Greece: A week in hell

Eleftherotypia, Athens ^ | 10/20/2011

[bruinbirdman]

What with the general strike, violent anti-austerity demonstrations and European summit to seek yet another solution to the debt crisis, the Greek has its work cut out. And its partners are doing little to make a bad situation better...

A scene during clashes between protesters and police outside the Greek parliament,
Syntagma Square, Athens on October 19.

This Thursday will be another “hellish” day for the government. After the resounding “no” chanted by the thousands of Greeks who took part in yesterday’s demonstrations in Athens and towns across the country, the socialist majority in parliament will have to approve a futher austerity package.

Although this majority approved a preliminary reading of this legislation, there is a possibility that it will not pass. For proof, look no further than the group of MPs who were ministers [under George Papandreou] who have announced that they intend to vote “no”.

The pictures of yesterday’s crowds and the extensive support for the strike have the government quaking in its boots. At the same time, they will have to do all they can to push through the latest austerity legislation so they can travel to Brussels well armed for Sunday’s European summit, where the extent of the write-off of Greek debt and the future of the country for several years to come will be on the negotiating table.

Greece’s fate may be sealed on Sunday

This Sunday will be another “hellish day” for Greece, but also for Europe’s member states which will have to demonstrate that they have the capacity to overcome the threats that the crisis has engendered for the Eurozone, and elsewhere.

Italy is already under threat along with Greece, as are Portugal, Ireland and France, which is now being targeted by the ratings agencies. And this should set alarm bells ringing for the EU.

At the same time, the overall threat to the European project has been highlighted by one of the founding fathers of Europe, who has deplored the poker game played by Merkel and Sarkozy, who should understand that rescuing Greece is a way to save Europe. He tried to show that Europe is not threatened by member states that have difficulties with debt, or at least not solely threatened by the countries. But that Europe is threatened by countries that no longer adhere to the spirit of Europe at a time when European structures are changing.

Greece’s fate may be sealed on Sunday in Brussels, at a meeting that will decide on the destiny of future generations. But the fate of the Eurozone will also be decided, unless, when it comes to the crunch, Europe’s leaders decide to prove Jacques Delors wrong.

[A CA Guy]

When you grow great societies to where many people believe getting something for nothing is a right, you get this.

[ken21]

you know, these people are committed to destroying their country,

let them have it.

[2banana]

What happens when you run out of other people's money.

Coming soon to America...

[WePledge]

How do you explain to morons the well is dry. Coming to a town near you shortly.

[bruinbirdman]

From De Volkskrant, Amsterdam

Wrecked

yitbos

[DJ MacWoW]

Name Another Site Where You Can Get As Much Information
Can't Think Of One?

Then Why Don't You Donate

[exDemMom]

When I visited Yellowstone, I read about the problems caused by feeding the bears. The bears become used to being fed. They forget how to forage for their own food. They become aggressive in making sure people keep feeding them, and they are prone to attack people who don’t have food to give them. Not only that, but the bears dependent on food provided by people aren’t as healthy as bears that find their own food.

I think often about the bears, whenever I see a situation where politicians have made a whole class of people dependent on them in exchange for political power.

[sarasmom]

The current fiscal meltdown of Greece is the 101st recorded “canary death in the mineshaft”.

The coming fiscal meltdown for the entire “EU” is also inescapable.

The whole stupid concept of the “New World Order” is based on the illogical theory that forcing people who “have” to donate to people who “don't have” is “fair”.

[PUGACHEV]

I spoke to a client in Greece earlier this week who has an interesting perspective, one I had not read about in the press. He is a solid middle class man with a small business. He told me that the riots and popular discontent were really all about government corruption. The average person in Greece was simply tired of being taxed for nothing and ruled by bureaucrats and politicians who worked for bribes, not the public. He thought that this was true of most of Europe as well.

[Lorianne]

Greece in flames over cuts (while fat-cats secretly shift €228billion into Swiss banks accounts)

Wealthy are moving euros through foreign subsidiaries in Cyprus

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2050895/Greek-fat-cats-secretly-shifted-200bn-euros-Swiss-bank-accounts.html#ixzz1bO0Y7hkG
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2050895/Greek-fat-cats-secretly-shifted-200bn-euros-Swiss-bank-accounts.html#ixzz1bHprIc7J

[familyop]

Yes, on the sovereign debt issues and the importance of that focus for trying to guess at consequences and personal reactions. But the similarities in sentiments behind the scenes are also striking—red herrings, subterfuge, obscurations, etc.

We know what the real political (or nonpolitical) issue is: common, officious thieveries in corruption. Defaults might be the answer, if we act appropriately. Tyrant constituents don’t need money or the time afforded by it for politics.

Pray and prepare.