IMF to help U.S.? Did anyone just hear the discussion re IMF on NPR?

[peacetalksforall]

Said the IMF just met at the U of Virginia to discuss giving the U.S. money = it was a review to look at weak spots, admits to political sensitivity, in part to figure out what the repercussions will be to the countries we contribute to - news byte included a recorded message from SNOW - former Secretary of Treas who says no receiving the money - says IMF does not have any particular expertise for doing this. He then scurried away from the journalist who must have stopped him on the street someplace?)

Sorry, I was half listening until it seemed too unique to pass by.

I could find nothing in a DU search and nothing comes out on the top at Google. I think they said the meeting was this weekend in the Jefferson Rotunda at the U of V.

[lutherj]

1. Here come the disaster capitalists. n/t

[JackRiddler]

2. No, not money.

Won't happen that the IMF lends money to US, which after all finances 25% of the bank. The mere symbolism of it would cause an overnight dollar meltdown, and anyway, even IMF has only peanuts in comparison to US debt. A bailout of the US itself can only come from bankers in the Andromeda galaxy. Not on this planet.

The NPR piece, which I also heard, was about having the IMF do an assessment. I.e., to helpfully apply the same neoliberal audit and recommend the same IMF austerity measures to the US economy that have already wreaked such havoc and claimed so many victims around the world.

[Native]

3. Yeah - they called it a financial "check-up" . . .

the foreign finance ministers were recommending this action. NPR contacted the Treas. Dept. and were told that they'd already initiated this process with the IMF.

[Sal Minella]

4. Snow said he couldn't see how "another 15 Ph.D.s looking at the problem would help."

Well, heck -- couldn't hurt, could it?
The U.S. Ph.D.s don't seem to be doing so hot, here.

[JackRiddler]

5. Oh, if it's the IMF it always hurts.

World Bank is the heroin peddler, IMF is the loan shark that breaks the junkie's legs.

What these guys are going to say is already totally predictable:

- cut government share of GDP

- cut taxes, especially on international capital flows

- cut "entitlements"

- privatize everything

- less tarriffs, less regulation on international capital flows

- sell country off

- maybe: sell military services to highest bidder

It's a good bet at least they'll oppose further subsidies for the ethanol scam.

[JackRiddler]

6. kick

[Runcible Spoon]

8. "World Bank is the heroin peddler, IMF is the loan shark that breaks the junkie's legs."

A. FUCKING. MEN.

[Overseas]

12. Kick ! Well said.

I heard that NPR story too. Appeal to the grand IMF. Yet another way to slam us with more Republicanism. We've been slammed enough already.

[Odin2005]

7. "IMF" and "help" do not belong in the same sentence.

IMF = The Corporatist Globalists.

[mmonk]

9. Shock Doctrine.

[mwooldri]

10. hahahahahahha Bush call in the IMF.... hahahahahah

Admittedly when Britain called in the IMF in 1976, three years later we got Thatcher.

If Bush calls in the IMF will we get Obama?

Mark.

[onethatcares]

11. thatcher wasn't very good for the Brit citizens either.

I'm leaning more to here come the economic shocks, the government will be shedding jobs next, then the shit really hits the fan.