Monday, May 03, 2010

Who is getting bailed out?

It looks like the Euro-Zone / IMF bailout is on track to prevent a Greek default on their sovereign debt. I have a lot of doubts and questions over this. But here is a quick one.

Who exactly is getting bailed out? Hint: It aint Greece.

Greece will see very little of this money. More than 90% of Greece's debt is held by foreign... yep you guessed it... BANKS.

Call it what you will, this is in reality just another giant bank bailout to the tune of more than $100 billion USD. In this case it's mostly European banks of course. Greece is just the middleman. I'm not sure they will even get to feel the money on its way to the vaults of Zurich. And of course it's Germany and a handful of other countries that are stepping up with the cash. But what does it solve?

As far as I can tell, nothing. Greece is still broke . They are promising draconian austerity, about which I am dubious, and that they will get tough on tax evasion, which I find simply laughable.

So what are we left with? Another massive bailout of banks by tax payers in an effort to prop up a zombie country that was broke yesterday, is still broke today and I am willing to bet more money than I have will still be broke three years from now. When and where does this end? How much money can the EU (or the Congress here in the USA) shell out to prop up bankrupt institutions whether countries, states, or private corporations? Is there any risk left in capitalism? Or do banks and other giant mega corps get to make multi-billion dollar wagers forever, secure in the knowledge that if they win they will reap staggering private profits, and if their bet fails to pay off the tax payers can be called on to cover their losses?

It's as if someone has turned a bunch of compulsive gamblers loose in Vegas with the national credit card.

1 comment:

Visibilium said...

Greece hired Goldman to kick the can down the road. A debtor paying a creditor isn't a bailout.