Greek Election: The ‘Winds of Change’

As Western economies and Western societies continue to deteriorate, I find myself frequently appalled but rarely surprised. Thus it was a refreshing change to be “surprised” by this weekend’s Greek election – made even better by the fact it was a pleasant surprise.

The Western mainstream media had told us to expect the two rancid, Establishment parties in Greece (PASOK and New Democracy) to maintain their grip on power by circling the wagons and forming a Coalition of Convenience, to prevent the possibility of any real change. The script had seemingly been written.

PASOK and New Democracy would unite to serve the bankers and continue their Friedman Austerity: stomping on the poor and middle class to preserve the wealth and privilege of the aristocracy. As they finished the destruction of Greece’s economy they would also complete their own self-annihilation. This would have then set the stage for a real “election” in Greece (i.e. an event where “change” was an option).

PASOK and New Democracy would vanish into political oblivion. A clean slate of political parties would emerge with a “radical” agenda: placing the interests of the Greek people ahead of those of Western bankers and their own Oligarchs. However that’s not what happened in this election.

Either Western media misrepresented Greek voter sentiment in their pre-election predictions, or (being a part of the rancid Establishment themselves) they simply failed to understand it. Greek voters, after being subjected to two years of political/economic rape, advanced the timetable.

They “squeezed” PASOK and New Democracy in the same manner those two traitor-parties had been squeezing the people on behalf of the Oligarchs. Despite the full weight of the Greek Establishment making a last, desperate attempt to maintain the (corrupt) status quo; the voice of the Greek people was heard.

The effective winner in the election was the SYRIZA Party, which translates literally as “Coalition of the Radical Left”. This simple translation tells us all we need to know about how far the Western political pendulum has swung to the right.

Representing the broad majority rather than the privileged few is now a concept of the “radical left”. That principle used to go by a much more general label: democracy.

Eliminating corruption and restoring faith and trust in government is now a concept of the “radical left”. That principle used to go by a much more general label: justice.

Placing feeding the people ahead of making interest payments to bankers as a political priority is now a concept of the “radical left”. That principle used to go by a much more general label: compassion.

The Western propaganda machine has wasted no time in cranking-up its media megaphone to maximum decibels. “Beware the Rise of the Radical Left!” shriek its fearmongers. It is a strategy doomed to failure. Demonizing the concepts of democracy, justice, and compassion as principles of “the radical left” will only complete the isolation and political disconnect of the Western Establishment.

This is how and why we continue to see cycles of revolution, whether by sweeping changes via the ballot box or more forcible means of political reform. The privileged Establishment self-destructs as it severs all connections with the people (and the real world) and retreats to its ivory towers.

“Let them eat cake,” suggested Marie Antoinette. “Eat more austerity,” sneered PASOK and New Democracy. The message of these modern Fascists was harsher, but the separation from reality is the same.

Note that the fearmongering of the Western media after Greece’s election is not only a losing strategy but a dishonest one. It’s attempt to portray this election as a “radical” ideological change is a complete betrayal of the facts.

Immediately after the election, Alexis Tsipras (the leader of SYRIZA) reached out to the Independent Party of Greece – a right-wing party and also officially “anti-austerity” – in seeking to unite the Greek people, irrespective of their political stripes. This election had only one message: “change”, as Greeks across the political spectrum rejected the corruption and betrayal of the political status quo.

In addition, note the totally different dynamics (and outcome) we saw in Greece’s election versus the election which took place in France, also this weekend. In France there was no real change. The Iron Fist of Fascism (Sarkozy) was simply replaced by the Velvet Glove of Fascism (Hollande). Instead of Sarkozy’s blatant brutalizing of the Little People, we have Hollande proposing the more subtle form of economic rape represented by “the Euro Bond”.

Clearly, unlike the Greek people the French people have not yet suffered enough to shake off their propaganda-induced coma of apathy. Four years of being throttled with Hollande’s Velvet Glove should be more than enough time to awaken the French people – by completing the destruction of France’s economy.

Even more stark was the difference in the reaction of the Western propaganda machine to the two elections, epitomized by coverage of London’s The Telegraph:

…Greece is potentially ungovernable as a minority government must try and pass [sic] a new raft of austerity measures next month which are a condition of an EU-IMF bailout and Greek membership of the euro.

In France, while Hollande, the Socialist President-elect is a centrist, he is sitting on a powder keg of resentment at measures that his government will have to pass if it is not to spark a meltdown of financial markets.

In Greece, the two Establishment parties couldn’t even muster 40% of the vote between them, meaning that a solid majority of Greek voters have chosen politicians expressly vowing to support the will of the people. Yet we see the mainstream media labeling Greece as “potentially ungovernable”.

Yes Greece is now “potentially ungovernable” from the perspective of the Establishment, seeking to implement an agenda absolutely contrary to the will of the people, and with now only a clear minority of Greece’s politicians willing to betray the people and serve as their stooges.

Then there is France, where the Establishment knows that one of their Boys is still in charge. As a result, even the right-wing Telegraph is willing to give France’s new Socialist president a muted thumbs-up as a “centrist”. Yet it notes that Hollande is “sitting on a powder keg of resentment”. Let me translate that phrase, since the propaganda machine loves to engage in euphemisms when it is seeking to evade the truth.

Obviously when The Telegraph refers to a “powder keg of resentment” it is clear acknowledgment that as another Establishment candidate seeking to maintain the status quo and serve the agenda of the bankers that Hollande will be acting against the will of the people. Furthermore in maintaining the status quo and continuing policies which have totally and unequivocally failed all across the West, he is dooming France’s economy to precisely the same fate as Greece.

Meanwhile in Greece there is the potential for a new government which will seek to represent the will of the people, and make a good faith attempt to improve the economy and make real changes – rather than continuing to commit economic suicide. Why is one labeled as “potentially ungovernable” but not the other? The answer is already before us.

Starting from Day 1, the Establishment (and its mouthpieces in the mainstream media) have dedicated themselves to supporting their Boy in France, while doing anything and everything they can to undermine any government with the temerity to attempt to represent the people.

Should the anti-Establishment majority in Greece manage to form a government, we can expect that the verbal assault from the propaganda machine will be accompanied by an economic assault in financial markets. This would simply mirror the actions of the Establishment in Iceland, after their political lackeys were also banished from power.

The path to political and economic freedom for the Greek people will not be an easy one, already that is plain to see. Getting to “the light at the end of the tunnel” will mean passing through considerable darkness, as the Establishment makes its Last Stand (at least in Greece).

Unlike the French people, however, the Greek people have at least made a start along that road. For that reason alone, any new government would merit our moral support – and some cautious optimism. The Winds of Change are blowing strongly in Greece.