Irish bailout is crime against the Irish people and is stupid and useless anyhow

Washington Blog makes a good review of the latest that economists have to say on the criminal Irish bailout / debt trap for the Irish people:

Paul Krugman wrote yesterday:

These debts were incurred, not to pay for public programs, but by private wheeler-dealers seeking nothing but their own profit. Yet ordinary Irish citizens are now bearing the burden of those debts.

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Punishing the populace for the bankers’ sins is worse than a crime; it’s a mistake.

Mike Whitney noted yesterday:

Don't believe the hype about European unity or saving Ireland. My ass. This is about bailing out the banks. The bondholders get a free ride while workers get kicked to the curb.

And Mish pointed out last week:

Today the Irish Government sold its citizens into debt slavery by agreeing to guarantee stupid loans made by German, British, and US banks.

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Why the average Irish citizen should have to bail out foreign bondholders is beyond me, but I do note that the same happened in the US with taxpayers footing an enormous bill for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and AIG.