"Austerity" now a dirty word in Europe

@Finn dAbuzz,

Finn dAbuzz wrote:

When my brother and I were kids, "bedtime" was a dirty word too.

Fortunately for our health and well being, throwing tantrums at bedtime didn't put off the inevitable, and we didn't have the option of voting in new parents who were willing to indulge our self-destructive impulses with Keynesian theories of child raising.

Pretty funny that you can't see that the current Austerity is far more destructive to these societies than the alternative.

It is producing very little in real budget savings, it isn't protecting their bond ratings, and it causes unemployment to spike - big-time. That's a massive and immediate problem for these societies, one that austerity provides no solution for whatsoever - and one that the proponents of austerity don't want to discuss.

Cycloptichorn

3 Replies

@Cycloptichorn,

But, but, but... metaphors!

Everyone knows that an economy policy is exactly like making children obey rules.

1 Reply

@Cycloptichorn,

My goal in life is to amuse you, and so I am content for the moment.

1 Reply

@DrewDad,

Apparently you don't appreciate metaphors.

I'm not surprised.

1 Reply

@Finn dAbuzz,

Finn dAbuzz wrote:

My goal in life is to amuse you, and so I am content for the moment.

I get double amused every time you retreat from the challenge of discussing factual errors and inconsistencies with your narratives, which are usually overly simplistic and poorly conceived.

Now we're both happy!

Cycloptichorn

1 Reply

@Cycloptichorn,

What I find endlessly amusing is that you insist that your opinions are facts that must be countered.

1 Reply

The credit rating agencies mentioned in the article LA posted on page one--S&P, Fitch and Moody's--all have said that too strict an austerity regime will hinder the economic recovery needed to overcome the debt crisis. But hey, they're probably just offering their opinions rather than facts.

Quote:

Les agences de notation se sont préoccupées à plusieurs reprises du dérapage des finances publiques des pays de la zone euro, tout en soulignant que des mesures budgétaires trop restrictives étaient de nature à affaiblir la croissance, elle-même jugée indispensable à la diminution des déficits et de la dette. (emphasis added)

1 Reply

@Setanta,

So when the rating agencies fail to downgrade such financial time bombs as AIG they are corrupt tools of Wall Street but when they support your opinion they are the dispensers of "facts."

Since when have the rating agencies rendered anything but opinions?

Whether or not these opinions are factually reasonable is always a subject of debate but they have never been the end all of any question.

1 Reply

@Finn dAbuzz,

Finn dAbuzz wrote:

So when the rating agencies fail to downgrade such financial time bombs as AIG they are corrupt tools of Wall Street but when they support your opinion they are the dispensers of "facts."

That was your opinion? (It certainly was never mine, express or implicit.) You're a bigger loon than i thought you were, and that's saying a lot!

1 Reply

@Setanta,

Quote:

But hey, they're probably just offering their opinions rather than facts

My bad, I thought this was snarky.

1 Reply

@Finn dAbuzz,

Finn dAbuzz wrote:

What I find endlessly amusing is that you insist that your opinions are facts that must be countered.

It's not an opinion, but instead a fact, that Austerity leads to higher unemployment and has not lead to lower deficits or less borrowing for the countries involved; cratering your tax base through actions which spike unemployment tends to do that, yaknow.

Cycloptichorn

2 Replies

@Cycloptichorn,

A comment by Cyclo is now "a fact."

Remarkable.

1 Reply

@Finn dAbuzz,

No, Finn . . . i'll go slowly for you here. The credit rating agencies, even though they may not always be right, offer opinions based on expertise in financial matters. That's something i don't expect from you, and have never seen any evidence that you possess such expertise. In fact, one wonders, if you are so financially savvy, why you aren't out making yourself a multi-millionaire in the international bond markets.

1 Reply

@Setanta,

lol agreed
but this is just away from the rich to take more money away from the poor....

0 Replies

@Finn dAbuzz,

Finn dAbuzz wrote:

Apparently you don't appreciate metaphors.

I appreciate well-constructed metaphors.

I'll let you know when you submit one that qualifies.

1 Reply

@Cycloptichorn,

Hey, let's see what happens when the spoiled brats in Europe insist that their governments spend more then they can take in to maintain their easy lives.

The French are about to go on a spending spree, which leaves Germany to prop up the entire Euro house of cards.

That will not last.

If they think "austerity" is a dirty word now, what will they think and do when their governments have no one to rely upon?

This is the sad state of the West:

"We want more for doing less and if our governments can't make it work, we'll vote them out or riot."

Unfortunatley a fool like you is paving the way for it to happen here.

"Common sense is nonsense because liberal economics have found a way to give everyone everything they want without actual cost! All hail Keyne and Krugman!"

My greatest hope is that future historians will never be describing how assholes like you tanked the West.

2 Replies

@DrewDad,

I suspect it will have to conform with your opinion.

0 Replies

@Setanta,

Let's go real slow for you...

You...don't...know...what...you...are...talking...about.

0 Replies

@Finn dAbuzz,

Finn dAbuzz wrote:

Hey, let's see what happens when the spoiled brats in Europe insist that their governments spend more then they can take in to maintain their easy lives.

Who are those "spoiled brats" in Europe, Finn? You mentioned France and Germany - are those the only? All 27 EU-member states? All 50 sovereign European countries?

1 Reply

@Walter Hinteler,

That's easy to answer Walter.

Nationally - Those who expect the rest of Europe to pay for a way of life their nation cannot afford.

Individually - Those who expect their governments to pay for a way of life their fellow citizens cannot afford.

Not Germany of course, but how long will the Germans want to pay for the profligate Greeks, Spanish, Portugese etc?

I appreciate how generous the German heart is, but surely it has it's limits.

1 Reply

"Austerity" now a dirty word in Europe

Related Topics

Quick Links

My Account

able2know