GREECE VOTES TO HELP GERMAN EXPORTS ?

Greek people can be incredibly kind.  The recent vote of 29.5% in favour of staying in the Eurozone is evidence of their kindness.  Well its evidence of the kindness of 29.5% of the 60% who took the trouble to vote.  I never imagined they would be prepared to preserve the low value of the German Euro ( aka Deutsche Mark) and so enable magnificent Germany to live in the certainty of a continuing healthy export performance.  In effect Greece and the other struggling European countries are subsidising Germany and definitely not vice versa. Without the poor relations in the Eurozone the Euro's value would soar stacking up no end of trouble for  Europe's stronger economies. 

Many commentators ( especially those down at the dear old BBC ) warn of immediate perils if countries leave the Eurozone.  Immediate perils to whom ?  Certainly not the countries leaving the Eurozone.  And few commentators look at the longer term.  I have blogged before to say how much better Greece, Italy, Portugal, Ireland and even Spain might be if only they had the courage to revert to their original currencies, proud once more to stand on their own feet making their own decisions in the best interests of their country.  True the drachma, for example,  would assume a unit value less than the current unit worth of the Euro. But therein is the advantage.  The relative trading position of Greece would improve immediately and with it the opportunity to strengthen its trading position in geographical Europe and worldwide.  Likewise German exports would slow down as progressively they became more expensive. Somehow the German economy would need to adjust to the changed characteristics of the playing field !

The Eurozone with Greece as a participant is probably finished.  A vote to stay in the Eurozone by 18% of those allowed to vote does not solve anything.  By tomorrow a new Greek government may be cobbled together.  However, it will have to be a rather special type of government to take the Greek people where they don't want to go.  I reckon the chance of success is zero.  But then, going forward,  (and hopefully civil unrest is avoided) the Greek people can think and vote yet again.  Perhaps to vote in huge numbers to revert to their own currency, and move on by setting a splendid example to the other struggling Eurozone economies. 

LIBERAL PARTY AND LOYALTY

I've blogged before about the Liberals apparent lack of understanding of things like Cabinet responsibility, loyalty and so on. Their philosophy of never seeming to make a decision unless everyone has "bought in" to a particular viewpoint is typical Liberal behaviour.  Great approach if you run a company's Human Resource Department, but hopeless if you run the company. Futile if you run a country.

Shame really because we might have had an effective Coalition if all parties to the Coalition had been prepared to make courageous decisions, to show absolute loyalty to the Coalition, and to upset more than a few people here and there along the way.  Ever met a Liberal who could do even one of those things?

The mass Liberal abstention this week will probably cause their party no end of trouble. Had they really thought through the consequences? Even the Opposition were moved, but delighted of course, by such treachery.  Could this be the beginning of the end for the Liberal Party? It's getting to the point where the damage caused by such behaviour (I've even heard it called childish behaviour) may take them beyond the point of no political return.  

So what can the Liberals do to stop the rot? It's a tough one.  But for sure there's no point in trying to put lipstick on a pig. And perhaps that says it all.  Let's face it Liberals are just jolly nice people. Far too nice to get involved in government.  Think +Vince Cable.  Bless him.

LEVESON INQUIRY AND INTERNET PRYING

Well I guess we all know what the Leveson Inquiry is looking at ?  

Now think on. Today the Government announces it will in future be able to access all of our e-mails,  our internet surfing pattern, our interactions with social networking sites and so on...........

So I deduce it's O.K. for the government to spy on me but not O.K. for me to spy on them, and not acceptable for someone to spy on them on my behalf?  For example the disliked Murdoch empire. Double standards - or just my addled thought process after a couple of large gins?

And by the way, anyone who wants to get around the proposed new internet interceptions needs only to use some pay and go phone cards off the internet ( Orange are good )  and have the courage to use a false name for registration and a nicked credit card to pay? 

Tossers comes to mind.