So true, but I guess it how you are looking at it. Kind of like the question of how is the economy doing? If you are not feeling the pinch than it is doing great! LOL kind of like the average family and the paycheck, Saturday is general the great day. You have money in your pocket and in the bank. But as the Wednesday afterwards comes around, it is starting to look much darker! LOL I feel like Donald Trump when I have a twenty in my pocket. But as the time passes, and I once again get it out. I suddenly feel like I am so needy!
I’m fascinated by the Greek response to the IMF and the austerity demands made by the Euro partners. I read Paul Krugman’s blog each day at NYT and if I understand him, he is not at all supporting of those austerity demands; at least not in this case, or as it has been demanded by the Euro countries. Further, it seemed to me that both Vox and the US media were prejudiced against Greece making its own decision to reject Europe’s demands. Like it is our business! I view that media slant to be both conservative and Republican influence. Now, will this Greek vote change Europe’s demands? Will Greece print its own currency? I’m just happy that Greece did not “just roll over” to the will of power.
I agree, Bob. It is fascinating and I’m tickled Greece didn’t play into the hands of the “austerity” crowd! I’ve read, and believe it to be true, this hasn’t happened before so no one actually knows what will happen, only have guesses or predictions of what the future might be.
This president of Greece was elected to do what has been done. We’ll all see together what the future brings. My heart is with the people of Greece!
Isn’t our media prejudiced on most everything, and it isn’t a liberal bias like the ‘conservatives’ scream about. I see it as too often plain ole laziness or lack of knowledge and not enough motivation to learn.
“Sen. Sanders (I) of Vermont…the first presidential candidate to weigh in on the issue…said in a statement that the spending cuts European creditors wanted Greece to make would do more harm than good.
“I applaud the people of Greece for saying ‘no’ to more austerity for the poor, the children, the sick and the elderly…In a world of massive wealth and income inequality Europe must support Greece’s efforts to build an economy which creates more jobs and income, not more unemployment and suffering.”
President Barack Obama expressed similar views, saying growth must become a priority…
“You cannot keep on squeezing countries that are in the midst of depression…At some point, there has to be a growth strategy in order for them to pay off their debts to eliminate some of their deficits.”
In 2011, then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton expressed US support for Greek austerity measures, comparing it to ‘chemotherapy’ – painful and difficult at the time, but necessary for eventual recovery.”
The Greek situation is fascinating to me. Part of the problem here is that no one knows what’s going to happen. My gut is the bugle player needs to get warmed up on Taps quickly, as Greece is done.
I recall listening to many hours of the BBC World Service at the time of the first bailout. It seemed clear that there was a huge need to restructure things or Greece would be back for more, which it has been (twice, with the latest request in the wind). Well, the Greeks really didn’t get the cultural changes needed done, which is a part of the problem. I fully expect the Troika to not do a thing unless and until Greece caves, which is going to ultimately result in much unrest and more pain than would have occurred had the Greeks gotten serious about repairing their society and culture at the time of the first bailout. There seems to be a faint hope the IMF will intervene independent of the Troika; maybe so, but don’t hold your breath.
Greece is like both Italy , and particularly France, in that they have SPENT MONEY THEY DIDN’T HAVE. Greece is the first to have to face this reality. How can you finance that mess when they don’t change their expectations?
Yes, “spending money you don’t have” ,,,,, like buying a house, buying a car, starting a business, getting a college degree, …. things like that. Citizens should not expect such broad public behavior; not by individuals and certainly not by any government. Damn!
But what gets me – the same folks who scream that we are spending money we don’t have also want to give even more of our tax dollars (money we don’t have) to those same corporations who get the lion’s share of the Corporate Welfare now.
If we don’t have money to spend – then why are these same folks pushing to start numerous wars against Muslims, Russians, North Koreans and soon the Chinese.
Yes, spending money they (Greece) did not have. At the time of the first bailout, it was estimated that every man, woman and child in Greece would need to be taxed at 105% per annum for the rest of their respective lives to pay for the estimated pension costs for the then-eligible Greek populace if the Greek government didn’t change its policies. Not at all like a mortgage, college education, etc.
Not disputing the role of the banks in making the loans to Greece which ultimately necessitated the first bailout, and their intransigence in the negotiations. Someone needed to say no in the early 1990s, IIRC, and no one (bankers, government, Greek people, or any combination thereof) did.
Is it just me or do these two have a similar look about them?
I’ve often said – if you follow two women in black robes and their heads covered in black cloth – would you know which one was the Catholic Nun and which one was the Muslim wearing burka?
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
Isn’t it strange how our poor states in the USA seem to be those folks who scream the loudest about socialism ruining the country?
Hmmm…..tax dollars from rich states are covering the poor states – isn’t that socialism?
So true, but I guess it how you are looking at it. Kind of like the question of how is the economy doing? If you are not feeling the pinch than it is doing great! LOL kind of like the average family and the paycheck, Saturday is general the great day. You have money in your pocket and in the bank. But as the Wednesday afterwards comes around, it is starting to look much darker! LOL I feel like Donald Trump when I have a twenty in my pocket. But as the time passes, and I once again get it out. I suddenly feel like I am so needy!
I’m fascinated by the Greek response to the IMF and the austerity demands made by the Euro partners. I read Paul Krugman’s blog each day at NYT and if I understand him, he is not at all supporting of those austerity demands; at least not in this case, or as it has been demanded by the Euro countries. Further, it seemed to me that both Vox and the US media were prejudiced against Greece making its own decision to reject Europe’s demands. Like it is our business! I view that media slant to be both conservative and Republican influence. Now, will this Greek vote change Europe’s demands? Will Greece print its own currency? I’m just happy that Greece did not “just roll over” to the will of power.
I agree, Bob. It is fascinating and I’m tickled Greece didn’t play into the hands of the “austerity” crowd! I’ve read, and believe it to be true, this hasn’t happened before so no one actually knows what will happen, only have guesses or predictions of what the future might be.
This president of Greece was elected to do what has been done. We’ll all see together what the future brings. My heart is with the people of Greece!
Isn’t our media prejudiced on most everything, and it isn’t a liberal bias like the ‘conservatives’ scream about. I see it as too often plain ole laziness or lack of knowledge and not enough motivation to learn.
“Sen. Sanders (I) of Vermont…the first presidential candidate to weigh in on the issue…said in a statement that the spending cuts European creditors wanted Greece to make would do more harm than good.
“I applaud the people of Greece for saying ‘no’ to more austerity for the poor, the children, the sick and the elderly…In a world of massive wealth and income inequality Europe must support Greece’s efforts to build an economy which creates more jobs and income, not more unemployment and suffering.”
President Barack Obama expressed similar views, saying growth must become a priority…
“You cannot keep on squeezing countries that are in the midst of depression…At some point, there has to be a growth strategy in order for them to pay off their debts to eliminate some of their deficits.”
In 2011, then-Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton expressed US support for Greek austerity measures, comparing it to ‘chemotherapy’ – painful and difficult at the time, but necessary for eventual recovery.”
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2015/0706/Why-Bernie-Sanders-praises-Greek-no-vote?__scoop_post=8d916d30-2406-11e5-ec0f-90b11c0cc348&__scoop_topic=487028#__scoop_post=8d916d30-2406-11e5-ec0f-90b11c0cc348&__scoop_topic=487028
The Greek situation is fascinating to me. Part of the problem here is that no one knows what’s going to happen. My gut is the bugle player needs to get warmed up on Taps quickly, as Greece is done.
I recall listening to many hours of the BBC World Service at the time of the first bailout. It seemed clear that there was a huge need to restructure things or Greece would be back for more, which it has been (twice, with the latest request in the wind). Well, the Greeks really didn’t get the cultural changes needed done, which is a part of the problem. I fully expect the Troika to not do a thing unless and until Greece caves, which is going to ultimately result in much unrest and more pain than would have occurred had the Greeks gotten serious about repairing their society and culture at the time of the first bailout. There seems to be a faint hope the IMF will intervene independent of the Troika; maybe so, but don’t hold your breath.
Greece is like both Italy , and particularly France, in that they have SPENT MONEY THEY DIDN’T HAVE. Greece is the first to have to face this reality. How can you finance that mess when they don’t change their expectations?
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/08/business/economy/germanys-debt-history-echoed-in-greece.html?partner=msft_msn&_r=0
—
Interesting article that I happened upon while Internet surfing tonight
Yes, “spending money you don’t have” ,,,,, like buying a house, buying a car, starting a business, getting a college degree, …. things like that. Citizens should not expect such broad public behavior; not by individuals and certainly not by any government. Damn!
But what gets me – the same folks who scream that we are spending money we don’t have also want to give even more of our tax dollars (money we don’t have) to those same corporations who get the lion’s share of the Corporate Welfare now.
If we don’t have money to spend – then why are these same folks pushing to start numerous wars against Muslims, Russians, North Koreans and soon the Chinese.
WTF…
Yes, spending money they (Greece) did not have. At the time of the first bailout, it was estimated that every man, woman and child in Greece would need to be taxed at 105% per annum for the rest of their respective lives to pay for the estimated pension costs for the then-eligible Greek populace if the Greek government didn’t change its policies. Not at all like a mortgage, college education, etc.
Not disputing the role of the banks in making the loans to Greece which ultimately necessitated the first bailout, and their intransigence in the negotiations. Someone needed to say no in the early 1990s, IIRC, and no one (bankers, government, Greek people, or any combination thereof) did.
Another ‘conservative’ showing his absolute stupidity about the laws of our nation —
Is it just me or do these two have a similar look about them?
I’ve often said – if you follow two women in black robes and their heads covered in black cloth – would you know which one was the Catholic Nun and which one was the Muslim wearing burka?
Seriously….would you know from the back?