The carnage of Greece

** All photos from Greek demonstrations held on June 5, 2011 **

Ideally, in a democracy, you have elections in which people vote for the candidate(s) or party that they feel will best represent them; their needs and wishes. The people come to the ballot box to vote for politicians who while not expected to be perfect people, will at least do right by their constituency; to not betray them and/or sell them into debt slavery or other long-term suffering.

It is sadly ironic that in Greece, the birthplace of democracy, you have that beautiful nation run by a Criminal leader who is actively selling generations of future prosperity down the river in order to protect banks and appease investors who want nothing less than 100% reimbursement back on their investments even if the nation has to economically and literally Bleed as a result.

From Reuters (in blue font):

"Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou starts a campaign on Monday to secure a new international bailout by imposing years of austerity... Unease is growing within Papandreou's ranks about the consequences of waves of budget cuts demanded under successive deals with the European Union and IMF... at least 80,000 Greeks crammed a central Athens square to vent their anger over the nation's dire state.


As the government struggles to prevent Greece from defaulting on its debt, the Socialist cabinet will discuss informally on Monday the medium-term economic plan which will impose 6.4 billion euros ($9.37 billion US) of extra austerity this year alone."

~ The population of Greece is about 11 million people.  To give perspective, New York City is 8.1 million people or 75% the total population of Greece.   If you divide the economic austerity pain for each person it comes to 581 euro ($851 dollars US) for every man, woman and child.   To some it may not seem like much, but remember this is additional austerity and just year 1 of the second wave which Greece's leadership is ultimately agreeing on.

"Greece's international lenders have made clear that the new bailout package, which would replace a 110 billion euro deal agreed only a year ago, depends on Athens keeping to its promises for further austerity and accelerated privatizations.  But the government is under huge pressure, not from the hooded radicals who battled police in the early days of the austerity drive, but from ordinary Greeks who are suffering badly under pay and pension cuts and soaring unemployment."

~  Funny how those who truly wish to fight for their nation's economic sovereignty and future are called "hooded radicals" which give off such nasty connotations.  But whoever said corporate media ever sided with the people on anything...

"On Sunday night people from Athens and far beyond the capital crammed into the city's Syntagma Square to show they are close to the limit of their endurance. "Thieves - hustlers - bankers," read one banner raised above a sea of splayed hands waved at the parliament building which overlooks the square, an offensive gesture in Greek culture... Police put the turnout at 80,000, but many were stuck in side streets, unable to squeeze into the square, and protesters accuse authorities of routinely underestimating their numbers."

~  splayed hands

"Greeks on modest salaries are furious that they have to pay ever higher taxes in the drive to reduce a towering budget deficit, while they believe the self-employed such as doctors and lawyers are guilty of flagrant tax evasion... (There is) no relief is in sight. The medium-term plan aims for a further 22 billion euros in austerity steps in 2012-15.


On Sunday, some banners evoked the Arab Spring movement to oust authoritarian rule. "From Tahrir Square to Syntagma Square, we support you!" read one banner. Others showed helicopters in an apparent reference to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's flight from Cairo in February after weeks of popular protests on the city's Tahrir Square.


Papandreou has used his parliamentary majority to ram through successive rounds of austerity. But faced with the popular anger, some PASOK lawmakers are becoming uneasy.  A group of 16 wrote to the prime minister on Thursday demanding a full party debate on the medium-term plan as "a matter of patriotism and democracy." "

~  The unemployment rate of Greece is 15.9%.  And notice how Greece's leader had to "ram" the austerity down the government and the people's throats rather than discuss and debate like a true democracy is supposed to.  And don't think for a second he is not getting kickbacks of some kind from the American-run IMF, ECB or EU.

"The ECB opposes any attempt to cut the overall value of creditors' bond holdings, known as a haircut, fearing this would badly hurt banks which hold Greek debt and provoke a violent reaction on international financial markets."

~ In other words, Greece (and Ireland and Portugal) can be completely decimated as far as the ECB cares as long as cockroach investors are protected.

Hope the Grecian people truly stand up for themselves and Go the Distance, because this is truly their last chance to fight for control of their future as a nation and as free people.