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Author Topic: Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)  (Read 1651 times)

lagatta

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Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)
« on: August 03, 2011, 06:00:44 PM »
I thought this Guardian article gave a compelling picture of the draconian cut in standard of living the crisis and austerity measures have meant for ordinary Greek people: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/02/greece-family-ties-debt-crisis

They seem to be falling to a standard of living no higher than some countries south of the Mediterranean. It is shocking.

I added and elsewhere in case you have similar stories about crisis and austerity measures elsewhere in Europe.
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Antonia

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Re: Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)
« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2011, 12:50:07 PM »
I wonder how much Diaspora Greeks pay in taxes. By them I mean, the many many Greeks who live in Canada who maintain second homes in Greece and spend summers there. Seems to me that every other Greek cabbie is like that.

I also know many Greeks who came here, made a nice pile, live in Greece but maintain Canadian residence so to get health care. I wonder where they pay their taxes.

I know I don't sound very sympathetic, and I agree that many Greeks have been victimized by an elite that has not paid its fair share. But if only I didn't know how avoiding tax is a Greek Olympic sport.
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Herr Magoo

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Re: Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2011, 03:26:49 PM »
Here's a similar type of article on which I commented on another board a while back.  Basically I found it pretty funny that the guy (Nikos Galanos) toward the end, complaining of his lack of prospects, was also complaining that "even the off-the-books work he counted on to put himself through technical school has dried up".
Without taxes, how exactly was the Greek government supposed to stay solvent?   Sell antiquities?  Spend what they do have on lottery tickets? 
Or do as they did:  borrow, borrow, borrow, and take great pains to hide the actual amount like some kind of problem gambler?
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Toedancer

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Re: Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2012, 04:45:06 PM »

Parts of Athens burns
Up to seven buildings - including a Starbucks cafe, a bank and a cinema, as well as other stores in downtown Athens - were set on fire,
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Antonia

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Re: Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2012, 08:31:34 PM »
I feel terrible for some of those people. They got frucked over by the nation's tax-dodging wealthy. But are the fires really necessary? I also worry about the stray dogs which live in that touristy area.
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It is when we all play safe that we create a world of utmost insecurity. It is when we all play safe that fatality will lead us to our doom. It is in the "dark shade of courage" alone that the spell can be broken.
-- Dag Hammarskjöld

Toedancer

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Re: Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2012, 10:13:34 PM »
When the autocrats are wiping their asses with silk, it's no wonder. Yeah the dogs.
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Toedancer

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Re: Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2012, 01:30:21 PM »
« Last Edit: February 22, 2012, 01:36:43 PM by Toedancer »
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"Democracy is not the law of the majority, it's the protection of the minority." -Albert Camus 1913-1960

Toedancer

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Re: Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)
« Reply #7 on: February 23, 2012, 11:35:00 PM »
The IMF/European Central Bank/European Commission took Greece's Sovereignty and now they are taking their Gold. How much? Dunno, but Italy must have Tons of it, wonder if their next.


“This is the first time ever that a European and probably an O.E.C.D. state abdicates its rights of immunity over all its assets to its lenders,” said Louka Katseli, an independent member of Parliament who previously represented the Socialist Party, using the abbreviation for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Ms. Katseli, an economist who was labor minister in the government of George Papandreou until she left in a cabinet reshuffle last June, was also upset that Greece’s lenders will have the right to seize the gold reserves in the Bank of Greece under the terms of the new deal, and that future bonds issued will be governed by English law and in Luxembourg courts, conditions more favorable to creditors."
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/22/world/europe/euro-zone-leaders-agree-on-new-greek-bailout.html?_r=1


OPA! Don't think the folks will take this too kindly once they know. I can smell tear gas from here or wait...maybe they'll make guilotines. Hey Anonymous, I think your up.
« Last Edit: February 23, 2012, 11:35:53 PM by Toedancer »
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"Democracy is not the law of the majority, it's the protection of the minority." -Albert Camus 1913-1960

Antonia

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Re: Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)
« Reply #8 on: February 24, 2012, 02:43:31 AM »
So it turns out the old man being tear gassed in the face in a Greek demo last week is my Mother's cousin, Manolis Glezos. What a guy.
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It is when we all play safe that we create a world of utmost insecurity. It is when we all play safe that fatality will lead us to our doom. It is in the "dark shade of courage" alone that the spell can be broken.
-- Dag Hammarskjöld

Toedancer

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Re: Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)
« Reply #9 on: May 06, 2012, 06:38:22 PM »
I don't think this political honeymoon will last very long.  Segolene Royal's X takes France.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/06/us-france-election-hollande-idUSBRE8450CU20120506


Greece? Who knows, wait to see who forms what, but opposing austerity was the theme.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/06/greek-elections-exit-polls-parties?newsfeed=true
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"Democracy is not the law of the majority, it's the protection of the minority." -Albert Camus 1913-1960

Toedancer

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Re: Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)
« Reply #10 on: May 08, 2012, 11:42:16 PM »
The Clash and the Upheaval Has Begun.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/may/08/left-revolt-austerity-far-right


Austerity isn't working, even in its own terms. Cutting jobs and pay while increasing taxes isn't reducing borrowing and debt, let alone leading to economic recovery. It's deepening recession, increasing debt and destroying jobs and squeezing living standards across the eurozone – in countries such as Spain and Greece, catastrophically – as well as in Britain.



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"Democracy is not the law of the majority, it's the protection of the minority." -Albert Camus 1913-1960

Toedancer

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Re: Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)
« Reply #11 on: May 09, 2012, 07:57:29 PM »

Another election? Say it ain't so, the next ones will be corrupted by the technocrats who find voters a nuisance.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/europe/Greece-Leftists-Abandon-Efforts-to-Form-Government-150860045.html
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"Democracy is not the law of the majority, it's the protection of the minority." -Albert Camus 1913-1960

justme

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Re: Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)
« Reply #12 on: May 15, 2012, 06:35:43 PM »
This documentary really opened my eyes with regard to what's really happening in Greece and elsewhere -

http://youtu.be/zCGSiqow9k4
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Antonia

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Re: Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)
« Reply #13 on: May 15, 2012, 11:55:18 PM »
Thanks!
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It is when we all play safe that we create a world of utmost insecurity. It is when we all play safe that fatality will lead us to our doom. It is in the "dark shade of courage" alone that the spell can be broken.
-- Dag Hammarskjöld

Toedancer

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Re: Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)
« Reply #14 on: May 16, 2012, 10:59:49 AM »
EuroRumours - Bank Runs in Greece and other countries? $900M Euros in one day *article doesn't say what day tho*


http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/16/11729795-greeks-withdraw-894-million-in-a-day-is-this-beginning-of-a-run-on-banks?lite


ETA - Krugman calls it a 'jog' not a run. http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/16/jogging-for-the-exit/


ETA2 - for those interested, there is a Debt Crisis Live @ the Telegraph - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/debt-crisis-live/9268748/Debt-crisis-live.html
« Last Edit: May 16, 2012, 11:35:30 AM by Toedancer »
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"Democracy is not the law of the majority, it's the protection of the minority." -Albert Camus 1913-1960

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Re: Crisis, austerity in Greece (and elsewhere...)
« Reply #14 on: May 16, 2012, 10:59:49 AM »
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