Monday, February 13, 2012
Word of the Year
Austerity was named the word of the year in 2010 by the Merriam-Webster
dictionary. For those in Greece who have given living definition to this
term, there is nothing positive in this association. "Greece Passes
Austerity Plan As Riots Rage" is about the natural and inevitable
response to this misbegotten theory being superimposed on a people who
cannot survive under its rigors. Is there nothing more telling than the
tale of the woman who has worked without pay since last September and is
now in jeopardy of 'losing her job entirely'? The dignity of these
people is being daily degraded to the point of near extinction. And who
then can, or more aptly should be surprised at what is happening in the
streets? Austerity in Greece is a failure of monumental proportion.
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2 comments:
As sad as that comment from the women who has not been paid for year, and now was concerned about loosing her job, there are many other stories about the non-collection of taxes, and abuses of the retirement system. Greece has been in free fall for years- spending on programs, without proper funding for them.
The bills came due, and now the country must pay them.
the question is who is left to pay these bills? The unemployment rate is over 20% and climbing. The minimum wage rate has been slashed. If there is no revenue, there can be no repayment of debt.
It is an all too familiar conversation, as we are having the same discussion in this country, though not on the same crisis level (at least for the moment).
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