Greece Shutdown by Nationwide Strike (Oct 5)

Wow those Union people are really gonna be upset when this comes to a crushing end. There is no political will in the rest of Europe to bail out the Greek government. From what I hear they will be totally out of luck before the end of this year. Then when they cannot borrow another dime, their is really going to be some serious government job cuts, higher taxes, private job losses, etc... The country will be a wreck for at least the next 20 yrs. I do feel bad for the average person. They will be kicked out of EU, if they are lucky. They will be ostracized from the rest of the Western world, because who will want to do business with a country that just screwed them over. I wouldnt be suprised to see unemployment hit 40 or 50 pct by the end of 2012. The sad thing is this will be a crushing blow to many of the countries that loaned them money, and tried to rescue their economy from their poor decisions. The whole world will probably see another major recession, especially the rest of Europe, because of this. Greece will become like Germany after WWI.

Greece should be a warning for all of the western world to cut their spending and to start paying down their deficits. What good does it do anyone to promise your citizens all kind of entitlements, benefits, etc.. and then end up bankrupting your country and making everyone suffer?

Almost all of Europe is in the same situation. It is the banksters who must go down. We'll see.

reply to post by DangerDeath


So if all the "banksters" go down,
how is that going to solve the problem?

Originally posted by Convicted
reply to post by DangerDeath

 

So if all the "banksters" go down,
how is that going to solve the problem?

Suppose it doesn't solve anything. At least it puts everyone in the same boat, and we all go down together!

In the Corporate World, if I ever decided to take a chance on something, or make a bold move, I made sure I had someone in the boat with me. If there was someone important in my boat, then we weren't going down, because they wouldn't let it happen.

Originally posted by AnonymousFem
While this is ongoing, Greek Riot Police attack innocent people:

Absolutely Disgusting

If you listen you will hear the Riot Dog, absolutely amazing.

edit on 5-10-2011 by AnonymousFem because: (no reason given)

\ Same thing happening here (USA) We all knew civil unrest was coming. Well it's HERE!!

reply to post by getreadyalready


That is totally illogical. How does it help if we all go down together? So then you have a global world wide depression that could last for generations. The only thing that makes anysense is to cut expenses, quit borrowing and pay down the debt. Then if the others go bankrupt you are in a position to either help or by up the best of their remaining assets.

reply to post by tamaransd


Your video made me think of a great point, thanks!

So instead of cutting costs, so they can get the loans they desperately need to survive these union folks are causing the government to spend more money in police to deal with them because they cant accept the fact that their is no more money left to pay them.

reply to post by Convicted


I agree with you 100% for that solution on the governmental scale. They need to cut expenses, fix the tax code, and live within their budget until the deficit is gone and the budget is balanced.

As for the bankers, they are predatory. They only get rich off the backs of others. They don't make anything. The leverage our money, and when it all falls apart, they have FDIC, bailouts, and sweet golden parachute deals. Only the little man suffers.

In my example from my time served in the corporate world, getting a more important person into your boat is an insurance policy. The boat isn't going down with them in it, so you are safe to take some chances that way.

Right now, Goldman Sachs and others are showing huge profits while people are losing their pensions and inflation is making their retirement funds inadequate. How is that possible? Oil companies are showing record profits but gas prices are steadily increasing? There is market manipulation and it is destroying the middle class and driving a wedge between the haves and have nots.

Time to push the wedge back out, that's all. Get everyone on equal footing.

Originally posted by getreadyalready
reply to post by Convicted

 

I agree with you 100% for that solution on the governmental scale. They need to cut expenses, fix the tax code, and live within their budget until the deficit is gone and the budget is balanced.

As for the bankers, they are predatory. They only get rich off the backs of others. They don't make anything. The leverage our money, and when it all falls apart, they have FDIC, bailouts, and sweet golden parachute deals. Only the little man suffers.

In my example from my time served in the corporate world, getting a more important person into your boat is an insurance policy. The boat isn't going down with them in it, so you are safe to take some chances that way.

Right now, Goldman Sachs and others are showing huge profits while people are losing their pensions and inflation is making their retirement funds inadequate. How is that possible? Oil companies are showing record profits but gas prices are steadily increasing? There is market manipulation and it is destroying the middle class and driving a wedge between the haves and have nots.

Time to push the wedge back out, that's all. Get everyone on equal footing.

I agree bankers are predatory. Truth is, all businesses are predatory. They need to turn a profit to stay in business, so they must make more than they spend.

I do get your example of a get a big guy in the boat with you, so he can save you from going down. Sometimes you just take the guy down with you. For example, the head of UBS who lost his job because of the guy trading on the side and loosing 2 billion dollars.

Goldman Sachs is making money, that is what they are designed to do. Not all people are loosing money. Another truth is that not everyone makes money on the market. Another truth, most inflation is caused by government policies, not businesses.

reply to post by marg6043


Tanks are not good in built up areas, too vonerable to attack for above, they are more suited to open fields
maybe it's to provide greece some protection from turkey if they diffalt. they will still have a deterant.

reply to post by wondera


Yes that is probably what is for it, but heck didn't Greece is defaulting so where the money is coming from?

Anyway, the markets goes by the motto that if the rich are not bankrupting then the economy is fine, even if the working class is not.

So now it's official?

Greece has Officially shutdown? Are we on the way to shutdown?

The good old IMF playing the board game risk with Greece.You notice Greece hasnt turned out like Syria or the other middle east countries.The leaders are part of the special club bought by bankers. The people never asked to borrow money but government went ahead and did it. The government keeps doing what the people dont want and are playing with peoples future.More big fat cats making money at the expence of the averge guy.Money seems to rise to top along with the scum.

reply to post by AnonymousFem


Um what?

I didnt see anything remotely brutal there. In fact, the police were on the defensive most of the video, and only once appeared to chase a man who obviously did something provocative when he was off camera.

If your going to pick somthing to rage against, at least pick something worthwhile.

I really only see two options here. I am however flexible, and if anyone else sees any other routes out of this, please let me know.

1. Continue along the path of austerity. Do as the bailout lenders want, get your books in order and start posting balanced or surplus budgets and actually run Greece as a responsible European country (ie. Germany) or

2. Hold a referendum. Ask people if they want to continue as they are, take no more bailouts (as none would rightfully be offered otherwise), and try and make a go of it. I would bet the majority would want to see the bailouts through and continue with their lives in a responsible country.

Now anyone who has been following this story knows, if not for the bailouts, Greece would cease to be able to pay its public servants (who account for 1 in 5 working Greeks), pay social security, and more. So instantly all retired pensioners who paid into their pension funds are shut out. Probably for years. The old can no longer pay for homes, nor public servants. Obviously, they will stop going to work and look for other employment, but surprise, there is none! Greece, running massive deficits can never pay it's own bills if it tries to "make a go of it". Look to their huge trade deficits and massive borrowing to pay for their welfare state and you can see how without a massive overhaul anyways, they can never be viable as a country.

I suppose they can always print money! Wrong. An economy as massive as the US can get away with this in the short term, especially when it is the worldwide standard, but Greece cannot. Massive inflation would be the effect and shortly thereafter a complete collapse of their economy.

They MUST carry on with austerity! It is not popular or easy, but there is no other way. Iceland just went through their own very painful austerity and bailouts and succeeded this year in completing all measures and are now in the black. A shining example of how Greece can do it.

This will trickle down now to the United States as Greece is the domino and fell today. The rest fall next. Our whole world is going to change and soon. I have been warning people for months to prepare for a decade of hardships.

reply to post by getreadyalready


May I ask, Is this happening also in the south of greece also.

Originally posted by Convicted
reply to post by getreadyalready

 

That is totally illogical. How does it help if we all go down together? So then you have a global world wide depression that could last for generations. The only thing that makes anysense is to cut expenses, quit borrowing and pay down the debt. Then if the others go bankrupt you are in a position to either help or by up the best of their remaining assets.

Thank you!

Someone actually understands fiscal responsibility!

To getreadyalready - you mention that you don't want anyone to get hurt. We are all already hurt - the planet is hurt - the economy is hurt. I support your concern and I too believe upheavals - such as the thread you have posted are necessary but always unsafe.

As for money - I want to live in a world without money. There is another way - we just have to find it - we have never been permitted the freedom to govern ourselves. Take the money out of what is happening in Greece - what would then be the focus? What would be our focus on any of our current global problems if it were not money at the root?

I applaud your concern for the safety and wellbeing of all the people caught up in the upheaval - it tells me that you care. The fact you care - as do many others - is what keeps me believing that at the end of the chaos - when the dust has settled - we will rebuild in a way we could never have imagined.

As for some of the comments about the police - as a former officer you take an oath and when you are rostered on for duty - you have to attend to your duties. Factor in many officers don't manage what they absorb from years of dealing with violence - lies and lack of respect from the public - they are prone to redirecting their own abuse towards others. Needless to say I became a Teacher because I believed I could be of more help to society helping people to read and write - rather than locking them up.

Let's hope Greece can resolve thier current upheaval without loss of life - at least!

Much Peace...

This would be the perfect way for us to take our government back, just refuse to do anything until 'they' have absolutely nothing left to 'govern' or 'control'. I wish we could do this...