settlement agreement and has recommended that Appeals reconsider the settlement agreement. Following the JCT review, Appeals has now indicated that it is reconsidering the terms of our settlement.

We are currently attempting to address the concerns raised by Appeals and the JCT, but there is a substantial risk that we may not be able to settle the proposed adjustments with the IRS or, alternatively, that the terms of any final settlement will be significantly less favorable to us than the tentative settlement, which we agreed to in December 2010. Additionally, we would be required to litigate the proposed adjustments to our taxable income, if we are unable to reach any settlement, in order to avoid a full concession of the proposed tax liabilities, penalties, and interest to the IRS. If we determine that we cannot reach a settlement with the IRS and determine that our interests may be better served through litigation of the proposed adjustments, then we may incur substantial legal expenses and the litigation process may be lengthy. Based on the indication that Appeals will reconsider the proposed settlement agreement, we remeasured our tax provision and liabilities associated with these proposed IRS adjustments during the fourth quarter of 2011. After discussions with outside counsel about the issues raised in the examination and the issues surrounding our settlement efforts, we believe that an adequate provision for income taxes has been made for potential liabilities that may result. However, if the ultimate settlement or the litigation process produces a result that differs materially from our current expectations, there could be a material impact on our effective tax rate, results of operations and cash flows.