What Does "Keep a Lid on Spending" Mean to the NYT and the Troika?

That's the question that millions of readers of the NYT will be asking after seeing an analysis of the deal between Greece and the European Union that told readers:

"Moreover, the finance ministers made clear that Greece will not get any more cash until it satisfies them it can keep a lid on spending."

In fact, Greece has already cut government spending by almost 15 percent in real terms from 2008 to 2014, according to the International Monetary Fund (I.M.F.). This spending cut is equal to al...