Posted on 01/24/2012 9:20:43 AM PST by Corky Boyd
No, I’m not suggesting she buy more Greek debt, I’m talking about buying the country of Greece. Buy it lock, stock and barrel, just like the Americans bought Alaska from the Russians in 1867. Russia was hurting financially from the Crimean war and Czar Nicolas needed to replenish his coffers. Alaska was a drag. Russian hunters had pretty well wiped out the fur seals and nothing would grow in the far north soils because of smelly black stuff that oozed out it. So he dumped it for $7.2 million on those gullible Americans.
What would Germany and Greece get out of it? Well, Germany would have its own Riviera where aging Germans could lounge in the sun wearing ill fitting thong bathing suits. There would be an unlimited supply of ouzo to cloud their minds. And German cities would see a ton of new, Greek run restaurants. The Greeks would get Mercedes and Volkswagen assembly plants. They, of course, would be manned by Germans so the Greeks, too, could enjoy the delights of ouzo without wasting time working.
It’s win win for everyone.
They could do a hostile takeover.
The way it looks right now, Germany could pretty much buy most of europe. Maybe that was the plan all along.....
and since there is a buying mindset in motion, why don’t we ( the US ) help out our allies, the british, and just buy up the troublesome Falkland’s, south georgia and those pesky sandwich islands. The falklands would make a real nice navy base in the south atlantic....
“They could do a hostile takeover.”
You mean like they did 70 years ago?
Buying Greece would make as much sense as taking financial responsibility for a shiftless, drunken brother in law.
“The way it looks right now, Germany could pretty much buy most of europe. Maybe that was the plan all along.....”
With what money?
Wait a minute.....does it have automatic sprinklers? I might be willing to put in a bid if it has automatic sprinklers. I don’t want to be dragging sprinkler hoses all over Greece. Oh, and one of those things you can hang pots on in the kitchen.
Sorry. I had to withdraw my bid. My wife said she had enough just doing my laundry.
Hmm.. Perhaps we could retire the national debt by selling off areas that are dragging us down -- Like California, NYC, and Chicago, BTW do we really need Hawaii?
We could get rid of the Commielibs and solve the debt crisis with one move.
Invade Greece—Put Germans in charge—Terminate the Unions and entitlements—put in work or starve policy. Bring in Turks to really work rather than drink and dance.
How about putting Greece up for auction on Ebay?
So flood it with Muslims and hand control over to the Germans... I am sure Constantine and Alexander would be resting peacefully.
That would be like us buying Mexico. You might like the real estate, but it's the people that live there that is the issue.
Alaska we bought, but it had few people, unlike Greece. No one ever considers culture in their equations. The Greeks are a society that has few of the tenets that make a prosperous/powerful society.
1. High level of corruption. Causes misallocation of resources in a way that does not maximize the returns.
2. Low time sensitivity. Makes it difficult to make complex industrial or military things to happen.
3. Low fertility rate (1.52 below what is required for a stable society, 2.11), i.e. value of family and children.
4. Moderate resistance to a free market. They want stability not growth.
5. Low degree of personal culpability may that be in economic or life choices. Failure is not something pinned onto the person.
6. Moderate reluctance to use force. Unwilling to protect what is theirs.
7. Moderate resistance/fear of technology.
8. High national identity and a more homogeneous society. Greeks have a Greek identity and they are proud of it. That is good.
The Greeks are where they are at for a reason. Unlike the typical Western sociologist that explains everything with a conflict theory, “they are poor because they are rich,” the reality is that wealth isn't finite and is created. Countries burnt to ashes and nuked, with a high population density and no appreciable resources that have to traverse the worlds largest oceans with their goods to reach their markets do just fine- Japan. Greece is no Japan. Even with US aid over many years, US bases, EU and NATO memberships, vast cultural and historic sites that draws millions of tourists, the Olympics, key terrain on the Mediterranean, this nation remains teetering on the brink of economic and political implosion. This isn't new, they were a Euro version of a Caribbean banana republic even before they joined the EU. It is culture that makes wealth, not wealth that makes culture. The more the Germans pump into Greece, the more they are wasting their money. Go there as a tourist, but don't buy property there.
BTW, I know this was meant as a joke.
“That would be like us buying Mexico. “
Nope, the difference is: Mexicans work hard for little to no money, greeks get huge amounts of money without doing any work at all.
lol
Very true!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.