This time in the euro debt crisis, the IMF will come bearing gifts for the Greeks

Guardian UK ^ | 22 May 2016

[Lorianne]

Greece’s predicament is simple. It has debt repayments to make this summer and it doesn’t have the money to pay the bills. The European Union can solve this acute cashflow problem by unlocking the funds pledged to Greece under the terms of last summer’s bailout agreement, but it will only do so if Athens demonstrates that it is serious about sorting out its budget. Austerity today will lead to generosity from EU finance ministers when they meet on Tuesday.

Here’s where things get interesting. The difference between this Sunday and all the other tension-packed Sundays that have studded the Greek crisis over the past six and a half years is that, this time, the battle is not between Greece and the “troika” of the European commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Instead, there is a face-off between Europe and the IMF.

The Europeans badly want the fund to be part of Greece’s bailout and to contribute money to it. But Christine Lagarde, the IMF’s managing director, says her support is conditional on two things: a credible deficit reduction plan and a decent slug of debt relief.

[Yollopoliuhqui]

The IMF is evil and needs to be wrecked. Watch this video interview of the author of “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man”

[cloudmountain]

Are the Greeks like the USA’s “south of the border” problem for Europe?

[BenLurkin]

Slap the Muslim “refugees” in chains and sell them to the Saudis as serving staff.

[kingu]

Nahh, liberalism gone wild. Pensions for everyone (we'll pay for them later), cradle to grave health care (of course, rich people can just get real health care rather than waiting in line like a peon), and anyone with money is smart enough not to bother giving it to the government who will just waste it, so tax evasion is massive.

Mexico is well organized by comparison (oh, and does have natural resources as well as nearly 8 million of their citizens in the US earning money and sending it home.)

[Lorianne]

Yes I’ve seen that. Everyone should read the book.

[Yollopoliuhqui]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-a6jzU0YgQ

[TruthInThoughtWordAndDeed]

Also known as “handcuffs”

[cloudmountain]

Too bad Mexico, like all the rest of the countries south of our border, is run (banks, military, politics, land) by a few indecently wealthy families. I guess THEY know best how to keep their fiefdom "well organized."
Who do you think owns all those "natural resources"?

I lived in Mexico City for two years. I gave it up and came home because of the FOUR "p's": corruption in POLITICS, the POLICIA and because of the grinding poverty I saw there and the horrific air pollution. Yes, the pollution IS better, even better than Los Angeles, but it's still horrific by many standards.

It made me appreciate my own homeland like I never did before.

[cloudmountain]

Slap the Muslim “refugees” in chains and sell them to the Saudis as serving staff.

The Saudis give out NO visitor visas except to close family members. Cruise visitors on the Red Sea visit only for the day. NOT a good thing to get "stuck" there.

Slavery is illegal as of 1968. :o)
Serving staff are brought in only by Saudis and they are mostly Pakistanis, being Muslim, and Filippinos, being so very, very desperate because of the corruption in their own country.

All other Muslims may only visit during Haj.
Besides, NO ONE, in his right mind, would EVER want to visit there as there is NOTHING to see but sand, sand and more sand...and many, many gold souks.