Unlike the opaque Lehman, MF Global fully disclosed the trades and their accounting treatment including the off-balance sheet effect.

FORBES: Uncontrolled Risk Taking, Not Bad Accounting, Did MF Global In

The salutary effect on the Government's balance sheet will be the same, but it will appear on the other side of the balance sheet.

WHITEHOUSE: Testimony of Jacob Lew

Germany must in effect be willing to put all of the distressed euro zone economies on its balance sheet and pay to keep them afloat.

FORBES: We Are All Europeans Now