Secular Café: Revolt against Austerity

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Revolt against Austerity May 8th 2012, 12:35 I find this almost incomprehensible. How can a government/country continue to function when living beyond its means. It eventually catches up (and will in the U.S.A. as well if we don't get it under control) Quote: European voters revolt against austerity, cuts By Tim Lister, CNN May 8, 2012 -- Updated 0855 GMT (1655 HKT) Nikolaos Michaloliakos, of Greece's far-right Golden Dawn party, celebrates wins in weekend parliamentary elections. Nikolaos Michaloliakos, of Greece's far-right Golden Dawn party, celebrates wins in weekend parliamentary elections. (CNN) -- Europeans are revolting -- against their leaders and established political parties, against an austerity plan 'made in Germany', and against a future that promises declining living standards and shriveling public services. Within the past few days, Greeks have fled to opposite ends of the spectrum, with significant numbers voting for far-left and far-right parties that were but specks on the political landscape two years ago. The French turfed out the president who wanted to make them more competitive and less indebted -- and voted for a candidate pledged to reversing the recent rise in the retirement age. Two million voters deliberately spoiled their ballot papers after the leader of the far-right National Front said that's what she would do. In local elections in Britain both parties in the ruling coalition were rebuffed. The left and protest groups did well in Italy's local elections Monday, with former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's party taking a beating. Comedian Beppe Grillo, who wants Italy to default on its debt, took 21% of the vote in the city of Parma. And in Germany Sunday, Chancellor Angela Merkel was snubbed in a state election -- voters apparently weary of Germany's hard-earned "fiscal rectitude" being tarnished by those spendthrift Mediterranean types. Elections leave Greece in 'paralysis' Merkel: EU fiscal pact not negotiable France's economic envy Even if Europe is financially out of intensive care -- after a series of summits that basically endorsed Germany's blueprint for the future and sought to stabilize the banking system -- the economic and employment outlook remains grim. In response to popular discontent, the rhetoric is changing: less stress on austerity, more on engineering growth. Hence Merkel's olive branch to France's new Socialist President, Francois Hollande: "We are talking about two sides of the same coin -- progress is only achievable via solid finances plus growth." ... http://edition.cnn.com/2012/05/08/wo...olt/?hpt=wo_t3

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