Portugal goes bust.

[Siege]

They're an eggplant people who don't even speak correct Spanish.  Fuck 'em.

Hah, for once you got it right!

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Long before Spain, we have to look at Belgium - 375 billion euro in debt and NO government to control its debt, even after 280 days after the election. If the local politicians don't get their act together, that country will collapse before the end of the year.

Most debt in Belgium is in hands of Belgians. And if Belgium goes down it will not be because of debt. As for governments: we have 6, 5 are still working.

[Eddie Teach]

They're an eggplant people who don't even speak correct Spanish.  Fuck 'em.

Hah, for once you got it right!

Do you still speak your ancestral tongue? :smiliewearingsombrero:

[Duque de Bragança]

At least you still got football... well, I don't know if anyone actually watches the Euro League, but still!

Better watch that than Socrates' posturing.

[Iormlund]

Do you still speak your ancestral tongue? :smiliewearingsombrero:

I'm guessing Ladino, a Spanish derivative spoken by the descendants of exiled Jews.

[Martim Silva]

They're an eggplant people who don't even speak correct Spanish.  Fuck 'em.

That's ok, we'll just take your tax dollars [part of the US contribution to the IMF loan] and give them away in subsidies so that more eggplants can have nice vacations. 

In fact, I would like to thank almost all of Languish for having become net donators to Portugal. This is a great system we got going here.

Most debt in Belgium is in hands of Belgians. And if Belgium goes down it will not be because of debt. As for governments: we have 6, 5 are still working.

For "working" one means "with the legitimacy to cut the budget", which your current government does not have. Also, your lovely banks ran up debts equal to 340% of your national GDP, are heavily exposed to PIGS debt and your State offers generous bank guarantees.

Unless you cut your debt dramatically to about 4.7% of GDP in the rather short term (very doubtful), the ratings agencies already warned that they'll start cutting your rating. Since Belgium needs to refinance a good chunk of its debt this year and the next, rising rates will wreck the budget in all possible manners.

Current estimates put a Belgian bailout at 175 billion euro - more than Ireland and Portugal combined.

Nice going for such level-headed folks (aka irresponsible bankers and ethnic-clashing loonies)

[Admiral Yi]

Actually, IMF loans are a delegated expansion of the international money supply, not funds from member state treasuries.

[KRonn]

That's ok, we'll just take your tax dollars [part of the US contribution to the IMF loan] and give them away in subsidies so that more eggplants can have nice vacations. 

In fact, I would like to thank almost all of Languish for having become net donators to Portugal. This is a great system we got going here.

Like I said earlier in this thread, the US will loan you money, borrowed from other people! Maybe even borrowed from Portugal!   

[Zanza2]

Germany has already set foot here and said: "Mine!".

[Ideologue]

So, what you're saying is, in Portugal, I'd be considered industrious.  Interesting.

I'd like to offer my services as a cruel despot.

[Martim Silva]

Like I said earlier in this thread, the US will loan you money, borrowed from other people! Maybe even borrowed from Portugal!   

Taking into account that 70% of US debt is owned by the Fed, I suspect the US is using money borrowed from itself...

Odd that you post that. 

Germany has been busting its ass off to help us. German delegations have been here almost nonstop, and we've been going to Germany on a very regular basis. It is accepted by all the German parties (bar the Die Linke and some Greens) that Germany has to take all necessary steps to prevent the break-up of the eurozone, and that no effort should be spared to do so. This especially includes major efforts to make the southern european nations have better governance, something seen by most parties as only being achievable through German overshight [since the European Commission is run by a Portuguese].

Also, one of the most enthusiastic parties about this notion is the FDP, which I believe is the party you vote for [though both the CDU and the SPD also agree]

So, what you're saying is, in Portugal, I'd be considered industrious.  Interesting.

Quite possibly; that is not hard at all. What is your work ethic? (Honest question. I genuinely don't know)

[Ideologue]

Less than it ought to be, but enough to get things done.

Do Portuguese really dislike the French?  For what?  The Napoleonic Wars?

[Zanza2]

It is accepted by all the German parties (bar the Die Linke and some Greens) that Germany has to take all necessary steps to prevent the break-up of the eurozone, and that no effort should be spared to do so.

Oh, for sure. We are willing to put in whatever amount of blood, toil, sweat and tears of the Portuguese, Greek and Irish it takes to prevent the break-up.

This especially includes major efforts to make the southern european nations have better governance, something seen by most parties as only being achievable through German overshight [since the European Commission is run by a Portuguese].

We must make sure that your public continues paying for our private bank bailouts of course. There is nothing the Portuguese have to gain from austerity after all. And the alternative would be to let our own tax payers pay for bank bailouts. If the debt is restructured eventually, which is quite likely, it will be our public that will get shafted anyway. But until that happens, we will milk you for all you've got. And while we are at it, we shall violate your sovereignity and dictate a few new policies. 

Also, one of the most enthusiastic parties about this notion is the FDP, which I believe is the party you vote for [though both the CDU and the SPD also agree]

The FDP is a joke nowadays and I regret having voted for them in the last federal election. Too bad they are still closest to my political beliefs and there is no more credible party like this.

[Neil]

Actually, IMF loans are a delegated expansion of the international money supply, not funds from member state treasuries.

You'd think he would have picked that up during his casual dinner with the ambassador's private banker.

[Admiral Yi]

Read a couple articles today in the FT in which they described Corkistan's Social Democrats as a center-right party, so maybe Martim is not quite as nutty as believed.