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Full, Unabridged And Totally Hilarious G-Pap Speech To Cabinet
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I have convened this Cabinet today to an historic meeting. All the citizens of Greece feel the crucial nature of these moments and the burden of historical responsibility. Avoiding bankruptcy is a red line for the Nation.
“I would like to make it absolutely clear to everybody — I have done and will always do whatever it takes for the country not to go bankrupt. We are waging together a difficult and relentless battle dealing with the problems — the dimensions of which one could never have imagined. It is true, we were the first to speak of the crisis — a crisis of politics, a crisis of institutions, a crisis of values which in turn led to the huge economic crisis. “No citizen of Greece could however ever have imagined the size of the debt and the deficit which the former government had caused and hid upon its exit. This is not the time for accusations, however. The people of Greece are fully aware of where they lie. The consequences however are manifold.
“First of all, the lack of trust that Greek citizens have in their institutions and the present political system, the lack of credibility of our political system is so great that citizens even show distrust to us and to this government. From the first day however I personally and all of us here have fought battle after battle trying to finally make those profound changes and create a society where justice prevails, where the money of the Greek people is put to good use and where the democratic state protects the rights of its citizens.
“For the first time in years a government is working with such dedication to the task assigned to it by the citizens of this country.
“In all sincerity, we are a different government. Despite this long battle with the crisis of debt and lending, day by day, we are
making small and even greater reforms to a system which did not serve the interests of this country.
“This is something we will continue to do ceaselessly as we round the cape of economic crisis in order not to find ourselves in this situation again. “Our first concern was to regain credibility with our citizens. We have been honest from the very first moment with the Greek people.
“A second objective was to regain credibility internationally and chiefly with Europe, because in October 2009 nobody would listen to us. Nobody would believe us. We have struggled to this end because we knew that without credibility we would find no understanding — let alone support. We would be in a vacuum. We would be struggling alone, abandoned to our enormous debts. These are our debts. We would have been alone face to face with our creditors and speculators.
“We could not have rallied support due to our previous lack of credibility. The only possible help — and this would have been an even more difficult route — was the 10-20 billion Euros which at best the IMF would have ensured, at a time when the state needed 60 billion Euros in loans annually.
“We have waged a battle of credibility and have won and today present a programme for a different Greece, along with immediate emergency measures in order to convince people that these were not just empty words. We have moved ahead with radical changes to the tax system, in transparency and the structure and functioning of the state.
“We have taken austere and painful measures which were however necessary to increase revenue, to restrict expenditure, to continue to function as a state, to ensure the maximum, to be able to continue paying salaries and pensions.
“To show that the citizens of Greece have not fled the battle we have run a marathon of contacts and negotiations. It is with this
struggle to regain credibility that we have been able to make the international community sit up and take notice of the courageous efforts of our people. We have been able to convince our partners that the problem of Greece is not solely our problem. It also concerns the functioning of the markets. It concerns the protection of the Euro.
“Thus, the European Union decided to set up a completely new mechanism to support Greece. The decision of the European Union on the 25th March was decisive and historic for Greece but also for Europe. Just think where we would be today without this European support mechanism — our problems would be unsurpassable.
“We had sincerely believed, both we and our European partners, that the existence of this mechanism would in itself be enough to facilitate the borrowing needs of Greece. Unfortunately that was not the case.
“From the first moment, the first E.U. Council of Ministers I attended as Prime Minister of Greece — and without once shirking the responsibility of Greece — I stated that the problem was greater and more serious.
“I stated that it concerned the stability of the financial system of Europe and the Euro, that it concerned the functioning of the
international financial system and that a small fire could kindle a firestorm. Some people agreed, some not. Perhaps some thought we were seeking an alibi to offload responsibility instead of undertaking our own responsibilities.
“We however undertake this responsibility despite the decisions of the European Union, positive decisions. Ambiguities gave a signal to the market that there was a lack of decisiveness. Some have targeted Greece which through its own actions became the weak link and guinea-pig. Greece continued to be the target and guinea-pig in an unfavourable international economic climate. It was a weak link and easy prey to speculators.
“Today the problem has assumed greater proportions. We see that the fire threatens to spread harming Greece even more, but also spreading to other countries and economies of the Eurozone and even further afield.
“The cost of putting out the fire is expected to be much greater, as unfortunately will be the burden that Greek citizens have to bear. The need to have recourse to the mechanism unavoidably means additional and more immediate efforts and sacrifices sought by creditors and our partners in order to guarantee financing our needs and for us to move out of the crisis safely.
“I know that with the decisions today our citizens must suffer greater sacrifices. The alternative however would be catastrophe and greater suffering for us all. This is why we have decided not to yield one step. This is not a pleasant decision for me or for anybody. We are here however to take the correct decisions for our country. This was and is our responsibility.
“This is the responsibility that I personally have undertaken to serve. This is a responsibility towards the common interest of
Hellenism. We have realized very early on that a European mechanism was needed which could help refinance our debt with record amounts in world history.
“We have set up this mechanism from scratch. We sought its activation a few days ago and today we ratify the agreement. This is an unprecedented agreement and an unprecedented support package for an unprecedented effort by the Greek nation.”
“Critics and even our well-intentioned friends say: ‘There will be political fallout. PASOK is turning its back on its policies. You will
only see one term of office’.
“My answer is: PASOK always has a red line — the interest of our nation and nothing else.
“I have said it and I will say it again — I have never sought to come to power for powers sake, only to contribute. I stake nothing by sacrifices, my only interest is when I hand over that I will have done what is right and for us to create together a different and much better Greece. That is why I will take whatever decision is necessary.
“At the end of my term of office, Greece will not be bankrupt — it will be reborn.
“It was not our choice to take measures against the just and unjust. It was our choice to put order in the affairs of the state, to revive our economy in a socially just manner. Economic reality however obliges us to take very tough decisions. This is recognized the world over.
“At the same time the first positive results can already be seen. The budget deficit has been reduced for the first quarter by 40% against last year.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, we know that these are hard sacrifices, but they are necessary. This is the only way that we will be able to finance the 300 billion Euros debt we have. If we do not finance this debt, Greece will go bankrupt.
“Tomorrow, as we come around the cape, we can dedicate ourselves to the task of creating a different Greece. I convened the Cabinet meeting for it to give its initial approval to these commitments we are called upon to make. Many of the measures are perfectly feasible because we too wish to build a new competitive Greece, a Greece which is financially viable and independent, which can take its fate into its own hand. A Greece that decides its own future.
“Many of the measures are also emergency measures we are called upon to take. We could have avoided them had we the freedom of choice-especially if we had the time we needed and could have put to good use, had we not found ourselves faced with this huge economic crisis.
“This is why these sacrifices are being made today: to enable us to have the breathing space we need, to find the time needed as well as peace of mind to make the historic changes in our country which our nation has entrusted to the Panhellenic Socialist Movement.
“We are shaping a truly new patriotism, which means that we change practices and conceptions. We are to highlight whatever best Greece and Hellenism has: ‘meraki’ (dedication to effort), ‘filotimo’, (sense of duty) solidarity, humaneness, hospitality, uprightness, imagination,creativity, alacrity of wit needed for productivity. This is our Greece of values.
“New patriotism means that we do not only praise symbols and history, but take care of our fellow citizen, and the common interest, we take care of our environment, take care of Greece which belongs to all of us. New patriotism means a new collective Greek conscience.
“This message goes out to all. We send it to the European Union and to the International Community watching us — who will be watching us, not only over the next few days but the coming months. They will be watching and evaluating our reactions, watching Greek society. We want to show a Greece that is changing, that is being reborn, a Greece of which we are proud.
“We are talking of historic changes for citizens, historic changes which will take Greece definitively out of the crisis. At this historic
crossroads however there is no other choice that will save our country. Given the exceptionally tight negotiating framework in which we found ourselves, any negotiation was difficult.
“What is positive is that employees in the private sector are not affected. We have had, however, to take additional painful measures which affect pensioners and civil servants because the ’sick man’ is the public sector and the sooner we change it the faster we will revive our economy and regain lost ground being yielded by Greeks today.
“As the Minister of Finance has explained, we have tried to save whatever we could and tried to ensure that consequences for the weaker in society are minimal. This is our philosophy, these are the principles of PASOK as a movement.
“I wish to stress that this national effort requires the political system to set an example. This is why I will ask of the President of the Parliament to undertake initiatives for the Parliament to head the effort and for Members of Parliament to participate in the burden and forsake their bonuses. This is only a small taste of overall change in the way the political system we are trying to implement will function.
“I have ordered the Minister of Finance to speed up the procedure for drawing up the new electoral law so that the political system will be established on new sound basis. We must say in all sincerity to the citizens of Greece that we have trying times ahead. We are seeking a new meaning to our values however, such as quality, humanness, democracy, solidarity between us — we are opening up a new road.
“I want to thank you all for the courage and the feeling of responsibility that you have all shown all this time. We have stood and
will stand up to our responsibilities to the future of our country, to the forthcoming generations. We must hand them a country that is robust without the deficits that our generation created to emerge not only winners but stronger that before.
“We must perform great feats. We will see difficult times, but we will succeed by making a new start in everything. We will seek out our values and give them a new meaning, such as quality, humanness, solidarity
“We do not promise to have an easy or painless time over the next few years. I do however promise three basic things: first of all that we will do everything to protect the weakest in this crisis.
“Secondly: that the feeling of justice will be consolidated since this has been lost and obviously there is anger. This is something we feel, we all understand. Something I understand. This is the rage of citizens today who have to pay for the sins of others. Justice, equality in the eyes of the law, the just distribution of burden and wealth are for us a daily battle and commitment.
“Thirdly: I promise to fight alongside all of you and to make this crisis an opportunity for change. We must change, Greece must change, we must think and dream differently, and make Greece different. This is a new beginning which will make us proud of our country and of our work.
“I would like to thank you once again for the feeling of responsibility that you have all shown. I must stress again that Greeks have always come through difficulties stronger and victorious. This is the case today too. This is why I have every confidence in the strength of Greece. If we all work together, all together for the Greece we deserve and dream of — we will succeed. We will go through difficult times but we will be successful. In this battle, I will always be at the forefront.”
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"The people of Greece are fully aware of where they lie."
The tax form?
The balance sheet?
Help me out here, G-Pappy.
It's called the G-Papsmear.
Spread'em wide, we're going in.
I am Chumbawamba.
LOL
Chumba, you're incorrigible.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/incorrigible
chumba, you are incorrigible.
now stop it. right now†
your embarassing me.
NO LOL from me.
i can tell your panties are in a bunch tonight, hope you get some relief soon.
That might have to become a shirt, Chumba.
However, for the ladies (and women seem to be contacting me more than the men here) this latest delight from the mind of William Banzai. A lovely tribute to Credit Default Schnapps!
http://www.zazzle.com/dionysus_tshirt-235219703222559684
Men--you can get your mug when I put it up! So go to www.zazzle.com/Howard_Beale and peruse the store. Lots of new items today thanks to Mr. Banzai's generous offering. More tomorrow.
Buy this shirt for your sweetie who is a Mom for Mother's Day. She'll love it. It's pink and fitted and what women want!
Finally Howard found his business, we will buy in droves, man!
Is this your survival idea? Pink, fitted, loose, overweight or whatever, Howard is there, using ZH as commercial platform.
Can we buy some banana tasting condoms with Bens image on the horns too?
Every penny goes to ZH and they have the password to monitor the account. This was approved by Tyler with good wishes. If I really cared about your bullshit I would post a T-Shirt that you are a douchebag. But I don't. You seem to learn nothing here. In every post I have put up a disclaimer that this is for the benefit of ZH. I have yet to see you provide any benefit to this blog other than being a jerk.
Are you mad as hell?
Are you gonna take it anymore?
Howard will have E-U not only hanging out the window, but jumping from it. Fortunate indeed is E-U that Howard is in a creative mood just now.... One excellent fight cluber Howard is...
EU has a tendency to not have a sense of humor either, gets angry at posts intended to evoke a laugh. Seen it more than once, just ask Ben Dover II. It is as if this poster can't tell. Some thing is up. As screwy as this sounds, I think compassion is in order. EU's handle may not be so casual, it may be personal and dire. As jerk like as the chimp seems (I agree) I think we need to back off. They have an opinion. No biggie.
No out the window jokes, K?
And if you think I should fuck off, well then, I will! ;-D
Thanks for the compliments below. EU's issues with me go back to a thread where he basically stated that Jews are at the heart of the financial mess. I vehemently opposed such racism and let him have it. Thus, EU goes on the attack whenever he finds me. And I just see a person with limited intelligence and compassion. But you are greatly appreciated for your efforts to keep him calm. I saw the post where he took your advice on chillin on a satire. However, he may be beyond help. As for CN, I read the manifesto and it is wonderful.
Yes you two. No more out the window jokes, since they're not. Especially when we say; "Jump, you fuckers....".
No wonder your husband likes the way you talk MsCreant... and I like the way you reintroduce me to my humanity.
Howard & I cannot but agree as to how your creative energies are simply awesome...
Howard is trying to do something. Don't you feel frustrated?
And don't steal my condom idea.
I was the one who thought of all of us mailing condoms to congress and asking them to wear them if they were going to continue to screw us. I coped out on the idea after doing some work on it.
Howard at least is doing something.
Are you doing anything? I am not doing enough.
Not doing enough? hmmmm......
Your creativity conceptualizes some of the greatest observations posted in these spaces... Ripples that reach pal. And when I drift you don't hesitate to check me. Thank you for being your self.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xjTET_pXCU
So far it appears as though banana flavoring hasn't done much good for most since those critters insist on using yeast infection scented mouthwash...
EU, go fuck yourself. You are a truly useless waste of life, howard is donating all to ZH. All you do is bitch on this site. Create your own blog and get the fuck out of here. the fact that whichever lowlife raw-dogged your mother al la spitzer at the truckstop for 10 bucks had enough motile spermatozoa to spawn something as worthless yourself is truly regrettable.
So either hang yourself or go away.
Holy crap. That was both funny and pathetic at the same time. Long live Greece.
(Cue THE WALL by Pink Floyd)
Must be in the International Water;
“First of all, the lack of trust that Greek citizens have in their institutions and the present political system, the lack of credibility of our political system is so great that citizens even show distrust to us and to this government."
Ya'll 'catchin' on, boy. Keep thait up'n'll getcha lookin' laik the haid o granpa's penis wit'da fo-skin rolled back. Ya'll need sum time fryin' them brain'z-at the tannin' salon, son.
Keeerist! It just dawned on me!
We're a-lendin' this dolt real money?
God, I love the smell of fresh burnt Euros in the mornin'.
Nah, it's all fiat
We don't need no debt control.
No debt sarcasm in the bond pit.
Hey! Bankers! Leave our debt alone!
G-Pap's tearful high-school-term-paper macaronic is what passes for political speech in this unfortunate country (which BTW had 10Y GGB spread at 132 the day before he came to power, October 2009; six months of his administration drove it to 1000+ )
Music? Okay:
These streets are paved with storiesOf faded hopes and glories
No sleepless nights, no worries
Hey, baby, what's your hurry?
I'd like to get to know you
I've got some things to show you
Let's take a walk to my old haunts
These dreams are best forgotten
Passed on from ripe to rotten
Bewildered and besotten
Soaked up in balls of cotton
Oh do not ask what is it
Let's go and make our visit
Let's take a walk to my old haunts
What do you do when your credit's shot?
Skip town until it's not
What do you do when you've passed your best?
Put a cherry on top and bury it to rest
(Kudos if you can spot the T.S. Eliot verses hiding in the above lyrics.)
Is he running for congress?
blah blah blah. typical scumbag politico.
At no point in those incoherent ramblings did he make what can be classified as a rational thought. Everyone who has read that passage is now dumber as a result. This douchebag has zero credibility, and may God have mercy on his soul.
O'Doyle rules.
I have a feeling that whole family is going down in a big way.
So has Greece managed not only to place a gun to it's head per Blazing Saddles but also slip away with the money? Sorry but this ain't done until the fat lady sings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upvZdVK913I&feature=PlayList&p=EB44485416769D92&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=2
Did you say Fiat Lady?
Thanks MsCreant
When the Fiat lady sings, it's all over. (Notice the name on this Ukraine tractor.)
There is a tractor in the photo?
I can't post photos (I have not been anointed) but here's a more modern Fiat Lady:
http://ezcolewhee.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/2009-fiat-500-birthday-gif...
I am Chumbawamba.
"I can't post photos (I have not been anointed)...."
Chumba,
I'd be happy to give you a glowing written recommendation (Dear Tyler and Marla. Chumba has been a life long friend [measured in ZH years] and I strongly suggest that after chemical fumigation, you anoint him with Chanel # 9 and make him a ZH contributor) but I don't think you're getting past the censors nor the PC police. :>)
CD--have you visited the Zazzle ZH store? I would love to create something just for your next contribution. In the meantime--just a little feedback from you would mean a great deal to me.
It's less than a week old but getting lots of traffic, surprising buying of items I didn't expect to fly, (women are shoppers!) and constant creation on my part as well as today's William Banzai7's very generous support for the greater good of the blog. Could you give me some feedback as I value your opinion greatly--howardbeale72 at gmail dot com. Thanks in advance.
Man, that was funny.
Greece will find ways to circumvent the new bailout austerity rules, and the Squids will only be too happy to help, just as they helped the Greeks get around the Maastricht Treaty.
Finally they can go back to advising clients.
Greek austerity measures:
1. Cut textile use by 50%: Women's thongs and men's speedos to be cut in half.
2. Retirement age raised by two years except for public sector workers who will be allowed to retire two years earlier than present retirement age if they can demonstrate adverse mental effects from shock of two year postponement of retirement.
3.Taxes raised by 100% on all Greeks.*
*Footnote: Expected two year early retirement by hundreds of government tax collectors will result in -200% decrease in actual taxes collected, particularly in the swimming pool tax collection division.
You forgot one thing.
4. Prepare new printing plates for revised coinage and paper currency.
Almost every country that got a bailout from the IMF ended up putting at least three zeros next to the denomination of their currency. Indonesia is a good example, also Brazil. And it was none other than Timothy Geithner that was the colossal FAIL in both instances. Idiot. How he keeps getting work, I dont know.
Doesn't look good for the Euro.
The Greeks are the smart ones - Live well above your means and have the IMF (US taxpayer), and the rest of the EMU bail you out so you can continue the party. When the next shitstorm hits Greek shores in about 4 years, they'll be bailed out again. You watch.
This is totally wrong. It is the same propaganda that extends guilt to everyone just to cover the thevies. The money Greece got all those years ended to corrupted politicians and state-bound companies (banks, media, construction, telecommunication etc). It is amoralistic such a vile opinion.
Explain what is so vile about my opinion.
(I'm first gen Greek-American by the way...)
He just did! Nationality not important (Macedonians and Greeks have a 'thing' right?)
Is the 'party' the riots and bombings they've been having?
Are you out of your mind TK? Macedonia is the Glory of Greece.
Nick Pappagiorgio is all about the "humanness"!
This G-pap-smear amazes me in his ability to channel Herbert Hoover, FDR, LBJ, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Clinton and Obama, all at the same time! He has completely distilled in this one speech the very quintessence of political arrogance, pretension, denial of reality, historical cluelessness, evasion of guilt, and abdication of responsibility. I just wish he had waved the bailout contract from the IMF up in the air and proclaimed "With this paper, I bring you prosperity for our time!"
He claims exactly what you say. That he will bring prosperity.
He is very good in speech piracy.
Can you believe in what mess we Greeks are?
Papandreou destroys Greece itself, not only its economy.
I sympathize for the millions of innocent Greeks who are caught up in this tragedy.
But I strongly suspect that the rest of Europe, and then we North Americans, will be the next to follow where Greece and her national bankruptcy leads.
Mate, how innocent is a tax dodger??? Can you elaborate?
Maybe the innocents are a more restricted number than millions...oh they are there sure, but someone who dodge taxes and pretends a Superannuation in mid 50s.....has some guilt, believe me.
You have a valid point and I won't diminish it.
But considering how many times Greece has gone through government after government and default after default, how can the average citizen trust their government? Some Greek friends have explained to me that it's a dog eat dog world in Greece and you do what you can to survive and not feed a corrupt government.
Admittedly thieves will justify thieving. But I've been thinking about the massive increase in US debt. Can I not repudiate that debt since it was amassed against my will by a corrupt system? And if I can't directly repudiate it, the indirect way is to avoid taxes, cheating if need be.
This subject is long over due to be discussed. The US and many other countries in the world are ruled by rouge governments. I will not be responsible for what they do in my name and against my will.
Did you take their money when they came your way or not? because that is all the difference you know??
Sorry but it's not all the difference. Besides, what money did "they" give me? I'm self employed and paying Federal taxes up the ass. I'm of course also paying state and county taxes and a very special city tax. Plus all those hidden taxes buried in utility bills, gasoline etc.
I fully agree that a functioning society that demands a government must be willing to support (usually through taxes) the government they demand. But this insanity continues to grow and when the government can no longer borrow, my taxes are going to fly through the roof. Sorry but they aren't doing this in the name of the people despite the fact that many people are brain washed into thinking what's good for their abuser is good for them.
Time to move to nevada. Tired of being raped by the golden state...
Go for the REO's...dirt cheap. Or rent.
Il n'y a pas d'innocents, said the man faced with the blade of the guillotine.
He channeled a lot of Pt Barnum as well!
let the RIOTS begin....
Shit, if they're gonna have riots, make 'em pay-per-view and use the proceeds to whittle down the debt.
Riots you say?
Keep an eye on the webcams, you might catch one happening:
http://www.webcams.travel/map/#lat=37.309014&lng=22.456055&z=8&t=h
Awesome link...thanks for that....time to grab some popcorn.
Ive seen this movie before. The leader of a country that got itself into trouble in some way, makes a grand speech, one that essentially is a 'we will survive' and 'we will win' speech, but the next thing you know, is that the leader is either on a plane fleeing for his life, or worse, hanging by his heels alongside his buddies being pelted by rocks and bottles.
Sorry. Meltdown already occurred, and whats left of the Greece economy is a smoldering puddle.
Concur
I do not think they actually get it yet, and why should they, there is still 12 months to get paid in. Since when is the removal of entitlements austerity? "Allowances cut". Come on, is that suppose to scare them?
The bureaucratically entitled, the severely poor and the educated have rioted. This will not start until the middle starts to fear for their property.
I do not think this has started.
"We do not promise to have an easy or painless time over the next few years." - That line gets you kicked out of office. Whatever money is left in Greece is now doing its best to leave the country.
On our way to Las Vegas last week we stopped in Baker at the Lucky Greek. The posters on the wall show a very beautiful country. I asked my wife if she would ever like to go there. She responded with, "Maybe once the shitstorm is gone." I guess for now we will just try to make it to Le Mans instead.
classic Ivory Tower syndrome.
WFT... are all these assholes suffering from the most severe type of ADD?
Really, Pappy? Just take a modern Greek history book and see how many times Greece defaulted on its debt.
don't blame him. He hates Greece. Does not know anything about Greece. He was raised in Sweden.
Hahahahahaha!!!
Never knew that, explains a lot!!! The "American" was raised in Sweden!!!!
Fucking perfect.
Canada also
Gawed he is one of me!!!
Laugh as much as you can. This is the man that governs Greece. This is the president of Socialist International. The most incompetent politician from the birth of Modern Greece (1830).
Propaganda, of course, presents him as a savior. Socialism in greece has strong fascistic traits nowdays.
As opposed to the propaganda of Kostas Karamanlis, the former PM of Greece? He and his cabinet were by far the most incompetent government in the history of Greece and I have family and friends in Athens who are Nea Democratia and agree with me. And what about Samaras, the leader of the opposition? He is showing his true patriotism here, blasting the government every chance he gets. Another Harvard educated economist who doesn't know what he's talking about.
Papandreou delivered a sombre speech. I saw it in Greek and he was honest with what the draconian measures entail. He even said that he will go ahead with these reforms no matter the political cost to his party.
In the end, regular working people are going to pay for the mistakes of corrupt politicians, greedy bankers and rich Greeks who avoid paying taxes.
Try to read other comments also.
You have been so brainwashed that you suffer from Stocholm Syndrome.
Don't forget to donate your kidney when Gvnt asks you so, because you are corrupted as they say, and must save you from the debt the Gvnt created by fraud.
Papandreou is the most incompetent politician for centuries. Greece will be a waste land because of him.
I live in Athens and have a personal view about what is going on.
Believe me. Papandreou is the quintessential of nepotism, corruption, speculation and amoralism in politics. His socialistic ideology is a threat to the excistence of Greece as a free state. Not only in economy.
All Greek politicians are corrupt fools! I've been watching them for years. No matter who got in, they looked to profit off EU loans. But there is no comparing Papandreou to Karamanlis. The latter was a total joke, the most incompetent fool of them all.
Because he did not bailouted banksters as Papandreou did and is going to do with IMF bailout?
Papandreou is about to spend a sum of 43 billion euros to save Greek banksters.
If incompetence is not to reward banksters for the frauds they did, then you are wright. Karamanlis was imcompetent for he did not rewarded corrupted bunksters.
Papandreou is a savior for banksters.
It sounds to me like he must have the same speech writer as B Frank/ C Dodd and perhaps even H Paulson. They are remarkably similar in content and disinformation from the deluded and double speaking politicos.
If reality is an issue, Frank Zappa could do better on his pygmy pony cruising thru montana on the dental floss and macaroni ranch!
With a pair of Zircon-encrusted tweezers in my hand
All the other ranchers would say that I was "Mighty Grand"
G-Pap sounded like half John F. Kennedy and half Hank Paulson in that speech.
And he's no Jack Kennedy.
And then this happened
http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-show-must-go-on-vomiting-tv-host-video
Yawn. I've moved on to the UK election and GBP/Gilt implosion watch.
If it weren't so funny it would be sad.
I agree UK/Ireland is next to short! Wait until Soros and his buds get into it once they have gotten away from their longs?....... Oh yeh!
Although the fall out from Geece is far form over. There will be lots of "on again off again days" to play in both directions ike I have been doing for a while now. Lots of EU players have vested interest to protect that will cause lots of false information as in "everything is fixed". The more intervention the worse it gets.
If the Tories win...it will bounce before sinking.
Yes, trussed and lubed up for use by banksters.
Better to burn that POS to the ground rather than let a bankster have anything.
Two thoughts come to mind. The first is that as the country who was First to Fail, Greece should do better, in a relative sense, than Portugal or Spain, since the money and will to bail the latter out will not be there. Portugal will start to shake rattle and rollover this week, but the International Body equivalent of compassion fatigue will set in and we'll all just ignore it. Portugal is western Europe's version of Latvia or Somalia. Spain, with 20% UE, could use some riots since it will give meaning to the lives of the unemployed, especially the 56% of <25 year olds out of work.
The second thought is that it is always endearing to hear politicians or people praise themselves for qualities they never had nor ever will have. We all do it. "The US is the greatest country on the face of the Earth". Though the bar is set pretty low, there are no doubt 210 other countries and autonomous regions who would claim likewise. Ethnic groups do the same thing. No matter how meager the accomplishments of a race or ethnic group---and again, in the overall scheme of things all is relative---everyone is "proud to be xxxxxx", which of course not a one of us had any choice about. And other than white males, every single group on this planet has a XXXX Pride Month.
We all piggyback off of anyone who in some way, shape or form we resemble, as if I had anything to do with what, for example, Wilbur Wright accomplished. Better we just face up to our mediocrity and move on.
If any one of us, group or individual, was even 1% as great as we always claim we are, we'd hardly be in the mess we're in.
It's time for shame, not pride. Let's see if that can turn us around.
The difference between shame and pride is acquiescence. The solution as I see it is in finding and accepting reality and then dealing with it accordingly. Pretty close to what you are saying.
Macedonian - Unfortunately it is the socialist/communist/facist systems that have destoyed your country and most of the EU. Pap is just the current manipulator in the con game/illusions that have caught up with Greece and will continue on to other benefactors of the great society. There can be no better example of failure or a microcosm of the future than Greece although it could have just as well been another sovereign entity. We aren't far behind you.
That is the only true.
(from Webster's On-line):
Pap –noun
1. soft food for infants or invalids, as bread soaked in water or milk.
2. an idea, talk, book, or the like, lacking substance or real value.
Now how can such a character possibly rise above what he programs himself everyday as?
Bloody Riot! Seen one Apparatchik, seem them all.
A challenge to Ben Dover III. I dare you to try and top these deluded babblings.
@Chindit13: you made me laugh out loud a couple of times. "face up to our mediocrity and move on... riots will give some meaning to their lives". Excellent.
I'm only mildly facetious. Have you ever been in a civil war zone or an area of mass demonstrations? Half---maybe far more---are just part of the cause because rioting/fighting/shooting are simply a lot more exciting than spending another day in the factory making widgets. Most "great causes" are born of ennui.
I don't disagree. You choice of phrasing was clever and full of dry wit which I always enjoy.
I really hate politicians. Their speech reminds of a birds call. Chirp. chirp, Chirp!
Like birds, a politicians language and actions are mating, and verbal warfare.
Politicians practice re-election based politics, truly an act of political mating and public verbal exchange and posture.
Relective (?) politics is primely motivated by party, polling, demographics, and a linear scale of degrees stretching from acts like Washington setting down the presidency to and vs. escalating the Vietnam war based on a lie, Nixon's impeachment, establishment of the Fed...ie. totally corrupt actions while in the seat of representation.
If I was going to apply game model political action, that's how I'd do it.
What's funny? Everyone wants to blame someone or something else. The fact is our government is corrupt, OUR GOVERNMENT, it is directly or indirectly repsponsible for the generational thefts that have occurred in the past, and the one whose transfer is still occurring real time. Our government as citizens of the United States must bend to our will, will bend to our will. We give the power, that is then corrupted in a zillion different ways, but I find most egregious the giving over of our right to representation and ultimate beneficiary'hood of national monetary and fiscal actions to private interested parties.
If even a small minority of the of citizens just turn their back on "the system" it will bend or crash; period end of story. No work, no pay, no tax, no driving, no transaction stikes would be successful.
I believe in my heart of hearts that this nation will not survive the next generation. If survived it will likely be in some state of fracture, tyranny, or as a radioactive wasteland.
I'm not asking for anything spectacular. Just leave me the fuck alone, unless I endanger or harm another, I repeat; leave me the fuck alone. Basically, that's it, and I want it for everybody. If you need specifics you could give me term limits where they need to, criminal investigations led by a re purposed SEC/FBI taskforce under Bill Black, an end to the war on drugs, an audit and repurposing/abolition of the Fed, monetary policy formulated for the benefit of the citizenry, maybe free and open elections with equal public funding/airtime to all political candidates/parties who meet the criteria.
Bottom line, if someone handed me a petition that would offer even one or two of those things, and said all I had to do was nothing for a month or so; I'd sign on the dotted line.
If we just stop participating for even a fraction of a time, a week, paired with a petition of say 10-20% of the US behind it (tea party), that would bring it all down.
All we have to do is nothing, for a period of time. How easy does our generation have it? Take a homecation and save it all Homer.
Why do I have to live in the country of stupid? Just stop, tell them what you want, and tell them what will happen if we decide to make our staycation last a little longer. The movement is diffuse, and non violent. It's not illegal to do nothing, and nothing is hard to tax.
Oh what the hell, who am I, Let's not get rid of people like chirp chirp G-pap, Turbo, and Binky Ben. Let's have a one world corpo government, mad max, wwiii, and or violent revolution/social collapse. It's going to be awesome.
Somebody with some clout, put a petition together, and lets take a fucking vacation already.
Dear Crab Cake: Welcome to Libertarian thought and belief. We could use the help getting the message out.
Here's a video that might help:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muHg86Mys7I
"If survived it will likely be in some state of fracture, tyranny, or as a radioactive wasteland." How about all of the above.
Oh Georgy, if only we could resurrect your bastard of a father, Andreas, and hang you both from the same tree after you are convicted for treason by the Peoples' Tribunal.
George Papandreou inherited a fucking disaster. Greece will go though its toughest decade in post-war history. One good thing out of all of this is that reality hit them right in the head, before it hits other nations. They will be the first to go through draconian measures, and I know that no matter how hard things get, Greece will survive.
BTW, I do not find anyhing amusing in what is going on in Greece, knowing full well that it is only a matter of time before it happens elsewhere.
Do you really think that, Leo? I visit Greece almost every other year (I'm first gen Greek-American) and all I see is laziness and apathy. "Ti na kanoume?" ("What can we do?") "Esti ene." (That's the way it is.) It's especially rampant among the 18-30yr old demographic. If sitting at a cafe sipping Frappes and chain-smoking unfiltered were an industry, Greece would be a fucking superpower.
Granted, the "system" doesn't help, and actually keeps a segment of the populace down. But I have to believe that if people were that motivated to turn their country around, they would do it.
As Randy Jackson says, "I'm just not seeing it (the Greek recovery), dog."
Greeks aren't lazy but they have become very cynical, and who can blame them? Youth unemployment is sky high, and with no future, they sit around coffee shops sipping a frappe all day long.
There is so much bureaucracy in Greece that it's killing private initiative. Greece could be a financial mecca if it reformed its tax laws and cut bureaucracy. I remember visiting Vega Asset Management in Madrid back in 2003, thinking to myself why can't Athens be a hub for global hedge funds? Weather is awesome, trading hours are awesome, but the fucking system sucks, with crushing bureaucracy why would anyone invest in Greece?
Hell, my favorite story of Greek bureaucracy was 15 years ago when I spent all day at the port of Iraklio going back and forth from one bureaucrat to another trying to get plates for a car we brought from Canada. I know they wanted a bribe, but I refused. They dicked me around for five hours, until I got fed up and called one of my Cretan uncles down there. We call him "Mafia" because he gets things done. When he arrived, I got my plates in 15 minutes.
I am not young, I got troubles finding work in Europe 3 years ago...packed up and went somewhere else...far away. Didn't sit down sipping nuthin...and believe me, I AM cynical.
My buddy jokes with me, "All the smart Greeks left Greece a long time ago and only the scrap stayed behind". It is sad to see PhDs in engineering, physics, math, sipping coffees all day long. These kids are smart as hell, but they have no future.
The phrases you say are expressed by the politicians of the Socialist party just to avoid anyone from expressing a different opinion. People use it to show that due to Gvnt corruption they can't do anything. It was at the time when everything must have been the same due to socialist propaganda. No one must be different, everyone the same. Thieves and legitimate sto idio saki (in the same basket) as we say in Greece. Totally wrong.
I am Greek Canadian and couldn't care less about PASOK or Nea Democratia. They can all go to hell as far as I am concerned. Greece has tremendous potential, but they need leadership and vision, which is terribly lacking.
Your words are conflicting. You follow the same path. Everything in the same basket since PapG is not ok. It is that flattening ideology, that nothing is good since socialism is not good.
And corporate welfarism is better? How many government deals did the Greek elites get because they own the ruling parties? Ela tora, min les malakies!
Try not to be so flattening. Socialists believe that socialism is the best thing. Nothing can change that. After all socialists gain a lot of bucks with their socialistic ponzi economies and easilly blame others for the failure. Why bother to change that?
A propos, Greek elite is Socialistic in Greece.
The last true Greek capitalist was Aristotle Onassis. He may have been a son of a bitch, but that little guy had the biggest arhidia of them all!
entre, my first gen greek friend has stated exaclty what you have said is going on over there. i asked her if her family would move here if things got really out of hand, the answer was "no, they don't care enough."
Leo, Papandreou will be living in exile by this time next year. Somewhere safe provided to him by his masters in Berlin, Paris, Brussels and Washington. He had a choice to make between sentencing Greece to the long and painful hardship of a deflationary depression or forcing EU's hand in bailing out their insolvent banks by defaulting (or as a minimum negotiating a decent restructuring). He committed treason and he will pay the price for that.
taraxias,
The truth is the banksters own us, and we will all continue bailing them out in perpetuity until the day where the only choice left will be insurrection.
onw wonders what the effect on solar stocks will be?
Solar is the future; too bad Greece doesn't see it!
Which...solar...or the future?
lizzy you crack me up! Always subtle. Never a sledgehammer or two by four with you! Lovely. I have all the tact of an anvil. I admire you.
MsCreant, the feeling is very mutual. I adore your comments.
And youze twoze contributions are simply stupendous.... Bringing illumination and consideration. Thanks from the many here that look at youze the same way. peace
ditto that
The question is NOT GP fate. The question is who's next? Karamanlis???
Or a reedition of the colonels? And a default, or a tough restructuring, is still there...just kicked few month down the road.
Karamanlis resigned.
Samaras is the new power in Greece. A true patriot. The one that can put in jale all the corrupted politicians.
Samaras is a right-wing weeny who doesn't know his head from his ass. A true patriot, my ass!
Socialists fear of him. They know that Samaras will squeeze them down. People in Greece know what he suffered from the corrupted socialist-neoliberal system of traitors.
LOL, socialists fear him? They only fear that he will make a bigger mess of Greece than Karamanlis.
You take for granted that Greece is a Socialst State. They know Samaras can put in jale some of those crooks and that is why they try to ban him from the media. And you reproduce their propaganda. To bad for Papandreou. He will end up in jale.
None of these crooks will ever see the inside of a jail cell.
WhoT!
Papandreou did not inherit anything that was not aware of. His political carrier started in the 80's as minister of education and continued evolving. He knew excactly was was going on, not to say that the current situation is due to his political acts. Papandreou is the corrupted system itself. It represents all the pathology of a socialist-neoliberal ponzi economy.
I think you're mixing up George with his father, Andrea Papandreou, the real architect of the public sector Ponzi scheme. But the truth is that the former government of Kostas Karamanlis was so incomptent, that I would try them for treason.
As I wrote, Papandreou G. was a minister in his fathers Gvnts back in the 80s and 90s. G. Papandreou was aware of what was going on in Greece. If you don't know this information then its is easier to be brainwashed, and i think you have been.
Everyone that was in Gvnt for the last 30 years must be accused for treason. Papandreou is the quintessential of the corrupted ponzi economy, not only in public sector. You know that very well.
All I know is that every government official in Greece who had power ended up building villas all over Greece. Where the hell did they get the money to build villas? Another thing that bugs me in Greece is how they treat politicians like royalty. Every member of parliament gets a limo and security guard/ driver. WTF? In Canada, they drive themselves to work but in Greece they're treated like rock stars (In Canada, only ministers get drivers and when the gig is up, the driver goes). Greek poliics has become a joke! A bunch of corrupt morons who can't govern their way out of a paper bag!
Well, dont worry. GPapandreou is crying and does not sleep for he is working hard to save Greece. That is what socialist propaganda says. And you so easilly reproduce here.Not everyone is corrupted. Certain politicians are corrupted and we know them in Greece. But the socialists always try to flatten everything in order to cover up the fraud they did. Everyone is the same, so everyone is corrupted they say. Yeah, for sure!
Are you for real? How many scandals did Karamanlis' government have while in power? He resigned because he knew he was cooked!
I told you that we know in Greece who is corrupted. And we know what to do in the near future.
And we all know the financial elite own the Republicans and Democrats. So what? They will never go to jail, ever.
There would have been a catastrophe if we hadn't taken emergency measures, but we're being unfairly targetted by speculators.
Wake up. Speculators are the effect, not the cause. That music doesn't play here...
Correct. Notice in the speech how G-Pap blurs the line between cause and effect. I understand there's a difference as I'm sure you and other intelligence people do. But then again, these speeches are not given for intelligent people.
A suggestion: try not to be so nasty in your responses.
Come on mate...I ain't nasty. I am snappy...ain't got much time to muck around with modern sensitivity.
Our turn approaches.... Mathematically unavoidable and no will to face up to the math...
Executive Summary:
I would like to extend the hearfelt thanks of the nation of Greece to the American taxpayer, and of course an extra special note of eternal gratitude to Turbo Timmy for structuring this bailout of our great nation.
Party On !
Do not forget to thank Leo and Macedonia, those guys kick ass!
HIPO-CRITES TODAY (INAUGURAL ISSUE):
http://williambanzai7.blogspot.com/2010/05/hipo-crites-today-inaugural-i...
Some pretty moronic people get elected.
He literally said nothing. It has no meaning or significance.
At least he wasn't reading his weave-n-bob-yap-till-they-drop-whole-lotta-nuthin message off a teleprompter.
“Sometimes, the things we own, end up owning us” - Tyler Durden
You did lose a lot of versatile solutions for modern living.
Possession, and its illusions are as a slippery slope as there ever was... Good to see you getting more active again. peace pal
LOL, 'sometimes'.
Crab Cake- I agree with your assessment. We, the majority ,actually do have the power. But most do not realize it. If we simply stood up en masse and said NO I am not willing to fund this, FUCK YOU. It would stop almost immediately especially if we refused to fund anything for awhile as you suggest. Basicly a real economic boycott backed with actions. I have known this for a while and have been thinking of ways to implement these actions. The problem is as always, getting enough people to go along with such a movement because most are sheep and don't realize they actually are the only source of power as taxpayers. They are afraid they would lose something, when in fact if they don't do something like this they will lose far more. The entire game revolves around manipulating taxpayers funds and using those funds against you! What would happen if 5 million or ten million people showed up in DC and simply said FUCK YOU. I'm not playing this game anymore! You work for us not the other way around. Then simply vote out encumbents. Things would change rather quickly. Lets do it!
Fuck you.
Faber Says Greece Needs Debt Writedown of as Much as 50%http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikMqBN2ddOw&feature=player_embedded#!