Italian Lower House Clears Hurdle For Austerity Package

``Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government won a confidence vote on Wednesday that paves the way for final approval of a $74 billion austerity plan to help keep Italy from being ensnared in Europe's debt crisis.'' -- As usual the Parliaments (even in socialist Europe) are more than willing to pass austerity to bail out themselves and banksters; the only question is the minor detail of how well this will go over with the Italian people. In Greece, even the tax collectors are striking...