Austerity and Growth Are Contradictions: Tell the NYT

The NYT missed much of the story in its report on the likelihood of a default by Greece. One of the main factors exacerbating the plight of Greece and other heavily indebted countries in the euro zone is the relatively contractionary policies pursued by the European Central Bank (ECB), ostensibly to fight inflation.

If the ECB had a more expansionary monetary policy, the additional growth would increase tax collections in Greece and other countries. It would also reduce payments for...