Greece is the word

[howard]

The economic depression in this seemingly rich nation is dismal; hence coverage in western news has been minimal. The Euros and Germans fucked this country good (just as anyone who cared to look could clearly see would be the inevitable outcome when the 'bailout' chrade began in 2010).

An interesting milestone yesterday, all public broadcasting abruptly ended. Just flipped the switch to 'OFF', with only a day or so notice to the millions of citizens. Kinda a big deal. Think if the BBC suddenly went off the air.

Eurozone crisis live: Thousands protest against Greek broadcaster's closure

Yanis Varoufakis: Occupying the Closure of Greek Public TV (Journalists at BBC, ABC, and CBC, Take Note). Updated

[degenerasian]

Greek's are going through a metaphorical full-body surgery right now. Everything hurts at the moment, but all necessary evils.

I heard 60-80% of Greeks commit tax evasion of varying degrees.

Also, I was trying to look it up, but from 2011 to last year it was illegal to fire a civil servant.it was actually written into their constitution. so basically you could show up for work, masturbate on a cat 5 hours a day while leering at a co-workers boobies and you couldn't be fired.

A cop was recently sentenced to 30 years in prison for killing a kid and he's still getting paid while he sits in prison.

Suppossedly the plan is to tie a can to the tail of 15,000 civil servants by the end of next year. And to force 1,400 civil servants who have broken the law or been imprisoned to quit.

The Greece civil service numbers about 750,000 people. To put this into perspective they have a population of 11 million people with a something like a third or so under a working age. Canada has a population of 34 million and a federal government payroll of about 268,000.

And we're incredibly bloated and inefficient.

[A_B]

Greek's are going through a metaphorical full-body surgery right now. Everything hurts at the moment, but all necessary evils.

I heard 60-80% of Greeks commit tax evasion of varying degrees.
.

Just fucking the government in the ass, those Greeks.

[howard]

All true. No disputing these facts. Howevah…

The alleged solution delayed the facing of these facts. In the process of delaying these realities, skimmed off billions of dollars to the Eurozone banks, mostly German and French. Prolonging the status quo, delaying the inevitable, making the inevitable much worse than if faced three or five years ago, certain favored entities getting paid billions in the process.

In those terms, identical to what is happening to the USA. But I digress.

To extend your metaphor, total body surgery. The surgeons, getting well paid. Unfortunately, the disease is sepsis; bacterial infection of the blood. Surgery is 100% useless; the proper treatment (antibiotics/exit from the currency union and return to the drachma) would've been painful, but effective. Now, it will be painful, and ineffective. And the organs that are still good (tv stations, electrical utilities, other infrastructure) sold off for pennies to the same class of surgeons.

The proper medicine should've been swallowed years ago. Now it is too late. This sequence is being repeated in many other nations, including our own.

[Pruitt]

I spent two and a half weeks in Spain last month and there's a similar situation going on there.

27% unemployment, and 15% of others on the government payroll (this stat is according to friends of mine who are living in Spain - in Spain, even Pharmacists are paid by the government). Obviously, things have to be changed on an institutional level, and many Spaniards would agree.

But what is enraging them is that in a time of austerity, they are learning just how wealthy their leaders have become. Everyone it seems (including members of the royal family) has been siphoning Euros out of the till.

In Spain (as in Greece) democracy is a new phenomenon. The system has developed with many of the aspects of the previous totalitarian regimes. Rigged bidding processes, kickbacks, payoffs etc.

[Scottie]

An interesting milestone yesterday, all public broadcasting abruptly ended.

At least there's something positive happening.

[degenerasian]

All true. No disputing these facts. Howevah…

The alleged solution delayed the facing of these facts. In the process of delaying these realities, skimmed off billions of dollars to the Eurozone banks, mostly German and French. Prolonging the status quo, delaying the inevitable, making the inevitable much worse than if faced three or five years ago, certain favored entities getting paid billions in the process.

In those terms, identical to what is happening to the USA. But I digress.

To extend your metaphor, total body surgery. The surgeons, getting well paid. Unfortunately, the disease is sepsis; bacterial infection of the blood. Surgery is 100% useless; the proper treatment (antibiotics/exit from the currency union and return to the drachma) would've been painful, but effective. Now, it will be painful, and ineffective. And the organs that are still good (tv stations, electrical utilities, other infrastructure) sold off for pennies to the same class of surgeons.

The proper medicine should've been swallowed years ago. Now it is too late. This sequence is being repeated in many other nations, including our own.

I'm assuming there is an international bankruptcy process if Greece decides to pursue it and simultaneously exit the Union.

Do all of the loans that they got from Germany go away, or do they negotiate a different payment schedule?

What's the cost to re-establish their currency.

They would lose the free trade benefits with the zone, do they suddenly have to start paying an export tariff for the goods that they do sell?

I would think that the short term gain of telling the Germans and French to pound sand would be pretty enormous but the long term pain of re-establishing their own economy would be significant.

But then again how much worse could things get when 5 out of 10 people are sitting at home not working.

[Scottie]

Gee, I can't imagine why a country, a society, that is run by corrupt leftie socialist pinko wingnuts could possibly fail so badly. Hmmm. I wonder wonder wonder what the problem could be.

Well, one thing you can bank on: it's someone else's fault.

[howard]

…the long term pain of re-establishing their own economy would be significant.

Again. This has not been avoided. This was going to happen regardless. Except, it is more painful now than three years ago.

Yeah, they fucked themselves. They were also fucked by the Germans, French, et al. Plenty of blame; anyone who blames some parties and not all of them is lying or doesn't understand.

Again, just like here in the USA.

[degenerasian]

Again. This has not been avoided. This was going to happen regardless. Except, it is more painful now than three years ago.

Sounds like the Calgary Flames rebuild.

[howard]

Again. This has not been avoided. This was going to happen regardless. Except, it is more painful now than three years ago.

Sounds like the Calgary Flames rebuild.

Excellent analogy. At least the flames have your avatar.

[howard]

Greek Populace Woken Up At 6 A.M. By Angela Merkel’s Voice Booming Through Loudspeakers Across Country

ATHENS, GREECE—Following a sudden high-pitched squeal of audio feedback, the 11 million citizens of Greece were reportedly woken up at 6 a.m. Wednesday by German chancellor Angela Merkel informing them over loudspeakers that it was time for work. “Rise and shine, Greece! Time to get out of bed and head out to your jobs!” said Merkel, bidding the indebted nation a productive day as she has done every morning since bailout loans to Greece began six years ago. “Work is good for your country and good for the eurozone! You have 30 minutes to get ready!” According to sources, Merkel’s voice then cut out, only to return later that evening for Greece’s 10 p.m. lights-out warning.