Robert Elmanhttps://themetropolitain.ca/articles/author/52frahttps://themetropolitain.ca/articles/view/1124https://themetropolitain.ca/articles/view/1124 It has been two years and a snit, since I wrote about Greece, and the rest of the PIIGS.Well it’s difficult to leave well enough alone. Question: How can a five foot 7 inch Greek exit from a six ft deep hole that is built on quicksand? Answer: You can’t. This hole with quicksand is the Greek living under the austerity rules of the ECB Robert ElmanFri, 18 May 2012 15:00:00 -0400https://themetropolitain.ca/articles/view/813https://themetropolitain.ca/articles/view/813Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany is being confronted with some very difficult choices. Does she participate in an active bailout of Greece and incur the wrath of the German electorate or does she commit German funds, and possibly save the EU from collapse. For a collapse of the EU means the disappearance of the once mighty Euro.Robert ElmanFri, 23 Apr 2010 17:30:00 -0400https://themetropolitain.ca/articles/view/795https://themetropolitain.ca/articles/view/795 The  “Canary in the coal mine,” is Greece, but is there an “ Elephant in the room?” Greece, like most of the PIIGS (Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain) has spent in a profligate manner, and has been less than humble in its demeanour. As you will later read , Greece’s dealing with her partners have been brought into serious question.Greece became a member of the EU in 1993 with the signing of the Maastricht Treaty. There were very clear stipulations regarding Debt to GDP, Capital accounts, deficit to GDP and so on. Robert ElmanThu, 25 Mar 2010 08:30:00 -0400https://themetropolitain.ca/articles/view/171https://themetropolitain.ca/articles/view/171There was Enron. In 2001 Enron went into bankruptcy, but not before it had claimed the title as America’s most innovative Company, six years running. Enron was instrumental bringing down one of America’s leading accounting firms, Arthur Anderson. Its directors paid millions of dollars in restitution, its CEO was convicted of fraud, along with the CFO, investors lost billions of dollars, and innocent hard working employees, lost their retirement pension, and much of their future...Robert ElmanThu, 01 May 2008 02:15:00 -0400