Should Germany pay Greece reparations for World War II?

[Velasco]

Yes, because the last time Germany had to pay reparations, it worked out well for everyone involved

Nowadays, the roles seem to be exchanged. Frau Merkel and Herr Schäuble are developing an increasing similarity with Monsieur Clemenceau.

[Velasco]

The exposure of German banks to the Greek debt has fallen dramatically since the beginning of the crisis, because more than 80% of the rescue package went to foreign banks. Also, German banks were the main beneficiaries of the Spanish bank bailout. Nowadays the Greek debt is owed mainly to 'official' creditors, that is to say, European taxpayers and IMF. Thanks to the backdoor rescue of the German banking system, Germany can play the Grexit card without fearing adverse consequences. 

[Velasco]

Not spoken like a true Republican, but more like someone with common sense. If you want to live your life like the Greeks, go ahead. And end up broke and a financial slave to others. But that's not what I want to do. Saving is awesome and that's how I managed my money since forever and now have a good surplus. If I managed it like the Greeks, I'd live under a bridge now. And btw, this policy is not really exclusively "Republican". Even Green parties, like the Baden-Württemberg ones, are in favor of fiscal conservatism.

See Branson, there's no doubt about the incompetence of the previous Greek governments (PASOK and ND) but this comment is really insulting for those Greek citizens suffering the consequences of their bad management and the criminal (there's no other word to describe it) diktat from Germany and the Troika. At this point, it doesn't surprise me the terrible lack of empathy of well-meaning fiscal conservatives like you. Probably you are only a product of the environment, a victim of indoctrination. However, calm down.

[Velasco]

It was not meant as an insult or as a comparison with the people of Greece who have fallen into actual poverty, but more as an attack on the way the previous governments handled fiscal matters that eventually led to their doom (like you said). The poor people now are only insofar to blame as they tolerated and repeatedly elected these incompetent crooks, while blaming and hating on the Germans, instead of embracing the things that the Germans (and Swiss and Swedes and Danes etc. etc.) did right when it comes to economic/fiscal policies.

You have no idea of how irritating such moralistic sermons must be for the Greeks whom actually are dealing with the present devastation. Sure, it'd be good changing the way in which incompetent crooks used to run the country. However, how you can you expect an ill patient to recover while you have both hands on his (or her) throat? At the end of the day, you are totally incapable of walking in another person's shoes. That human feeling called empathy.

[Velasco]

Yeah, empathy is fine but there are certain diseases for which you need to apply the thumbscrews and chemotherapy. Otherwise the patient is dead. The same thing goes for the Greek political crooks and tax evaders. If you do not crack down hard on them and show them how it's done, they will never change and learn. Even if you let Greece go bankrupt and relieve them of all debt, they will be at 200% debt levels again within a few decades and the same sh*t is here again.

I think your metaphor can be improved. Austerity is more similar to bloodletting: inefficient, outdated and, in extreme cases, mortal. You are a lost case.

[Velasco]

If anybody is interested in what is this question about, you may find this relevant:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/greek-study-provides-evidence-of-forced-loans-to-nazis-a-1024762.html