It is suggested that economics and politics are intertwined, so let me post something on politics before heading over to the gold forum. As reported on the site below, George A. Papandreou, President of PASOK, the organisation's member party in Greece, is President of the Socialist International. Is it a coincidence that Greece was the first country to face the economic difficulties/opportunities in recent times? http://www.socialistinternational.org/about.cfm Also, the ALP is a full member. http://www.socialistinternational.org/viewArticle.cfm?ArticlePageID=931
It was the current PMs father, one Andreas Papandreou (Also PASOK - Socialist), that started the rot in the 80s. The old man, got into office making all sorts of promises and then started throwing money around like confetti. Results were an increasingly growing and largely inefficient public service (which naturally vote Socialist), and the racking up of massive debts for all kinds of grandiose white elephant schemes. Sound familiar? The son (and the rest of the country) is reaping what the father sowed. Corruption and tax avoidance has always existed in Greece and laws are simply not enforced.
Greeces current Prime minister is an appointed one Lucas Papademos since Nov 10 , no body voted for him. http://newscontent.cctv.com/news.jsp?fileId=124162 Gotta love this bit tho from the link above http://www.socialistinternational.org/viewArticle.cfm?ArticleID=31 How could anybody take pride in that ?
When are we getting our own widely respected Lucas Papademos? Such a genius could advise the ATO to lease a few rows of those empty structures at that Olympic ghost town.
What I find interesting about the PIGS, Portugal Italy Greece and Spain, Is that they are all former world empires. The earliest empire being Greece, the first to run into major trouble, and the one with arguably the most lavish social budget. All civilized empires seem to collapse after the entitlement mindset is fully entrenched. The fiscal demands of the lower classes for free bread and land of their own simply run the national treasury dry to the point where the nation cannot afford the soldiers to defend its territory. I think a similar thing is happening now with these old empires. They never lost that socialist entitlement mindset and even centuries, even millennia later, their citizens still view themselves as being special and deserving freebees. British citizens still think they are top dogs even though their empire collapsed 100 years ago. Germans exhibit this trait very strongly, after all, they conquered Rome back in the day after being Rome's vassal warriors for a period. In WWII this vassal relationship was reversed but they were still allies. But I digress. The more obscure nations of Europe, those that were never empires have on the average much better fiscal standings and I believe it is because their citizens don't view themselves in a superior manner and have never demanded as much from their governments. Less socialism. I speak primarily of social security payments and other other such privileges to the lower classes. Here in Australia Social Security payments exceed 50% of the federal budget. We are loafing our way to fiscal destruction.
Social security payments exceed 50% of the budget- I'm going to call bullshit on this... I hope I'm not wrong -_-
You're not wrong it's only a measly 33% of the budget at a bit over $122b... now that would buy a hell of a stack. Either way I think Jack's point was it is a rather larger proportion and not likely to decrease any time soon.
Even the Byzantines or Eastern Romans started slowly debasing the gold solidus, as economic and military pressures grew.
Australians are just as bad..Every election, both major parties hand out the social welfare goodies to the people that they need to vote for them. We all have our noses in the trough. Rich and Poor alike. Here are some of the ones, I can recall. Solar Hot Water Subsidies. Solar Panels. Home Insulation, Tank Subsidy, Superannuation subsidy for extra savings Home subsidy grants, sometimes double. Rail,rates and electricity subsidies for pensioners Negative gearing for housing Help for farmers during droughts, floods, fires, low produce prices Child care subsidy Prescription discounts for pensioners/low income earners Tax breaks for vehicles used in small business Baby Bonus Diesel rebate for farmers/fishermen Family tax refunds $900 for everyone $1500 bonus for pensioners Wage subsidies for employees taking on new workers Gold card medicare for all servicemen $70000 extra for all seamen willing to be in the submarine corp Safety net for prescription drugs I'm sure that there are plenty more If you decided to withdraw any of these subsidies there would be an outcry as the people affected would scream, It is just not right. I do not advocate nor do I see how any of these could be removed at present without causing severe pain to those who loose out. BUT if TSHTF as so many here seem to think and a depression is the order of the day, the government on either side of politics will have no choice but to wind back the welfare state which has been put in place not only by the socialists but the capitalists with welfare as part of their policy. Now I've got my nose in the trough so now I've had my rant, I'll pull it out and kindly bug... off. Regards Errol 43
Fair call, I was out a tad, it's 42% http://www.apsc.gov.au/about/exppsreform/figure3.gif If you include the 17% health care, which could be construed as a social security measure, you get nearly 60% of the federal budget. This is all great news of course if you love surfing and are living with 7 mates in a house at Burlie Heads. Or your a woman with 4 kids who is sick of her current boyfriend and needs a holiday for a few years. And all Errol43 chimed in with. But you know where the blame for the excesses really lie? Here is a clue... http://dieoff.org/dieoffindex.html
I agree with most of them, although some are really just getting back what you paid. Fuel rebates are classic, If the farmers are not using the fuel on the main roads, then they should not be taxed as if they were. Remove that one and its all sweet. Piss the baby bonus, child care subsidy and negative gearing off as #1, #2, #3 priority
