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Greece is a victim of its own cronyism and corruption
The Telegraph ^ | 10 Jul 2015 | Pavlos Eleftheriadis

Posted on 07/13/2015 3:22:29 AM PDT by familyop

Starting in the Eighties populist spending and cronyism became the norm for both main parties, PaSoK and the conservative New Democracy party, which followed Papandreou’s practices when it returned to power in the 1990s. The civil service became part of the spoils of government. There was no room for universal benefits or long-term strategies of assisting the poor. Everyone was out to secure the best short-term outcome for themselves. The big winners were the public sector unions, the utility companies’ unions and the professionals: doctors, lawyers, engineers, pharmacists. The economy remained closed and protectionist, working largely for the benefit of powerful special interests. The New Democracy government of Kostas Karamanlis excelled in this mismanagement, appointed an estimated 150,000 civil servants and finally lost control of public finances in 2007-2009.

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial
KEYWORDS: collapse; corruption; debt; greece
The Telegraph leans U.K.-Conservative. Who truly understands European politics?
1 posted on 07/13/2015 3:22:30 AM PDT by familyop
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To: familyop

I doubt Greece’s problems stem from the fact that it failed to set up a welfare state based on the European socialist models. Obviously, the problem with Greece, like most failed economic states, is too little work and production and too much spending.


2 posted on 07/13/2015 3:29:47 AM PDT by driftless2
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To: All
Greece was hollowed-out from within by greedy, insatiable politicians w/ a fixation on govt power.

Greece's "New Democracy government" excelled in mismanagement...it appointed an estimated 150,000 civil servants......

These "civil servants" were cronies and political hangers-on.

When the Greek monetary crisis broke....one report showed that the Greek govt had some 528 agencies fully-staffed and highly-paid ...that had nothing whatsoever to do.

3 posted on 07/13/2015 3:33:35 AM PDT by Liz
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To: All
Who will bailout the US if the Clintons get back into the WH?

Sucking off the backs of hard-working taxpayers is the name of the Clinton game. The opportunistic Clintons grab anything that isn't nailed down. They became multi-billionaires overnight selling off US ntl security to the highest bidder.

The Clintons are lying in wait to duplicate the Greek debacle. They have an army of workers ready and waiting at the infamous foundation. All of them salivating over the prospect of high-pay govt jobs and endless pensions and perks....courtesy of the taxpayers.

Keep in mind the Clintons, and their suck-ups, are not content w/ six-figure govt salaries, expense accounts, housing and clothing allowances and free travel. It's Greece all over again---high-paid govt factotums w/ dollar signs dancing in their heads.

ONE EXAMPLE OF A CLINTON WH APPOINTMENT: long-time Clintonista, Sid Blumenthal.

<><> the Clintons announce Blumenthal was hired by the Clinton Foundation to "promote Bill's presidential legacy," (waiting for hysterical laughter to die down)

<><> at the same time Blumenthal was tight w/ American Bridge and Media Matters — two Democratic groups aiding 2016 Hillary,

<><> dollar-crazed Blumenthal was also a paid advisor to US businesses seeking Libyan contracts (marketing his influence w/ Hillary's State Dept);

<><> buckeroo Blumenthal was secretly advising Secy of State Clinton about Libya @ $320,000 per year;

<><> suck-up Sid also pocketed $200,000 a year from Clinton political fixer, David Brock's, media operations.

4 posted on 07/13/2015 4:00:33 AM PDT by Liz
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To: familyop; All
People just do not understand this issue.

1) Ignore as you already know, the lying @ss media.

Just like we had a TARP over here in 2008.... Remember old George W Bush saying, “These Companies are TOO BIG TO FAIL”? He wanted the U.S. Tax Payers to bailout the Banks that made bad bets in Wall Street and lost. Most of that TARP money went to foreign banks that were hedging their bets, via the derivatives market and lost. Most of the bets were in the real-estate market with bad loans. It was a housing bubble and it burst.

During that time. Greece was asked the Central Bank of Europe to chip in help bail out the Euro. It was a collisional mistake on Greece's part. Greece followed what the Central Banks advised 3 times, and they kept falling further and further in debt. That is what happens when politicians listen to the Central Banks. The country will never get our of debt. It's happening to us, and we are way further in debt than Greece. This has nothing to do with them being lazy. That's a crock of $hit. The Central Bank is just making Greece, just like our Federal Reserve, into debt slaves.

Greece has finally done the right thing, and will not follow the Central Banks advise. Most of the Debt that Greece agreed to pay was not even theirs. It's a complete fraud. Same thing happened in Iceland in 2008. For the record, 93% of the debt was not theirs. Right now the Iceland economy is booming.

5 posted on 07/13/2015 4:17:44 AM PDT by Enlightened1
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To: Enlightened1

How do you classify debt that is not theirs?


6 posted on 07/13/2015 4:22:18 AM PDT by Woodman
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To: familyop

The German date of retirement and death will be the same!


7 posted on 07/13/2015 4:38:32 AM PDT by Dr. Ursus
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To: Woodman

I classify it as the country of Greece did not Hedge the derivatives bets.

That was done by the banks that needed to be bailed out.

Here is an analogy for you.

1) I lose a bet on Wall Street, based on the fraudulent fractional reserve banking system, hedging a bet in the stock market on some bad loans in a real estate market.

2) A bank convinces you to bail me out because I’m too big to fail. Remember did you ever get a bail out when you mismanaged your money. Answer : No because that’s free market. You should have known better. However, that same through dose not apply to the banks. Nevertheless, they convince you that it will help me and you ultimately.

3) You decide to help me out, (kind of like a co signer of a loan), and then you have trouble paying it. Three times you follow, the banks advice, only to find yourself further and further into debt. Kind of like being upside down in a house or a car payment.

This is even though originally this was not your debt. So following the advice of the Central Bank has put you in a terrible position financially.

That’s basically what happened.


8 posted on 07/13/2015 4:39:22 AM PDT by Enlightened1
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To: Enlightened1
Something similar enough to the following is what happened. And yes, the socialist political regulator class is lazy among other things.

Heavy Hitters: Top All-Time Donors, 1989-2014
http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/list.php
American Fedn of State, County & Municipal Employees $60,949,129 [Democrat] 81% [Republican] 1%”


Leviathan (Uncle Sam employs more people than you think)
National Review ^ | 02/03/2011 | Iain Murray
"...nearly 40 million Americans employed in some way by government."

Three-quarters of Americans think teachers paid less than they really are
Washington Examiner ^ | 9-16-13 | ASHE SCHOW
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3067473/posts

Firefighters, Teachers and Police - Not a Federal Responsibility
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2896477/posts

$85,000 salaries: Teaching pays off
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1008237/posts

Joy of six (figures): 738 NYC teachers getting $100G+ pensions
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2456298/posts

LAUSD: Teachers have little reason to cry poor
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2095889/posts

Obama signs emergency bill to halt teacher layoffs
yahoo ^
Posted on Tue Aug 10 17:38:51 2010
"The aid for the states is to be paid for mostly by closing a tax loophole used by multinational corporations and by reducing food stamp benefits for the poor...The legislation provides $10 billion to school districts to rehire laid-off teachers or to ensure that more teachers won't be let go before the new school year begins."

Mutually Assured Destruction [Tues. debacle confirms growing rift between Dems & teachers unions.]
American Spectator ^ | 11/5/10 | RiShawn Biddle
"Congressional Democrats angered centrist school reformers, MoveOn.org-style progressives, and other party activists in August when they voted to ladle $10 billion in federal subsidies (funded from future cuts to the Food Stamp program) to school districts in order to stave off layoffs of 160,000 teachers (or just 2.6 percent of the nation's 6.2 million school employees). In turn, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers poured more than $40 million of their hefty campaign war chests (including more than $15 million by the NEA in the last weeks of the election season alone) to help the Democrats keep full control of Congress."

House bill would cut $4B a year from food stamps
Associated Press ^ | Sep 16, 2013 6:28 PM EDT | Mary Clare Jalonick
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3067558/posts

Should the Government Help Homeowners With Underwater Mortgages?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2843181/posts

Cushy government pay, benefits nationwide (UNION EXTORTION)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1544705/posts

Life's tough for $144,000 garbage collectors
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2662108/posts

Government Workers Make 45 Percent More Than Private Sector Employees
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2447819/posts

More than 13% of DWP workers are paid $100,000 and up
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1905448/posts

77,000 feds paid more than governorsGovernment salaries put under scrutiny
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2728143/posts

There are too many regulators and other useless government employees. Real production for generating real revenues (as differentiated from recirculating debt) is suppressed by too many regulations (examples being planning regulations and residential building regulations in rural areas, zoning against new, small manufacturing in rural areas, etc.), property taxes wrongfully high with fictitious real estate values, high fees and mercantilism against our own nation (government-connected traitors using government to prevent competition). Many government pay cuts are needed. Many offices and positions need to be closed.


9 posted on 07/13/2015 1:44:24 PM PDT by familyop ("The Romans and their Empire were but a bauble in comparison to the Jews." --President John Adams)
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To: Enlightened1

I see it a bit differently. Greece and many other entities have been using various structured products which causes them to enter into complex contractual obligations. I don’t believe that any of these parties were stupid enough to not understand what they were doing. These Derivative allowed them to live beyond their means without disclosing their exposure to their constituents. The Greek people may be somewhat innocent, but Greece is not.


10 posted on 07/13/2015 6:37:03 PM PDT by Woodman
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