The phrase "buyer beware" no longer applies in the American banking system.Last September as the financial markets skidded out of control Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain sought to keep his firm from going the way of rival Lehman Brothers by selling out to Bank of America (BAC). At the time B of A chief Ken Lewis was touted as a shrewd opportunist who seized upon a desperate rival. Now it appears Lewis is the one groping for a helping hand.According to the Wall Street Journal the Treasury Department is preparing to offer up billions of dollars to help Bank ...