John H. Cochrane

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Last Chance to Save the Euro

Wall Street Journal (WSJ link, requires subscription.) The ECB is buying PIGS sovereign debt, and lending massively to banks who are buying sovereign debt, taking same debt as collateral. Current proposals essentially expand this bond buying a lot, but with smoke and mirrors so you don't see it. When defaults come, Germany will either have to pour euros into the ECB, validating the fait-accompli bailout, or watch the euro inflate. Everyone thinks that the euro can't survive sovereign default. No, allowing sovereign default is the way to preserve the euro.

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