Article • Dean Baker’s Beat the Press
Fact-based, data-driven research and analysis to advance democratic debate on vital issues shaping people’s lives.
Center for Economic and Policy Research
1611 Connecticut Ave. NW
Suite 400
Washington, DC 20009
Tel: 202-293-5380
Fax: 202-588-1356
https://cepr.net
The Financial Times ran a piece on Italy’s debt crisis. At one point it told readers:
“With Italy needing to roll over nearly €300bn of its €1,900bn debt mountain next year, Mr Berlusconi is under intense pressure from the EU and ECB to push ahead quickly with measures to lift the stagnating economy.”
Actually, the opposite is true. The EU has been pushing Italy to take measures to reduce its deficit, like cutting spending and raising taxes. These measures will slow growth, not increase it.