[pnh102]

The EU is stupid for agreeing to this bailout. It will simply encourage other PIGS to not clean up their own mess.

[manc]

hey unions fools and commies, there is no money so your idea is to cause havoc and disruption thus hurting the economy even more.

[SMARTY]

And THIS is the exact direction “O” and Co. would like to take America.

H E L L O ????????

[Gasshog]

DEAR morons, lets not be rude now. heh.

[I am Richard Brandon]

"An Open Letter To Greek Protesters"

Back in the Good Old Days, northern Europe worked hard after WW2 and had money. Its population came up with the brilliant idea of going south every summer to Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain (and France if you really had to). The reasoning was that these countries were poor, and consequently very cheap - and they had very good summer weather. Voila! -the perfect summer holiday (vacation for the Yanks).

Seeing all the wealth, those southern countries naturally said "I want some of that wealth." They raised their prices - a lot - and become Welfare States with very high standards of living. They did little else. Untenable position! It is now coming home to roost.

[fightinJAG]

Socialism always was (and frankly – still is) a horrible idea. It’s the reason you’re in this embarrassing position in the first place. In the eyes of the world you all look just as stupid and spoiled as can be. You could be protesting in diapers and demanding that ‘the state’ wipe your behinds and it would only marginally affect your public image. You need to accept the fact that there are no circumstances under which politics can arrange for nothing to be equal to something. You can not make a contribution of zero and expect to get a benefit greater than that.

Greece is now messing up what little economic prospects it has in terms of tourism.

That said, this once again proves that not only is Socialism stupid, unworkable and immoral, it is actually dangerous. Because once the money runs out -- and the money always runs out -- either the welfarists riot as is happening in Greece and the government puts them down brutally, thus furthering the country along toward tyranny or the government preemptively starts killing millions to (1) preclude civil unrest and (2) reduce the number of mouths to feed.

What is the outcome here on the ground? Will this unrest "need" to be put down? If so, which government will do the dirty work?

Once again Socialist Utopia devolves into the worst kind of brutality. Not only do people lose their wealth in Socialism, the dynamics invariably lead to people losing their lives. I hope that is forestalled in Europe, but history has a way of repeating itself.

[fightinJAG]

The standards that the Germans are living by right now are unsustainable in their own right, but they are a lot closer to reality than you are. At the very least you should pull up your pants, wipe that stuff off your face and be responsible enough to live at that level. Since it’s they who will be coming up with the bulk of your shortfall you should do it out of good manners if you can’t manage any other reason. And once you do, the rest of us will step and pull you back from the brink.

I read last week that the German public just found out in a big way that, while their retirement age is something like 65, the Greeks retire at 55. So the Germans are being asked to work a decade or so longer and also being asked to bail out Greeks who are RETIRED and living the life of ease.

That's gotta hurt.

But, you know what? The good ole U.S.A. is on the same road to Serfdom.

[mainsail that]