Given there’s a definite bubble in Greek debt, should we expect European politicians to help deflate this gradually? Definitely not – in fact, it is their misleading statements, supported in recent days (astonishingly) by the head of the International Monetary Fund, that keep the debt bubble going and set us all up for a greater crash later.

The French and Germans are apparently actually encouraging banks, pension funds, and individuals to buy these bonds – despite the fact senior politicians must surely know this is a Ponzi scheme, i.e., people can get out of Greek bonds only to the extent that new investors come in. At best, this does nothing more than postpone the crisis – in the business, it is known as “kicking the can down the road.”

They must be absolutely terrified of the consequences of a default. Logical, since the politicians derive their privileges and power from the established order. They darn well know that all bets would be off otherwise.

They can’t face up to reality. Well, reality will hit regardless and it could be very ugly.

Really?

In the last 2 years, Wall Street just got the biggest one in known history.

What’s good for the goose…

Father John thanked me for it, and said that he is not
taking any side.

Seriously, am I correct that some Greeks are more easily persuaded than others that there is one standard for all? So, am I correct in concluding that
some are frankly incapable of undergoing that perestrokia to one standard for all?

I am glad that Hellenic, and Hellenistic, culture is around, but I can see the point by some that today’s Greece is resting on the laurels of Solon, Phidias, Socrates, and others before Alexander the Great who are truly worthy of respect.

Along with them, a clan of selected businessmen and media bosses virtually run the country, providing the people with the illusion of living in a Democracy. With a VERY short break, these 3 families have been ruling their respective parties (and therefore Greece) continuously since the 1950s.

But it’s not also that!

As i said in earlier postings, the “democracy” in Greece has crossed to the other side. If you lived in Athens for example, you’d get an idea of what i’m talking about: everyone can do whatever they want, without any repercussions at all. Small groups of protestors take to the streets EVERY DAY, thus creating chaos for the rest of us.

Recently farmers blocked all the main Greek highways for a month. For a month, the entire Greek population was not free to move about the country because a small minority of farmers would not allow us to. So, if you had urgent business in Thessaloniki, the farmers wouldn’t let you go (by car), just because they didnt want to. Of course no one did anything about it.

Did you know that there are anarchists in Athens, who storm the streets every day with hammers, breaking anything that is made of marble so that they can gather “ammunition” to throw to the police during riots? If you go outside the Grand Bretagne hotel, right across the Parliament, you will notice that some of the outside walls are bare, and you can see the plumbing pipes running through.

Recently 30-50 ex Olympic airlines employees had taken over the Accounting department of the Ministry of Finance and also blocked Panepistimiou Ave (the 2nd most central Athens street) in protest of something that was not even fair. The downtown area (where about 2-3 million people commute daily) was in a traffic chaos for a week, because of these 50 people.

And amidst that, the huge degree of corruption in literally every section of public life: from the tax collectors to the politicians, everyone who hold a public office is in for the money and the bribes!!! And if they get caught? Well, the members of the parliament enjoy parliamentary asylum, and the civil servants well… the most they can get is a fine, most of the cases dont even go to court. And who pays for this? The rest of the people, the majority!

So, thank you Rick… I knew that the constitution of Greece states that the country is a parliamentary Republic, but the reality is very, very different!!!

“I’m sorry to break the news to you, but currently Greece IS a dictatorship!”

“Since the restoration of democracy, the Greek two-party system is dominated by the liberal-conservative New Democracy (ND) and the social-democratic Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). Other significant parties include the Communist Party of Greece (KKE), the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) and the Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS). The current prime minister is George Papandreou, president of the PASOK, who on October 4, 2009, won with a majority in the Parliament of 160 out of 300 seats.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greece

You claimed I didn’t answer any of your “arguments”. I explained (several times) that I never tried as I simply wanted to show you for the racist you are and not give any credibility to your childish opinions by actually debating them. Don’t pretend we’re discussing, we’re not.

If you read the postings, i posted something and you replied to it. I’m sorry, i may not know the meaning of “racist” as you imply it, but i do now what a discussion is like… :)

First, i dont see how you debating the issue of democracy and whether it is fit for Greece or not is “racist”, seriously…

Second, if you keep posting in this forum, would you kindly refrain from insulting the other members? So far you’ve called me various names but, please, i never ONCE insulted you. If you think you cannot speak politely -even to persons that disagree with your opinions- my advise is not to write in fora. Most of all, it gives you a bad image…

Third, never once did you rebutt my arguments and never once did you answer a very simple question: do you REALLY think that in Greece today we have a democracy (a functional one, at least) ?

And finally, just to make things clear: I am neither stupid, nor racist. That’s just you saying those things and you dont even know me. Again, please keep such characterizations to yourself Kyriakos (sorry, i dont know your last name, you do know mine).

Sincerely,
Y.

I am glad we got a chance to have the discussion we had so far, even though you abruptly disrupted it by calling my arguments “nonsense”.

p.s. One last thing: If that political party you are referring to is LAOS, note that i do not support it (in fact i don’t support any political parties, even though i tend to prefer right-wing politics in general). Nevertheless, just to set the record straight, i doubt that LAOS is a proponent of dictatorship. Furthermore, let me just add that, if i came forth and supported communism, would what i said be treated as “nonsense”? I beg to disagree… you see, in Greece, if someone belongs to the “right” he is a fascist. If he is a communist, he is just “liberal”. Your behavior is typical of this, and, quite frankly, it is sad…

If you consider the military junta the only regime suitable for the Greeks I must assume you have at least some admiration for it. If you can’t come to terms with the fact that you are a junta admirer go see a therapist.

“THIS EXACTLY is the problem with our democracy: Some opinions are not respected, as are some rights.”

I said your opinion is nonsense, which it is, I did not try to stop you from saying it. It is not surprising that you can’t understand the difference. It’s because of democracy that I’m allowed to disrespect you and your nutcake opinions and, much to your dismay I’m sure, there’s nothing you can do about it.

You are an embarrassment to Greeks and I just wanted to let the people here know that opinions like yours are marginal, which is a fact not an opinion. Your kind is represented in the greek parliament by a political party which got 5,63% of the popular vote in the last election and which, much like you, publicly denounces it’s well known fascist political heritage.

I will not discuss with you any more, this discussion is not relevant to the issue of the post and I do not consider your opinions worthy of debate anyway.

I am not a junta admirer and, although i thank you for your pitty, i do not need it and certainly i do not appreciate it.

I have my opinion and -I suppose- so do you. I will respect yours, whatever it is, but I suppose you don’t respect mine (thus you refer to it as “Nonsense”). THIS EXACTLY is the problem with our democracy: Some opinions are not respected, as are some rights.

Do you agree, Kyriako, that if I go to any Greek University and (supposedly) say that I support a Junta regime (or even that I am just a Rightist or a Royalist) i will simply get beaten up?

Do you not agree that anyone can do anything he likes, without any regard for the rights of the rest of the population?

And, just because every 4 years we are given the right to vote (the same people and the same parties), is this a democracy?

I think you are missing the point of what democracy is and please -read this and my next post- and tell me: are you satisfied? Do we have a real democracy in Greece?