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What New Bond Covenants Would You Demand
The Volokh Conspiracy

Posted on 06/07/2009 5:06:39 PM PDT by Pride_of_the_Bluegrass

In my development finance work in the developing world, I have undertaken a lot of negotiations with businesses (mostly media companies) in places ranging from South Africa to Guatemala to Serbia looking to borrow money. The nonprofit private equity fund I work with has standard loan documents, of course, and over the years has looked to tailor them to fit risky investment in these environments with less than perfect adherence to the rule of (contract) law.

As I watch the Detroit restructurings unfold, particularly the strong-arming of senior and secured creditors, I wonder what new covenants creditors might want to put into new bond issuances by US businesses that might eventually become entangled with government. I've been reflecting on this looking back over the standard documents that I have used over the past twenty years. Interestingly, the contract forms I've used do not have very many special political risk terms.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: business; conspiracy; criticalmass; economy
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1 posted on 06/07/2009 5:06:39 PM PDT by Pride_of_the_Bluegrass
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To: Pride_of_the_Bluegrass

LOL. When the entity charged with enforcing the law is taken over by thugs, no contract language can protect you. How will the overpaid law school grads cope with a world where law is what Rahm wants it to be, that day?


2 posted on 06/07/2009 5:24:04 PM PDT by NativeNewYorker (Freepin' Jew Boy)
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To: Pride_of_the_Bluegrass

First born daughter as collateral?


3 posted on 06/07/2009 5:35:29 PM PDT by NonValueAdded ("I've conquered my goddam willpower." Don Marquis)
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To: Pride_of_the_Bluegrass

What enforceable “covenant” can be written, when bankruptcy courts, mentioned in The Constitution itself in the same breath as Congress’s ability to levy taxes, are rendered moot on imperial whim?


4 posted on 06/07/2009 5:48:07 PM PDT by jiggyboy (Ten per cent of poll respondents are either lying or insane)
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To: jiggyboy

Yes, we have basically become a banana republic.


5 posted on 06/07/2009 5:50:59 PM PDT by Pride_of_the_Bluegrass
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To: Pride_of_the_Bluegrass
Anyone who thinks the terms written on a sheet of paper are their security when making a loan is a fool who doesn't know the first thing about banking.

Is the person or entity you are lending to honest? First question, if the answer is no, stop immediately. Nothing on earth can make a loan to a dishonest deadbeat sound. No terms, no collateral, no legal environment, nothing.

6 posted on 06/07/2009 6:09:14 PM PDT by JasonC
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To: JasonC

When the Black Letter Law becomes mute nothing is safe from this Administration. I can’t see how the GM and Chrysler can withstand a SC challenge. All bonds holders will be watching very closely.


7 posted on 06/07/2009 6:29:45 PM PDT by Orange1998
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To: Pride_of_the_Bluegrass

Presidential blood


8 posted on 06/07/2009 6:31:19 PM PDT by bert (K.E. N.P. +12 . The boy's war in Detriot has already cost more then the war in Iraq.)
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To: Pride_of_the_Bluegrass

And all I got was this lousy Che T-shirt! ha.

WHO in their right mind would want to invest in any US assets or companies?? I might as well invest in Russia, ha!

that Nigerian scam is not sounding so silly now, I probably would come out ahead of GM.


9 posted on 06/07/2009 6:33:30 PM PDT by Recovering Ex-hippie
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To: bert

A certified copy of President Zero’s real long form birth certificate from Kenya.

Jack


10 posted on 06/07/2009 6:33:51 PM PDT by JackOfVA
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To: Orange1998

.......I can’t see how the GM and Chrysler can withstand a SC challenge. All bonds holders will be watching very closely.......

I can’t either. I f SCOTUS punts it, it’s all over except for the revolution.


11 posted on 06/07/2009 6:34:08 PM PDT by bert (K.E. N.P. +12 . The boy's war in Detriot has already cost more then the war in Iraq.)
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To: Pride_of_the_Bluegrass

International escrow.


12 posted on 06/07/2009 6:36:26 PM PDT by The Duke (I have met the enemy, and he is named 'Apathy'!)
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To: bert

WASHINGTON — Opponents of Chrysler’s sale to Fiat are asking the Supreme Court to block the deal.

Three Indiana state pension and construction funds filed emergency papers at the high court early today to put the sale on hold so they can pursue an appeal.

The federal appeals court in New York approved the sale Friday, but gave objectors until Monday afternoon to try to get the Supreme Court to intervene. Chrysler wants to sell the bulk of its assets to a group led by Italy’s Fiat as part of its plan to emerge from bankruptcy protection.

The emergency request goes first to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who handles such matters from New York. She can act on her own or refer it to the entire court.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/121765/group//


13 posted on 06/07/2009 6:43:21 PM PDT by Orange1998
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To: Pride_of_the_Bluegrass

You have the U.S. government covenant not to interfere with the other terms, then have the President and Attorney General sign off on it.


14 posted on 06/07/2009 6:47:55 PM PDT by elkfersupper (Member of the Original Defiant Class)
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To: elkfersupper

How would that help if the signatures were Bush’s cabinet?


15 posted on 06/07/2009 7:06:16 PM PDT by expatpat
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To: Orange1998
I'm a bond holder and I couldn't care less.

I don't lend to deadbeats. The auto companies were transparent crooks stealing for the unions, for decades.

Black letter anything has nothing to do with it, nor politics. It is mere banking principle.

"I man I don't trust could not get a dime from me on all the bonds in Christendom" - JP Morgan

16 posted on 06/07/2009 8:11:04 PM PDT by JasonC
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To: JasonC

The Unions are receiving better treatment than Creditors. Why should bondholders be treated less than retirees and Unions. Better yet, why should I invest in bonds if they are not protected by law.


17 posted on 06/07/2009 8:40:04 PM PDT by Orange1998
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To: Orange1998
You shouldn't invest in auto company bonds yielding 25-40% precisely because everyone on earth knows they are about to default.

You shouldn't lend to notorious criminals.

If you find these concepts difficult, maybe you should consider knitting as a hobby, instead of finance.

18 posted on 06/07/2009 9:26:12 PM PDT by JasonC
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To: Pride_of_the_Bluegrass

“What New Bond Covenants Would You Demand”

That my martinis be stirred, not shaken.


19 posted on 06/07/2009 9:30:12 PM PDT by decal ("Never allow a nervous female to have access to a pistol, no matter what you're wearing.")
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To: JasonC

I was referring to original bondholders who expected conservative investment returns when issued bonds. I said nothing about the secondary market for bonds. Only a fool will buy into investments expecting 30-40% pawnshop returns. You said you own some of them bonds, and you say I should stick with knitting as a hobby. I never bought the bonds but I do pity the owners.


20 posted on 06/08/2009 6:49:26 AM PDT by Orange1998
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