Tuesday.....International.....Pledging The Greeks

         Nearly 2000 years ago the Apostle Paul wrote two short letters to the people of Thessalonica. One of the warnings given was against idleness, using as evidence his own habits, nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. The socialist policies of Greece, unreported income, the entitlement culture, bad leadership and a total lack of financial wisdom, have placed Greece near collapse, and therefore are threatening to the European Union itself.
         The debt that Greece finds itself in right now is beyond severe. Europe has demanded that Greece not only come up with some major austerity measures, but do it now and prove them. So, Greece essentially became an isolated state for 24 hours for the second time this month. Trains and ferries stopped. Travel in and out of the country was suspended in money saving measures. Hospitals operated on skeleton staffs. Civil servants have taken the brunt of the cost saving measures so far, for this is where the government can arbitrarily cut wages, entitlements and other benefits. Tens of thousands have gone on strike, Thessalonika included, to protest these beginnings of austerity measures while the violence has been minimal so far.
         The question is, in my mind anyway, is this a preview of where we will be going in the United States? The public tends to read these stories about countries around the world and then retreat to the safe confines of America, where these things cannot happen. Here, we tend to tax to pay bills in difficult times, or print money if it really gets bad but if the reality of today sets in here as it has in Greece, the civil service workers may be among the first to see multiple benefit cuts.
         It's only human nature that one can sit relatively untroubled while watching others squirm but then begin to sweat a little bit themselves when the problems come closer to home. The public is used to Congress coming to them before giving new benefits, indeed shouting these benefits from the rooftops for they are too often bestowed to secure support in future elections; so, to have the situation reversed where not only are the benefits taken away, but they the public, are not even asked their opinion let alone permission, would be a rude awakening in itself, and making matters worse -some money would be taken from organizations our society truly needs while some earmarks would continue to cement certain politicians seniority. We are pledging this fraternity of I. O. U. right now and a paddling may be ahead.