This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.

Daniel Hannan Channels Upton Sinclair, Warns "All The Options From Here Are Bad"

Submitted by Tyler Durden on 02/17/2012 16:20 -0400

"All the options from here are bad, I am afraid" is how MEP Daniel Hannan describes the way forward in Europe in this FOX News interview. In one of the clearest and least status-quo-hugging explanations of what has occurred (gentile and bloodless coups in Italy and Greece), the 'cruel and irresponsible behavior' of European leaders stuns him and all in the name of the 'wretched single-currency'. When asked why they (the EU leaders) just don't get it (channeling Upton Sinclair's now infamous quote), Hannan replies "It is remarkably difficult to make a man understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it" as he makes it clear that the vested interests in keeping the Euro going (well paid and powerful government jobs for example) means they are prepared to inflict this shocking poverty on the Mediterranean countries. Summing it up nicely: until they leave the Euro, the Greeks have got no light at the end of the tunnel, making the point that Greece's least painful option is to Default, Decouple, and Devalue.

Starting from around 0:55, the European Member of Parliament begins his less than sanguine discussion:

- advertisements -

Sat, 02/18/2012 - 01:54 | 2172414 Clowns on Acid

Yo seasmoke - you know nothing. Are you a paid Obama blog? Obviously your comment has nothing to do with this article.

You are blogging from MoveOn.org HQ feckface? POS.

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 17:28 | 2171440 kaiten

What is this idiot blabbering about? 70% of greeks want to stay in eurozone. Are they being paid for not understand it? I love hypocrites like this one, or that Farage clown, who hate Europe, yet they dont mind being paid for sitting in European Parliament. It´s him who doesnt get it(what a hypocrite he is).

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 18:49 | 2171704 Seasmoke

yeah they should stay home and post on the interent instead

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 17:29 | 2171446 goldnguns

The answer is simple: Greece will not default. I have sources in Thessaloniki. Instead, they will announce to the world that they are building nuclear weapons and intend to close the Bosporus Straits, and if America should send one of those big ugly gray ships then the Hellenic Navy will skewer them like a whale. The price of ouzo and olives will sky-rocket. The UN will rush to impose sanctions, the US will enter into negotiations, and the Greeks will offer up their "nukes" for debt forgiveness. Ben will tell Oba-won that "this a good deal" and the US taxpayers will hardly notice anohter $180 billion in debt. Heck, Mr Prez, that's only a month or so at our current burn rate".

You heard it here on ZH first.

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 17:49 | 2171526 Sandmann

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mouse_That_Roared

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 17:29 | 2171447 Curtis LeMay

This is lunacy writ large...

For God's sake get rid of the teuro...

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 17:39 | 2171485 navy62802

Simply stating the obvious. This guy reminds me of Nigel Farage.

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 17:50 | 2171529 sgt_doom

"..Greece's least painful option is to Default, Decouple, and Devalue."

Duuuuuuhhhhh.....why do you think they've been forcibly protesting in the streets the past two years, clown????

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 18:10 | 2171593 FlyPaper

Economics 1996: The killing began with the overt social spending and corruption in the Greek government, which will indeed, end in tragic loss of life for many Greek citizens. However, the Germans may have just launched a Greek "jihad" against themselves they way they handled this. Should be no surprise to see Greek bombs going off in German cities...

The same fate awaits US citizens.

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 18:29 | 2171657 mammoth mo

Every 100 years or so - Man finds a new reason to be cruel.

Slavery in America ends and in less than 100 years you have the holocaust.

The same reason was behind both. We need free labor to make us rich. We also need to steal your wealth to make us rich. We don't care about your humanity. You brought this on yourselves by being born in Africa, or by being born Jewish, and now by being born poor.

Doesn't matter that the politicians created the poverty. The politicians that are now rich because of what they created. The politicians that will not suffer at all when the Greek people are raped for everything they have.

Doesn't matter that those doing the suffering will not be the ones who have enjoyed the system for years on a free ride. It only matters that someone wants the youth their to work for free until they drop dead at the wheel.

I am so sick and tired of all the racist on this board running up the white hood every chance they get. This isn't about racism, its about the leaders of two nations being appointed by business interest. You think your racism will save you when they come with the same tricks to make you work for nothing because they raised some tax so high you couldn't pay it.

Tell me how hating others works for you then.

If you aren't human enough to understand this is not about race, sex or country of origin - you are pretty much on the same side as those calling the shots. The only difference is, your are paving the road to your on destruction, gleefully.

The youth in Greece did nothing to f up their country. Yet they will be the ones paying for it for the next 100 years while you racist rubes applaud the economic forces behind it.

Sat, 02/18/2012 - 01:50 | 2172409 Clowns on Acid

mammouth mo- you are a mental midget.

Save your feckin' emotional, half truth diatribe for the Huffing and Puffing Post.

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 18:31 | 2171663 wiser

the Germans try to make Greece Germany... they have good intentions

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 19:59 | 2171865 Zero Govt

I'd rather be (surplus) Germany than (debt-laden) Greece

in Germany industry leads.. in Greece socialists ...you reep what you sow

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 19:35 | 2171819 Archon7

I love listening to Daniel Hannon. He really does have it all in perspective.

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 19:40 | 2171828 Zero Govt

you obviously haven't followed Danny Boy in any depth

i have and believe me he's as impractical/deluded as every politician ever born

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 19:45 | 2171821 Zero Govt

I followed Danny 'Boy' Hannan for a few months on The Telegraph ..the penny soon dropped he was another idealist (village idiot) rather than a practicing realist

My unerring criticism of his vacuous posturing got me banned from the Telegraph blogs, that and my unerring criticism of their idiot 'economics' team

the only thing i ,managed to ram into Danny Boys thick skull was that the EU has absolutely nothing to do with trade within and across Europe as the politicos constantly take the markets name in vein, as if B2B and B2C development has anything to do with politicians or Govt agreements

To his one single credit Danny took aboard my pointed/scathing/experienced advise, did a complete U-Turn and 2-3 months later popped up in the Euro parliament and delivered the statement EU politicians should not take any credit for trade within the block

Danny Boy is Europes version of Americas Ron Paul.. he latches on to good ideas but never understands them (ie. is an idealist not a realist).. he should not be followed for any other reason than mild amusement

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 22:16 | 2172125 unrulian

good job making him u-turn because you your well crafted "pointed" blogging...perhaps you could head on over to some american blogs and convince santorum that if i want to use a rubber in my bedroom that that's ok or gingrich that we don't need a base on the moon or romney that we aren't all going to be saved by an alien rapture on a mount in utah. glad you're getting all those euro trash politians in line with your unerring critcism...moron

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 23:26 | 2172249 blunderdog

Good critique, but American politicians tend to be too corrupt and stupid to convince of anything.

Sat, 02/18/2012 - 11:25 | 2172792 Zero Govt

imagine you were called by somebody (you don't know) or blogged and they gave you Chapter & Verse about their hobby topic ...would you change your mind?

most of us have opinions and 'test' them chatting to friends or bantering down the Pub ..rarely do we change our point of view

and that's how it should be because society is a many and varied thing. Nature designed us to have diverse opinions, different ways of muddlng through life.

Variety is the Spice of Life... it's more than that, it's essential for life to be diverse so it survives

So don't expect politicians, however convincing your argument, to change their minds

Which bring us back to the problem of what's deceptively called 'democracy' (and politicians). It is a 'One Answer Dipshit'.. Govt promotes the tragic idea we can have one policy for something when in fact society, like nature, is designed to have many deiverse policies all in acion in paralel

Which is why every Govt that ever existed has been wrong on every topic it's butted in on and has never represented the society it purports/lies to represent

Society should be free to decide.. we don't need Govt (or politicians) and it's ignorant monopoly on decision making ..we don't need a Nanny ...or Danny

Sat, 02/18/2012 - 14:22 | 2173131 blunderdog

Most folks really haven't given much thought to why they believe (or opine) as they do. If they refuse to change their beliefs (or opinions) on the basis of new information, it's mostly because of habit.

I think your point about different approaches to things is a good one, but it doesn't support your premise about people not changing their minds. People also generally don't stick with an exercise plan, eat well, educate themselves about current events, treat each other with respect, or remember their own failures.

That doesn't mean they never *should* do such things.

Sat, 02/18/2012 - 17:43 | 2173638 Zero Govt

heard a guy on a radio phone-in last night say he still loved his wife and wanted her back after she left him after 32 years of marriage

touching but is he any different to the morons/parties still clinging to the hope of patching things up in Greece?

To us on the outside looking in it's 'common sense' he should move on and Greece is a lost cause. Simple

Danny Boy clings to his idealistic belief in the free market while never understanding that it's the competition mechanism that makes the free market work. So when he wants to 'solve' the problem of Govt (a problem caused by Govt being a monopoly mechanism) he suggests shofting (monopoly) power down to more local Govt

..but local Govt oozes all the exact same corrupt/inept/ignorant practices as Big Govt ...because it Govt is a monopoly no matter what size it is.. big/national or small/local

Will Hannan change his opinion before his grave that Govt is the problem not the solution? Nope, he's wedded to his idealistic belief system Govt (monopolies) can be a saviour (and co-exist with a free market model) when no monopoly public or private has or will ever perform

Hannan is an idealist ..it's hard to change the man into a realist

Turkeys won't vote for Christmas ...even Ron Paul ..so rather than the futile effort of trying to change everyones mind we should simply decide for ourself and stop Govt by citizens stopping paying their taxes. Try convincing even ZH'ers that's the only practical, effective and sane solution

..I'm not having too much luck to date ..ho hum

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 19:40 | 2171833 woggie

i got dem steadily depressin', low-down mind messin' living in the corrupt u.s.of a blues.

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 20:16 | 2171900 q99x2

If the leaders don't change sides from the bankers to the citizens they will likely be tried and convicted of financial atrocities afterwards. I believe they will soon make the right choices. Time makes it easier with each passing day to do the right thing. Unless of course the bankers have a gun to their heads. In any case correct actions, going forward, should make the most sense at this point. Imagine a politician getting their government to arrest some of the bankers - that politician would rule for the maximum allowed stay in office - assuming they lived of course.

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 20:19 | 2171903 Dixie Frank

Anyone know... Who holds the bonds that won't receive the interest payments on 20 March? If Grease has 300 billion plus in bonds outstanding, what % of those bonds are due a payment on 20 march?

Sat, 02/18/2012 - 11:31 | 2172798 Zero Govt

as i understand it, mainly French and German banks (the usual big names)

Fri, 02/17/2012 - 20:19 | 2171904 Dixie Frank

Fat finger, sorry

Sat, 02/18/2012 - 08:31 | 2172659 fiddy pence haf...

Thoughts:

I thought that III percent was 111%. That's a majority.

Iceland's people know where their politicians live and can get there quickly. But it was the President and a quirk

in their constitution which says the President (who signs all laws) can call a referendum for a law he/she

feels the people do not agree with (that was created by sold-out parliamentarians).

Now, that's a good law waiting for a good President. Iceland had him. A fluke.

Greece's politicians are only concerned with staying in their golden palace. Even the Communists are quiet.

The ones who are in power or in the other major party, just want to rule, and steal. That's why

Samaras has been playing politics, trying to get his chance to be PM. They don't care about the people.

300 politicians for 10 million people. no pay cuts. pensioned as soon as they lose an election. no chance of

going to jail while in office. who wouldn't lord it over the people?

Greece is not allowed to default, until it is allowed.

check out The Slog at hat4uk. wordpress for the latest rumours. 20th of March, or so.

Leaving the Euro will mean short-term social upheaval and so the politicians will have no chance of power,

and every likelihood of being lynched by starving Athenians. So Greece will not leave the Euro willingly. The

first occupiers of Greece are its own politicians. Greeks thought the Troicycle would put a couple of them in jail,

and so they waited patiently. Turns out the Troicycle are just neo-liberal storm-troopers.

Sat, 02/18/2012 - 08:31 | 2172661 PORTA PORTA

Here you can find ALL THE OFFICIAL DRAFTS of the New Loan Facility for Greece.- ( Feb 9 2012 )

http://www.scribd.com/my_document_collections/3496353

Thank you

Sat, 02/18/2012 - 09:13 | 2172696 gekkobear

$TVIX??? YUP

Sat, 02/18/2012 - 11:34 | 2172801 blueridgeviews

How will Greece default when it's hand picked leader is from the ECB? The only way Greece will default is if the ECB, Troika and the Euro council say it's OK to do so.

Wake up people this is NOT democracy!

I guess this doesn't matter as long as you're making money.

Sat, 02/18/2012 - 13:11 | 2172953 rwe2late

According to the article:

"gentile and bloodless coups in Italy and Greece"

???

Now, some do excessively blame the Jews for everything,

but let's not go overboard the other way!

Sat, 02/18/2012 - 13:37 | 2173022 gwar5

Both Hannon and Farage are great.

As Brits, they are able to view America from a distance and articulate the founding principles that made modern democracy and the USA special in human history. They remind us that terms like "free and sovereign", "self-determination", and "unalienable, natural rights" matter now more than ever, and are not old or quaint.

Wed, 02/22/2012 - 04:51 | 2184033 sikefeier0728