Comments on: The G8 Meeting This Weekend (A Viewer’s Guide)

By: M.G. in Progress

M.G. in Progress — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 10:35:06 +0000

As Italy is leading next G8, it would be interesting to know more and in detail about its proposals, apart from showing earthquake sites having moved the summit venue to the Abruzzo region from previously agreed place.
We read that the Italian G8 Presidency plans to put forward a proposal for the establishment of an international ethical legal standard with which all countries will be bound to comply. I would be a bit suspicious of a standard which comes from Berlusconi’s government and Italian parliamnt which has a number of parliamentarians with legal cases, let alon ethical problems.

By: Kfritz

Kfritz — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 10:23:02 +0000

As I recall my history, after the Napoleonic Wars, Count Metternich and his cohorts attempted to reconstruct pre-Napoleonic Europe. Since history moved slower at the time than it does now, their efforts didn’t unravel totally until 1848.

By comparison, our international economy moves at near warp speed. If Mr. Johnson and the other critics of their efforts are correct, the efforts of the G-Whatever Ministers of Finance will unravel much quicker.

Both groups would have done well to remember the nursery rhyme of most English speaking childhoods:

“All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.”

By: M.G. in Progress

M.G. in Progress — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:30:21 +0000

Is Italy fit to lead G8?

Do Italians deserve this?
http://mgiannini.blogspot.com/2009/06/do-italian-deserve-this.html

By: Bayard

Bayard — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:50:48 +0000

Isn’t real reform a joke told in the back rooms of Congress and the White House. We need most to reinstate something closely akin to Glass-Steagle, which is highly improbable. It seems that only Elizabeth Warren of the knowledgable wonks is willing to stand up these days. And, the G8 will not agree on anything substantial, because the financial oligarchy is truly international, making all real reform impossible. Love you Simon — keep talking and thinking, but with no real expectations.

By: eric

eric — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:57:04 +0000

“…all we’ll hear is self-congratulation”

When things go right (although things aren’t going right, the situation has the appearance of disaster averted, for the present) they will take credit.

When things start falling apart again, they’ll be all, “No one could have seen this coming.” Or the classic, “We inherited this mess.”

In the immortal words of my US Senator, Charles Grassley, I would be pleased if they would bow, publicly apologize, resign, and then… well, you know, what they used to do in Japan. Very messy, but honorable.

By: Paladin

Paladin — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:13:50 +0000

Well as they prepare for their meeting, they should review how the world “got played” by the oligarchs of Wall Street….
http://www.thesanitycheck.com/BobsSanityCheckBlog/tabid/56/EntryID/781/Default.aspx

By: Min

Min — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:40:10 +0000

“But if you put incrementalism together with refusing to really change the rules for banks and huge, unconditional support for credit that is hard to withdraw, what do you get?”

Another day older and deeper in debt? (From the song, “16 tons”)

By: Tippy Golden

Tippy Golden — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:44:05 +0000

Hat tip to Kafka for a brilliant alliteration.

“Regulation Not Revolution ! We want more red tape !”

— chanted the surly picket-waving crowd.