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Author Topic: European voters are rejecting austerity  (Read 5342 times)

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Offline Fpqxz

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European voters are rejecting austerity
« on: May 06, 2012, 06:19:58 pm »
France elects Socialist Francois Hollande to replace Sarkozy as president

Greek main parties suffer big losses at the polls

(both articles from BBC News)

It looks like the people of Europe are realizing that austerity, at least by itself, won't get them out of the current crisis.  I am not surprised that Hollande won in France, but the situation in Greece is far from resolved.  Unfortunately, it seems that the Greek far-right parties (especially Golden Dawn) have been making almost as many gains as the far-left.  I know that crises tend to bring out extremists, but I would rather not see things get worse.
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Offline Osama bin Bambi

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Re: European voters are rejecting austerity
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2012, 06:31:10 pm »
I thought Golden Dawn was a video game.

Also, evading taxes in Greece is like a national pastime.
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Offline Fpqxz

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Re: European voters are rejecting austerity
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2012, 08:46:10 pm »
Quote from: Wykked Wytch on May 06, 2012, 06:31:10 pm
I thought Golden Dawn was a video game.

To the best of my knowledge, it is named after the Hermetic/Occult organization.

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Also, evading taxes in Greece is like a national pastime.

Hey, I never said that structural reforms weren't necessary.  I just don't think that the traditional prescription of austerity will work to end the crisis.
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Art Vandelay

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Re: European voters are rejecting austerity
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2012, 09:00:30 pm »
I wouldn't get too excited. Most of Europe has had right wing governments for a few years now. They're about due for a swing back to the left.  Give it a few more years and it'll come full circle again.
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Offline MadCatTLX

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Re: European voters are rejecting austerity
« Reply #4 on: May 06, 2012, 09:27:01 pm »
Quote from: Art Vandelay on May 06, 2012, 09:00:30 pm
I wouldn't get too excited. Most of Europe has had right wing governments for a few years now. They're about due for a swing back to the left.  Give it a few more years and it'll come full circle again.

Keep in mind that Europe's "right" it America's "Ebil-Libruel-left-wing-marxist-commie-nazi-baby-eating-homo-butt-sexing-darwinist-atheist-agendaTM".
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Art Vandelay

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Re: European voters are rejecting austerity
« Reply #5 on: May 06, 2012, 09:30:27 pm »
Quote from: MadCatTLX on May 06, 2012, 09:27:01 pm
Quote from: Art Vandelay on May 06, 2012, 09:00:30 pm
I wouldn't get too excited. Most of Europe has had right wing governments for a few years now. They're about due for a swing back to the left.  Give it a few more years and it'll come full circle again.

Keep in mind that Europe's "right" it America's "Ebil-Libruel-left-wing-marxist-commie-nazi-baby-eating-homo-butt-sexing-darwinist-atheist-agendaTM".

You misunderstand. I'm saying this swing to the left in Europe isn't due to some sort of mass enlightenment of the whole continent, it's just part of the standard voter swing cycle you get in every single democracy ever. That said, either way it has nothing to do with America so I'm not sure what exactly that comment adds to the thread.
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Offline Fpqxz

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Re: European voters are rejecting austerity
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2012, 01:12:08 am »
Well, it looks like Greece will have a new ruling coalition, which may include Golden Dawn as well as the left-wing Syriza and PASOK.  I have to wonder what that will look like.   :-\

I agree with Art Vandelay that some of this is due to what is colloquially referred to as the "pendulum theory of politics", but bear in mind that many of the participants in European politics view this election cycle as a referendum on austerity.
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Offline Stormwarden

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Re: European voters are rejecting austerity
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2012, 02:20:17 am »
Pundits are like DVD covers. They always lie. I'm observing any news I can get from there, so I'm taking a wait and see approach. I'll believe that it's a referendum on austerity when I see it.
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Offline largeham

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Re: European voters are rejecting austerity
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2012, 07:15:37 am »
Quote from: Wykked Wytch on May 06, 2012, 06:31:10 pm
Also, evading taxes in Greece is like a national pastime.
For many, they don't need to. Businesses get massive tax breaks anyway.

Quote from: Fpqxz on May 07, 2012, 01:12:08 am
I agree with Art Vandelay that some of this is due to what is colloquially referred to as the "pendulum theory of politics", but bear in mind that many of the participants in European politics view this election cycle as a referendum on austerity.
I would agree and disagree. While it is partly just a natural swing, it is part of a visible reaction against austerity.

Personally, I'm not confident, social democracy sold its soul long ago.
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Offline StallChaser

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Re: European voters are rejecting austerity
« Reply #9 on: May 07, 2012, 07:38:11 am »
Quote from: Wykked Wytch on May 06, 2012, 06:31:10 pm
I thought Golden Dawn was a video game.

Also, evading taxes in Greece is like a national pastime.

Well, there's the Mythic Dawn from Oblivion...

As far as austerity, it's almost like people are realizing that kicking the economy while it's down won't help it back up.
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Offline nickiknack

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Re: European voters are rejecting austerity
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2012, 11:40:53 am »
Quote from: largeham on May 07, 2012, 07:15:37 am
Quote from: Wykked Wytch on May 06, 2012, 06:31:10 pm
Also, evading taxes in Greece is like a national pastime.
For many, they don't need to. Businesses get massive tax breaks anyway.

Bingo, if it's anything like how it is the US, only 43% pay federal income tax, because they don't make enough to quilify, plus if you have kids aged 0-18, you get a tax break. But according to the rightwing, we are all deadbeats  ::), despite that these people pay a good chuck with state, sales, and payroll taxes. This is why I feel maybe we should adopt a dual tax system (1/2 income, 1/2 VAT tax) like a good chuck of Europe does, just to shut rightwingers up, but even that won't shut them up, look how they still bitch about "welfare" even though it's been turned into more or less a jobs program since 1996.

« Last Edit: May 07, 2012, 11:45:36 am by nickiknack »
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Offline gyeonghwa

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Re: European voters are rejecting austerity
« Reply #11 on: May 07, 2012, 01:44:09 pm »
Quote from: Art Vandelay on May 06, 2012, 09:00:30 pm
I wouldn't get too excited. Most of Europe has had right wing governments for a few years now. They're about due for a swing back to the left.  Give it a few more years and it'll come full circle again.

Ay, in fact I think Hungary is like that right now.
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Offline Witchyjoshy

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Re: European voters are rejecting austerity
« Reply #12 on: May 07, 2012, 02:03:02 pm »
Quote from: Wykked Wytch on May 06, 2012, 06:31:10 pm
I thought Golden Dawn was a video game.

Also, evading taxes in Greece is like a national pastime.

Are you thinking of Golden Sun?
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Offline TheL

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Re: European voters are rejecting austerity
« Reply #13 on: May 07, 2012, 05:05:07 pm »
Quote from: gyeonghwa on May 07, 2012, 01:44:09 pm
Quote from: Art Vandelay on May 06, 2012, 09:00:30 pm
I wouldn't get too excited. Most of Europe has had right wing governments for a few years now. They're about due for a swing back to the left.  Give it a few more years and it'll come full circle again.

Ay, in fact I think Hungary is like that right now.

Didn't Hungary recently become a far-right theocracy?  Like, just a couple months ago?
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Offline niam2023

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Re: European voters are rejecting austerity
« Reply #14 on: May 07, 2012, 05:06:41 pm »
Reading the article on Golden Dawn.

Ioannis Metaxas. SUCH A VILLAINOUS NAME!!
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