Tag: Syriza

Greece, socialism

The Greek tragedy never ends… somehow

It seems as if no one really cares about Greece much these days. The Greeks held their bailout referendum, the Greek bluff was called, and then the Greek government quickly caved on accepting E.U. terms for another €86 billion bailout. I suppose that the recent problems in China (a 30% drop in one month) were among many of the things more important than some socialists racking up too much debt and possibly not being able to retire at 58 anymore (or 45 for preferred Party groups). I wonder how many more bailouts the Greeks will accept and how much longer the default can will be kicked down the road?

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I’m really not certain why so many Greeks think that they are entitled to money from other E.U. member states. Former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis called the deal “a new Versailles Treaty“. This is about the worst possible analogy that the communist could have come up with. Whose fault is it that the Greeks lied about their finances to fulfill Maastricht treaty obligations and adopt the Euro? If Greek socialists are so intent on not paying back any money, keeping their generous perks, and independence from the E.U., why not adopt drachma again? They can be like the Workers’ Paradise of Zimbabwe and enjoy 231,000,000% interest rates. It will be glorious!

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Look at this proud Party member. She’s happy that socialism has brought 25% unemployment rates to Greece.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was victorious in his re-election bid with about 35.5% of the vote. The Syriza splinter group, Popular Unity, got about 2.8% of the vote. Since Popular Unity received less than 3% of the vote, they’re not even able to enter Parliament. The Guardian article that I’m getting this information from is pretty hilarious. One of the better statements was this gem: “Tsipras’s win in January marked the first time the radical left assumed governance in a country“. Was the Panhellenic Socialist Movement, which ruled the country for decades, not a socialist party? The New Democracy Party, which received 28% of the vote, is considered a “centre-right” party by The Guardian. Funny enough, the Wikipedia article calls the New Democracy Party a “liberal-conservative” party, as if the progressive concept of social justice is compatible with free markets and liberty. I suppose that if your not an overt socialist in Greece you must be right-winger.

Here stands the victorious socialist...
Here stands the victorious socialist…

What’s in store for the Third Hellenic Republic? When will we find out? When will other countries give up on giving Greece more money? Will the Greeks finally dump excessive state intervention and socialism? Will another idiot start a CrowdFund campaign for the Greek government? Only time will tell…

Hey kid? Wanna light your money on fire?
Hey kid! Wanna light your money on fire?

Bonus Round: Did you know that it’s illegal not to vote in Greek elections?

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European Union, Eurozone, socialism

Humiliating Greece

I’ve written about the Greek debt situation a couple of times now, and it continues to bring on the laughs. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras recently stated the following concerning negotiations with Greece’s creditors: that Greece was willing to accept a “viable and long-lasting” deal and would refuse “humiliating terms“. PM Tsipras also stated the following: “Throughout, we have proven we are ready to make concessions in order to get a mutually acceptable deal. We demand of our partners the same respect and corresponding concessions. We have done our duty, it is now time for Europe to do the same,”. PM Tsipras is also claiming that the IMF is at fault for extreme terms such as: budget surpluses that are too high, reductions in welfare/handout programs, and not writing off debt.

A true people's hero, fighting to get more money for nothing!
A true people’s hero, fighting to get more money for nothing!

It would be hard for someone to write a better parody of the Greek government than what the Greek government itself is doing and claiming it will do. Syriza is asking for investment funding, infrastructure funding, debt write-off’s, to maintain excessive deficits, and blaming all of Greece’s problems on everyone but Greece. Some of Syriza’s brightest thinkers believe that leaving the Euro and going back to the Drachma will be no big deal. It’ll be just like the hyperinflation that the Weimar Republic experienced. Who else is ready to have a Greek million drachma bill as a souvenir?

I wonder if the Greeks are ready for this?
I wonder if the Greeks are ready for this?
A fine use for what the Greek drachma soon will be...
A fine use for what the Greek drachma soon will be…

I personally believe that no European country should have adopted the Euro without actually becoming a federal state or just maintained their sovereignty. Especially with a country that’s contributing as little as Greece is, but there aren’t any easy choices concerning a Grexit are there? But if the IMF doesn’t just give more money to Greece, how will the Greeks pay for healthcare? It’s not as if the socialist government is able to provide much and clearly the Greek economy is suffering from bad policies. I suppose that Syriza will just blame “austerity” though…

A Greek pensioner holds a flag during a demonstration for better healthcare in Athens
Can’t get enough of that government run healthcare.

A Greek pensioner shouts slogans during a demonstration for better healthcare in Athens

The Independent-Greek hospitals cannot afford painkillers, scissors or sheets as budget cuts bite

Yahoo! News-PM: Greece will not accept “humiliating” bailout terms

Almost forgot to take some screenshots of comments from the Yahoo News article:

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Economics, failures of socialism, socialism

More socialist failures, Greece and Venezuela edition!

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By now many of you have heard about the Communist government that was elected in Greece and the “promise” to do away with bailout problems. An agreement for a four month extension of debt payments was granted to Greece by the Euro zone and IMF creditors. It’s really amazing that the Greeks were desperate enough to believe that Syriza would be able to fulfil all guarantees made during the election and still keep the welfare state. I don’t believe in the Euro zone but a government that has no money and is asking for massive debts to be forgiven doesn’t really have many options available. Those that voted and believe that Greece can keep its welfare state, keep the Euro, and not pay back any loans could use a reality check.

What do those of you reading this think the odds are of Syriza keeping its promises, avoid a default, or keep the Euro? I personally believe that it’s time for Greeks to give up on the Euro experiment and regain some sovereignty. I suppose that almost thirty years of socialism with the Panhellenic Socialist Party just wasn’t enough for the Greeks.

Reuters-Greece runs out of funds despite euro zone reprieve

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   The other socialist failure that I’ll mention with this post concerns Venezuela, a country that exports essentially nothing except for oil. Now that those prices have collapsed all of the welfare programs provided by the state, massive expansion of the public sector, price controls, and other factors have caused the Venezuelan economy to enter a tail-spin. The country can’t supply basic goods to its citizens, constitutionally mandated healthcare isn’t provided, the country is near default, and inflation is over 60%. As should be expected, Nicolas Maduro is blaming capitalists, the CIA, and the United States. I suppose that progressives are also OK with the rising oppression of the Venezuelan people, it is being performed by a socialist government after all. If nothing else they will probably not say much about what is happening, unless it’s to blame the Koch brothers or something of that nature. I’ll close this post out with one last picture.

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