Is Spain the next domino to fall if Italy goes? No, it will be the whole world

[xchrom]

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/english/Is/Spain/the/next/domino/to/fall/if/Italy/goes/it/will/elpepueng/20111110elpeng_11/Ten

"It is the end of a nightmare," says the writer Umberto Eco about Silvio Berlusconi's departure. But it is not the only solution to the Italian problem. In fact, it could be the beginning of a worse nightmare.

Why did Italy reach the point of no return? Didn't the European Union have a definitive solution? Who will be next? Will the euro disappear forever?

In other words, what is happening?

"Spaghetti Western." The markets have made it clear: if Berlusconi did not go, there would be disaster. His vague resignation is not the real answer either, but at least it gives the Italians some breathing room to look for better solutions. Despite what was said at the last EU summit, there isn't enough money now in the European rescue plan for a Roman bailout. Only the ECB, using its power and flexing some muscle, can help prevent Italy from going bankrupt if things don't calm down by the departure of Berlusconi. The contagion effects of an Italian crisis would be 15 times more catastrophic than Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy.

Size does matter. Italy is the seventh largest economy in the world and the third biggest in Europe. It is also the third largest public debt market with some 2 billion euros held by nervous investors. If Italy goes ? with its 10-year bonds financed at 7 percent ? the next to fall would be the world economy. The global financial system is incapable of resisting this Spaghetti Western with such a dramatic ending. And it appears that the fuse has already been lit. Only a few days ago, MF Global announced that it was declaring bankruptcy mainly because of the European debt crisis. Another gigantic fund, Jefferies, announced that it was getting rid of half of its euro-zone bonds. The markets have already begun to vaccinate themselves to prevent contagion: euro zone debt has been stigmatized.

[JDPriestly]

1. Why are the same folks who caused this still running Wall Street?

And why are they blaming Main Street and Congress for the mess they caused?

Hey! To prove guilt, you have to at least prove means and motive.

Wall Street and the Chicago Commodities Market as well as the banks in London are the only institutions that had the means to do this. And they are the only ones big enough, greedy enough and stupid enough to try to pull a heist this big.

You guys are caught with your hands in the cookie jar. Stop fighting it. You are just prolonging the pain.

Accept regulation and pay damages commensurate with the damages you caused then GO TO TRIAL AND DEFEND YOURSELVES LIKE MEN for your personal culpability.

Stop squealing like babies and blaming everyone else and calling for your mommy, the US taxpayers.

[marmar]

2. C'est vrai.

nt

[vi5]

3. So does this mean that the Italian government...

..made banks lend money to poor people so they can buy houses as well? I mean, you know...since that's what caused our crash I'm guessing that must have been what happened over there as well.

[bvar22]

4. They just need to:

give more Tax Cuts to The Rich,

Triple their Military Spending,

Subsidize their richest Corporations,

Privatize their Public School System and call it "Charter" Schools,

and Force everyone to BUY Health Insurance from For Profit Insurance Corporations.



THAT should fix up everything nicely.


Solidarity99!
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