Dominique Strauss-Kahn Guilty of Shameful Economic Behavior

The soon to be former head of the IMF may or may not be guilty of the criminal charges brought against him, but even if he is cleared he is guilty of acting in a shameful manner in his role as head of the IMF.

This shame is the result of a revelation in this story that Mr. Strauss-Kahn was staying in a $3,000 a night luxury hotel in New York when the alleged crime may have taken place.  Now the IMF is one of the parties that is responsible for the imposition of austerity on the Greek people.  This austerity has resulted in lower incomes, higher unemployment, loss of public services, higher taxes and a general humiliation of the Greek population.  The fact that this pain was largely self-inflicted does not lessen its severity, nor help the millions of Greek citizens for whom it was not self-inflicted.

Learning of Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s accommodations arrangements exposes a little hypocrisy on the part of those who force others into economic deprivation.  They are more than willing to inflict harsh economic conditions on others, but not on themselves. This is all the more egregious since Mr. Strauss-Kahn is (was?) a leader of the Socialist Party in France, a party that supposedly represented working class voters and their aspirations for a better life.

No, the cost of the luxury hotel suite is not an economic issue, but one of perception.  Next time, Mr. Strauss-Kahn, if there is a next time, show a little sensitivity.  Stay at Motel 6.  They will leave the light on for you.