General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSerious questions for DUers
If you had the opportunity to attend a lecture by a Multilateral Lending Agency Head with questions and answers
1) Would you attend?
2) If you would attend, what question would you ask him/her?
PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)Boom Sound 416
(4,185 posts)malaise
(269,157 posts)Boom Sound 416
(4,185 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)2) what lessons has your organization learned from its mistakes over the past few decades, especially with regard to the negative effect of austerity on gross productivity as well as human welfare?
malaise
(269,157 posts)here in Jamaica, I don't see how that question even makes sense which is why I'm inclined to stay home.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)2. "Since the Cato Institute has called for the government to stop funding the IMF and other multilateral lending agencies, and that they should be privatized, how much additional government funding do you need?"
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)johnp3907
(3,732 posts)Renew Deal
(81,871 posts)malaise
(269,157 posts)since there are two very good cooks right here.
No doubt there will be loads of finger food (which we rarely touch)
panader0
(25,816 posts)My oldest friend's big sister worked most of her life (now retired) for the World Bank, lived in Switzerland. She was quite liberal, a Peace Corp worker.
I would ask about debt forgiveness. I don't know much about economics, but I know that some countries can't even pay the interest on their loans. Forgive all debt and start over.
malaise
(269,157 posts)there will be no open bar
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)if this is the IMF I would ask about their stance on free trade given that FT has had very negative effects and they have known this for a couple decades?
World Bank. I would ask about their recent change of heart away from Austrian\ Chicago boys economics and how they intend to move away from austerity given that heads of governments, such as Merket, are still running on ideology?
Those are specifically crafted to each... why I would need the actual NGO or Multilateral body at play here.
malaise
(269,157 posts)Christine Lagarde
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)hit her hard with Austrian school and how to move away from that, and how to stimulate world markets. Also hit her hard on TISA and TTP, and how globalization is hollowing out advanced economies, which means the developing world is coming next. Also. this is way too much inside baseball, but when is China going to face the music at GATT over their manipulation of the Yuan?
malaise
(269,157 posts)If you understood what those policies have done to us with devaluation, inflation, cost of living, lack of jobs - she's coming to tell us how great it is that austerity is killing our country.
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)in the EU. So I would push for that. Give me ten minutes and I will find the words you can choke her with
nadinbrzezinski
(154,021 posts)malaise
(269,157 posts)I know her view on austerity in Europe. Here they insist our government changes the laws to tie their hands re spending for development.
SummerSnow
(12,608 posts)which agencies are we getting funding from (domestic or International, ) and what are we developing? What type of borrowers are we dealing with , low income govts, middle income govts, high income govts and which govts have good credit. In regards to this, which ones are we targeting?And how involved is Congress with our activities.
Octafish
(55,745 posts)By Michael Nevradakis, Truthout | Interview
Friday, 09 August 2013 00:00
EXCERPT...
In his critique of privatization programs, Palast referenced Joseph Stiglitz, the Nobel Prize-winning economist who had been the World Bank's chief economist prior to being fired for expressing dissent against its policies. " Stiglitz) called privatization 'briberization' because ... when we talk about privatization, we talk about a couple of guys who are close to the government in Greece, who are close to the German government, and they pick up the properties for next to nothing."
One of the biggest controversies in Greece over the past year has involved the Skouries gold mine. Originally transferred to private hands by the Greek state in 2004 for the paltry sum of 11 million euros, the mine has since come into the possession of the Canadian company Eldorado Gold, which has commenced mining activities. This has resulted in a vociferous grassroots movement, protesting the mine on both economic and environmental grounds. According to Palast, companies like Eldorado Gold prey on vulnerable countries.
"What they do is, they wait for the moment where a nation is really weak and on its back, and has to give away its gold. Tanzania sold its gold mines for nothing under IMF pressure to Barrick Gold. They've made billions and billions and billions."
"Let's not kid ourselves," added Palast. "Nobody gets a gold mine without making a payoff to the powers that be. That's just how it is ... they're not privatizing, they're stealing your gold."
CONTINUED...
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/18069-why-are-the-greek-people-agreeing-to-their-own-destruction
malaise
(269,157 posts)There is nothing she can say that I haven't heard before and I expect nothing more than a canned answer.
Stiglitz told them what was coming in 2008 and they laughed him to scorn.
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)That's my bondage evening.
malaise
(269,157 posts)Have one
MineralMan
(146,329 posts)Warpy
(111,339 posts)Unfortunately, many agency heads don't do any of the day to day work, nor do they micromanage it. They assign people, work on budgets with the financial people, and do the meet & greet work.
greatauntoftriplets
(175,749 posts)I'd ask what they hoped to accomplish with credit default swaps.
malaise
(269,157 posts)A good friend called me a few minutes ago - we've all decided to pass.
He says it's not just that we'll come away angry but the parking changes and security madness isn't worth it.
Way back in 1978/79 we 'postered' up the campus against the IMF. I remember one of the posters - IMF - there's got to be a better way.
sgtbenobo
(327 posts)The question I would like someone to ask would be.
"When are you people going to stop making shit up?"
nite.
They'd probably escort me outside
It will be recorded - it might even be covered live - I'll see the lecture and the questions.