After all, when I think of Germany, the ECB and the Troika I cannot avoid thinking of the influence over policy held by the Bundesbank and how it has used that influence self righteously to force austerity on the periphery. The devastation wrought by enforced austerity in the most outstanding and noteworthy result of its efforts to enforce its Mandate. Thus, when I read: 'Weidmann is going around and gives speeches where he basically argues that the ECB should not fulfill its Mandate, to force specific political decisions upon various European Governments!' my first reaction is 'WTF', not enforce its Mandate'? It is Germany's Mandate'> But of course he is simply being hypocritical. He must be referring only to such minor aspects of that Mandate as enforcing the minimum inflation requirements. (How long has it been since the Eurozone has had inflation equal to or greater than 2%?) Weidmann decides for himself and Germany which aspects of the EU and EMU agreements are to be enforced and which neglected while denying that right to others.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."