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geek tragedy

(68,868 posts)
59. he didn't cause it. but he owns it now. it's his baby.
Wed Jul 8, 2015, 02:10 PM
Jul 2015

he's the one who has to do something about it.

Are the days of Greece's government making impossible promises and commitments to voters in terms of wages and pensions over?

That's the question.

If Greece had a track record that indicated they could ramp up deficit spending, and then trim it back once the economy got going, lenders and EUcrats would feel one way.

But, there's not much reason to think that's what will happen. What's to stop Greece from repeating the behaviors that got it into trouble?



"the irresponsible behavior of the new Greek government.” Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #1
Oh Yeah, Yani calling the Europeans terrorists was really, really responsible. Sen. Walter Sobchak Jul 2015 #3
LOL! Scream "MUSLIMS!!!" and everyone wets themselves. Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #7
Austerity caused their problems. Taitertots Jul 2015 #40
Austerity was imposed after the bailout. Igel Jul 2015 #42
5 years ago the problem was manageable Taitertots Jul 2015 #56
The current government is the one that pretty much told the rest of the EU to fuck themselves geek tragedy Jul 2015 #4
Actually, the Greeks told the rest of the EU they weren't giving up their pensions. Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #6
We'll see how well those pensions get funded ex post Grexit. geek tragedy Jul 2015 #8
The reason why they're in trouble now is because of the PRIOR government..... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #10
The larger truth is that Greece and the Eurozone geek tragedy Jul 2015 #11
The even LARGER truth is the EU was a populist movement of the People.... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #12
Greece's problem is that it got itself into more geek tragedy Jul 2015 #13
One of the ways they sold the EU was to say the rich countries would share with the poor ones. Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #15
Which leads to the dirty secret of the EU having higher inequality than the US Recursion Jul 2015 #18
Exactly. The "givers and takers" we all know. Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #19
The problem with analogies to the states of the USA FarrenH Jul 2015 #32
That's not the problem with the analogy; the analogy is to illustrate that Recursion Jul 2015 #37
Ah, I misread you FarrenH Jul 2015 #38
Because greece is a seperate country. Travis_0004 Jul 2015 #101
There are much poorer countries than Greece in the EU. geek tragedy Jul 2015 #33
+1 DetlefK Jul 2015 #35
^^^This!^^^ Surya Gayatri Jul 2015 #44
That is the big lie. The damage was done by the previous government.... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #50
so Greece's government and economic system are a model of efficiency, transparency, and geek tragedy Jul 2015 #57
If you blame HIM for it I suppose that would outrage you.... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #58
he didn't cause it. but he owns it now. it's his baby. geek tragedy Jul 2015 #59
The "behaviors that got it into trouble"? Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #60
Greece's problems go far beyond hiring GS to commit fraud against its Eurozone partners. geek tragedy Jul 2015 #61
We all know the New York Times is going to explain the situation honestly.... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #62
Do you think a system where people can retire at 49 with pension payments geek tragedy Jul 2015 #67
Believe it or not there's enough money in the hands of the few to give everyone a base salary. Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #68
So, why did Greece cut its pensions instead of soaking its rich then? geek tragedy Jul 2015 #69
Do you feel it? A change is coming.... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #71
If the Greeks don't want to take any sh!t from others, they need to stop taking money geek tragedy Jul 2015 #72
They aren't "asking for money".... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #74
So the greeks aren't asking for more loans? geek tragedy Jul 2015 #76
Every nation is operating in debt.... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #78
Greece went broke under the rightwingers. geek tragedy Jul 2015 #81
Actually, the right-wingers hid the debt to get their mitts on the Euro. Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #83
yes, only further confirming that it was a bad idea for Greece to join geek tragedy Jul 2015 #86
PASOK, the centre-left party, was in government when Greece joined the Euro muriel_volestrangler Jul 2015 #89
The problems started under a centre-left government muriel_volestrangler Jul 2015 #70
I wouldn't call a government that pulled that "center-left". Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #75
To the left of the Democratic party, anyway muriel_volestrangler Jul 2015 #77
Their right is to the left of our DLC. Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #80
It is a centre-left, in European terms, party muriel_volestrangler Jul 2015 #82
I'm talking about the government that was there before. Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #84
As I said, PASOK was the government until 2004 muriel_volestrangler Jul 2015 #87
Don't think that Tspiras will "avoid" taxing their rich citizens or collecting tax from them... cascadiance Jul 2015 #63
he hasn't raised them thus far. geek tragedy Jul 2015 #66
I like that. Igel Jul 2015 #41
Like I said elsewhere, this isn't Westeros and the Iron Bank.... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #48
5 months of insulting lenders has cost Greece dearly. MrTriumph Jul 2015 #85
I really think we should threaten to invalidate the 1953 German debt write down. roamer65 Jul 2015 #2
Who is 'we?' geek tragedy Jul 2015 #5
I am baffled by the Greeks donna123 Jul 2015 #9
You really need to get away from the corporate media.... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #14
yeah well hill2016 Jul 2015 #16
You increase your income.... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #17
well hill2016 Jul 2015 #20
It needs to raise taxes on the rich.... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #21
They can raise taxes all they want but if they do not enforce donna123 Jul 2015 #23
A lot of that is right-wing propaganda.... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #24
They're not even collecting the "taxes on the rich" they have now. Until they get serious about that PoliticAverse Jul 2015 #30
The entire EU needs to be taken from the Supply Siders. Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #49
This has been a problem for a long time for the Greeks... cascadiance Jul 2015 #65
I would say that you do it via trade... T_i_B Jul 2015 #25
We aren't talking about a third world country..... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #26
No, Greece is not a 3rd world country T_i_B Jul 2015 #27
Oh sure, like Serbia. Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #51
A lot of third world countries have... MattSh Jul 2015 #28
It tells 1 story... T_i_B Jul 2015 #29
My point is Greece isn't a "third world country".... Spitfire of ATJ Jul 2015 #55
The Greek people are not lazy, deadbeat tax cheats. Maybe a few facts will leave you less amazed. magical thyme Jul 2015 #53
Obviously I wounded you donna123 Jul 2015 #92
Why don't you try responding to the facts I presented? I'll try repeating them: magical thyme Jul 2015 #97
Greece was the first recipient of aid under the Marshall plan hack89 Jul 2015 #104
why is "everybody" paying attention to Greece? magical thyme Jul 2015 #99
I am baffled by people who are unable to create paragraphs Skittles Jul 2015 #91
Wow, insightful donna123 Jul 2015 #93
that's about as much consideration I could muster after your second sentence Skittles Jul 2015 #94
What is wrong with you donna123 Jul 2015 #95
NOTHING is wrong with me Skittles Jul 2015 #102
This isn't a repuke meme donna123 Jul 2015 #106
the meme that the Greeks are "lazy deadbeat taxcheats" didn't just happen "now" magical thyme Jul 2015 #100
When you say this, I think you are stating the problem without knowing it: freshwest Jul 2015 #105
The core problem rests with Germany's and the Troika's response to the financial crises dharmamarx Jul 2015 #22
Germany should hold a referendum of the people on a stimulus package for Greece. PoliticAverse Jul 2015 #31
or they could just pay the war reparations they've wriggled out of magical thyme Jul 2015 #54
It amazes me how many people on this board are prepared to stand with the 1% GliderGuider Jul 2015 #34
Me too. Demit Jul 2015 #36
It becomes less "amazing" when you realise that many of those people ... Nihil Jul 2015 #39
Thank you for this... Surya Gayatri Jul 2015 #46
Are you located in Southern Europe then? GliderGuider Jul 2015 #47
not one of those people reorg Jul 2015 #90
I was assuming that they are taxpayers but, from your words, you're not. Fair enough. Nihil Jul 2015 #96
Politicheski pravil'no. Igel Jul 2015 #43
When it's Greek citizens on one side and global bankers on the other GliderGuider Jul 2015 #45
It's multi-dimensional chess! merrily Jul 2015 #52
A whole nation votes overwhelmingly against being further enslavened by the banksters. The Stranger Jul 2015 #64
Or...a whole nation votes overwhelmingly not to live within their means... brooklynite Jul 2015 #73
Sure, a nation in the same way New York State is a nation. closeupready Jul 2015 #88
Oh nonsense. You've bought into that austerity lies your enslavers fed you. The Stranger Jul 2015 #103
"The party" is a depression caused by Austerity Taitertots Jul 2015 #79
To blame the new government is like blaming the oncologist because you smoked all your life dembotoz Jul 2015 #98
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