German MPs suggest cash-strapped Greece should sell islands
http://www.thelocal.de/politic…..25667.html
Greece should sell some of its uninhabited islands to raise cash to avoid bankruptcy, two German parliamentarians from Chancellor Angela Merkel’s centre-right coalition suggested on Thursday.
“The Greek state must sell stakes in companies and also assets such as, for example, unpopulated islands,” Frank Schäffler, a member of parliament for the pro-business Free Democrats, told the Bild daily.
Marco Wanderwitz, an MP for Merkel’s own conservative Christian Democrats, said Athens should provide collateral for any money it receives from the European Union to help it out of its debt crisis.
“In this case, certain Greek islands also come into question,” added Wanderwitz.
“We give you cash, you give us Corfu,” the Bild commented.
Greece has around 6,000 islands off its coast, of which only 227 are inhabited, according to the country’s National Tourism Office website.
The cash-strapped country Wednesday launched a fresh round of draconian austerity measures in a bid to rein in a ballooning budget deficit that is more than four times above EU limits.
The Socialist government increased sales, tobacco and alcohol taxes and cut public sector holiday allowances to save €4.8 billion ($6.5 billion), equal to about two percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Pensions in the public and private sector were also frozen.
We can look to Greece to see the problems heading to America. Over 30% of America is currently owned by the government, with the government adding more land all the time. Just last month the government wanted to take another 1.3 Million acres, “to preserve it for the people”. I admit the land is beautiful and should be preserved, but it is not the government’s place to TAKE the land from private owners. Hell, the government can barely afford to maintain the parks they currently control.
What do you think will happen in a few years with America on the verge of bankruptcy? I believe the American government will start selling our assets… Primarily land to foreign countries to pay off her debts. If this sounds far fetched, it isn’t. In New York State, there is a toll road owned by a foreign country. In 2006, the government was seriously considering selling six US ports to Dubai. Fortunately the outcry was so strong the deal fell through. Rest assured there will be more sales of our land to foreign countries.
I am saddened to see the demise of America.
These are the consequences of a government that does too much, has no way to pay for it, and in the end the only way to pay for the bills is through a decreased standard of living for the individual citizen. The U.S. is very close to this tipping point and another stimulus or bailout will not prevent the collapse of the interventionist system. No individual, business, or government can consistently spend more than they will make (or eventually make) without facing serious and often devastating consequences. Government can drag out this process, but the eventual bust is all the more painful as a result.