Not Good Advice

Published in Bild
(Germany) on 13 September 2011
by Jan W. Schäfer (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Jacqueline Audet. Edited by Alyssa Goulding.
It is an enormous sum: With an equivalent of more than 300 billion euros, Barack Obama wants to help the debilitated U.S. economy get back on its feet again — and secure his re-election in the process.

The U.S. president wants to finance his recovery plan with new national debt — and offers us Europeans a piece of advice: Do exactly the same thing.

Sorry, Mr. President! But this recipe hasn’t worked for you!

Instead, the U.S. has become the world’s largest debtor, groaning under the interest rates.

This kind of policy takes its revenge — always. Greece, for example, reminds us that even bankruptcy can no longer be ruled out.

Thus there can only be one approach for the governments in Europe and the U.S.: They have to pinch their pennies.

This is why the largest debtor in the world should not be giving Europeans advice on the subject. Instead, they should get their own house in order.


Es ist ein gigantischer Betrag: Mit umgerechnet mehr als 300 Milliarden Euro will Barack Obama der lahmenden US-Wirtschaft wieder auf die Beine helfen – und nebenbei seine Wiederwahl sichern.

Der US-Präsident will sein Konjunkturprogramm über neue Staatsschulden finanzieren – und rät uns Europäern: Macht es doch genauso.

Sorry, Mr. President! Aber dieses Rezept hat doch bei Ihnen nicht gegriffen!
Stattdessen ist die USA zum größten Schuldner der Welt geworden und ächzt unter der Zinslast.

Diese Politik rächt sich – immer. Das Beispiel Griechenland zeigt: Selbst ein Zusammenbruch ist dann nicht mehr ausgeschlossen.

Für die Regierungen in Europa und den USA kann es daher nur einen Weg geben: Sie müssen eisern sparen.

Der größte Schuldenmacher der Welt sollte deshalb den Europäern in dieser Frage keine Ratschläge geben. Sondern lieber im eigenen Haus Ordnung schaffen.
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