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WATER ABLAZE - Patagonia Sin Represas

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solely from its trade in derivatives, but also from highly risky Cross<br />

Border Leasing deals, in other words, bogus tax-evading transactions<br />

which politicians were talked into after being reassured that these<br />

were low-risk deals which would “rescue the municipal budget”. We<br />

now find ourselves in a regulatory cul-de-sac because no-one knows<br />

just who exactly is “entitled” to the billions in question. The banks<br />

perhaps, since they were the ones who gambled away the money Or<br />

perhaps the car manufacturers, too, who have as yet failed to develop<br />

fuel-efficient vehicles or produce electric cars on a widespread scale and<br />

who are consequently experiencing a fall in orders. Or even department<br />

store chains What convincing arguments are there anyway in favour<br />

of pouring these financial blessings exclusively on the heads of the<br />

really big fish and not allowing smaller businesses to cash in as well<br />

Or perhaps only the latter should benefit, since they are the ones who<br />

are more likely to provide jobs in the future and safeguard our net<br />

product In any case, politicians have apparently not yet altered their<br />

way of thinking, but seem intent on pursuing their present course of<br />

action undeterred … What we desperately need now, however, is the<br />

introduction of relatively simple, clear-cut measures. People must be<br />

informed about the activities of individual banks and know which ones<br />

are gambling and where they, as customers, stand to lose everything.<br />

State-owned banks should certainly not be gambling with our money.<br />

What possible reason could these banks have for participating in<br />

international speculation, sham transactions or tax-evading deals such<br />

as CBL etc. Taxpayers are finding it difficult to comprehend why their<br />

money is being used to pay for the billions of euros frittered away by<br />

the banks. It is equally absurd that public funds are being ventured in<br />

speculative investments, a process completely and utterly irreconcilable<br />

with sound local government budgeting.<br />

The financial crisis has brought to light another aspect relevant<br />

to the topic of this book. <strong>Sin</strong>ce the 1970s, the volume of money in<br />

circulation does not have to be underpinned by a corresponding<br />

amount of gold held in national reserves. If the sums of money being<br />

printed or distributed by the government no longer stand in any<br />

relation whatsoever to the gross national product or to the genuine net<br />

18

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