Riots spread as Greek lawmakers OK austerity bill

MSNBC ^ | 2/12/12

[EBH]

Legislation will allow country to cut debt; protesters set fire to 34 buildings; deputies expelled for opposing vote

The Greek parliament approved on Monday a deeply unpopular austerity bill to secure a second bailout from the European Union and International Monetary Fund and avoid a messy default.

The vote occurred after 100,000 demonstrators marched to the parliament and buildings were burned down in central Athens. Following the vote, black-masked protesters created a wall of fire with petrol bombs and set fire to cinemas, cafes, shops and banks.

Fifty police officers and at least 55 protesters were hospitalized. Forty-five suspected rioters were arrested; a further 40 were detained.

Following the vote to cut $4.35 billion — which means axing one in five civil service jobs and slashing the minimum wage by more than a fifth — violence spread to other Greek towns and cities, including on the holiday islands of Corfu and Crete.

"I've had it! I can't take it any more. There's no point in living in this country any more," said a man walking through his smashed and looted optician store.

[dragnet2]

I bet this does wonders for their tourism industry.

I going to cancel my to trip to Greece, and instead book a trip on an Italian cruise ship.

On second thought, maybe I'll just stay home.

[Advil000]

It might be the best answer they have.

Someone feel free to correct my assessment if you live in the region:

We have a wholly corrupt government, that has been supplanted by a Goldman puppet and has two parties who have both just removed dozens of their peers in parliament from their seats for not supporting legislation to go deeper into debt and potentially damage their sovereignty.

In addition, we have “the people” rioting in the streets of multiple cities, which looks like it is being fanned mostly by Greece’s Communist Party in an attempt to gain power because this is such a perfect excuse to push their ideology on an overtaxed populace that is about to lose their handouts.

So we have Socialist Lite, Socialist Heavy and Communists who want in but none of them will allow any form of fiscal conservatism no matter who is in power.

Is that about right?

If so, they are screwed. Military coup would be an improvement.

Does ANY of the populace want real representative government and balanced budgets? Are they willing to fight to get it? Or are they all a nation of takers from the government dole?

[EBH]

Does ANY of the populace want real representative government and balanced budgets? Are they willing to fight to get it? Or are they all a nation of takers from the government dole?

Pivotal questions really. We're at 47% on some sort of government support too. Questions we need to be asking ourselves. Are we willing to fight to get that real representative government and balanced budgets?

Better yet...as badly as the GOP has sold us out over the past decade with their, "reach across the aisle," are we really just still in the denial stage?

As someone posted the Greeks are moderate left, left, and further left. Is there really a difference between our own GOP-e, RINO, and democrat? Heck we're just now even realizing we have something called a CINO too!

[EBH]

The Triodion is open… as they say in Greece, and along with it comes joy, fun and lots of kefi in each town of Greece. The Carnival is considered to be a hyper national celebration, since it has become an attraction for more and more people despite their financial status or age over the years.

The celebrations of music, masquerade, dance and colors mark a unique three-week-long period in Greece that dates back to antiquity and the worship of the god Bacchus, or Dionysus, god of wine and celebration in the Eleusinian Mysteries.

Today, there are many different carnival parades going on all over Greece. Hundreds of groups take part in those parades, and anyone who wishes to participate can just join a group.

http://greece.greekreporter.com/2012/02/13/greek-carnival-celebrations-across-greece/

[NVDave]

Just a tidbit to keep in mind as we watch their situation unfold:

http://www.athensnews.gr/portal/11/53291

20% unemployment is depression territory.

And the “austerity” cuts the government has to make to fund the next tranche of bailout will only make that number worse, given the number of government employees they have to cut.

[caww]

Well from these posts here and the info I’ve read about Greece...any money coming from the EU is simply shuttled back to ‘foreign’ banks and investors leaving little to address the home problems. So this is simply a prop up to keep the revenues ‘out’ of Greece to others...Sarkosy would be in serious trouble should Greece fall.

Interesting that in the agreement Greece is forbidden from stopping any arms deals with France and Germany.

No matter which way one looks at this the Government corruption, long time inplace and handed down to the next “crook”.......there is no fix to Greece apart from leaving the EU and let the chips fall where they may, then start over. Not so sure the people have the will for that but many are calling for just that.

[sargon]

Anyone with a fire bomb gets shot, same for anyone wearing a mask.

What? I can wear a g-----n mask if I want to...