Dear Greece: There’s no easy path to comfort. It must be earned.

Dear Greece: There’s no easy path to comfort. It must be earned.

Posted on May 4th, 2010 by Daniel Putkowski

The Greek people took to the streets again this past weekend. Apparently, they’re not happy with Europe’s foot dragging on their bailout. They want that money and they want it now. After all, the socialist dream cannot continue without other people’s money. The Greek government, like so many around the world with Champagne dreams and swamp water budgets, has outspent its income for a decade. Now the bankers won’t lend them any more. Who’s to blame? According to some interviews, a fair number of Greeks believe it is a U.S. plot to impoverish Greece. Well, from this side of the Atlantic, let me say that the United States government has its hands full impoverishing the American people.

Most amazing about the Greek protests is that a large number of people think marching in the streets, smashing windows, and setting fire to things will solve their economic problems. Going to work is the real answer, but no one wants to talk about that. They want to talk about how the interest rate on their bonds is too high, how a guy should have a government job for about 20 years and then retire on full salary with a complete benefit package at no further cost to him. Indignantly, the good socialist has the gall to talk about the selfishness of the evil capitalist. Really? In other words, a guy should work about a quarter of his life and then coast on the back of someone else for the rest. Talk about selfish! The next time I share a meal with a socialist, I’m going to tell him it’ll be his turn to pay three out of every four times we dine. He probably won’t like that.

The days of less work for more pay are grinding to a halt across Europe. Portugal and Spain will most likely be next to see protests. Eventually, even Germany, France, and Britain will have to face the reality that the socialist dream is a nightmare. Sadly, it may take the kind of conflagration like a world war to wake up the general populace to the sad truth that they have been living lies. There is no easy path to comfort. It has to be earned. Unless you’re a good socialist, then you can steal it or enslave someone else to get it.

So, Europe — and America for that matter — take heed: When throwing stones in glass houses, aim carefully.