Dr. Frankenstein’s Europe

Alan Harris

Today, 3:50 p.m.

Cummon John…I’m throwing down the gauntlet. If you were Greek, what would you be advising. No story is complete until both sides are told.

chip rohlke

Today, 9:23 a.m.

I still think John Greece has opened Pandora’s Box much as Obama has here with people feeling government has the obligation to meet all our needs.
Human nature being what it is ..I think Europe is going to regret opening that box cause all those nasty little demons that come out are going to play havock with peoples hearts and minds.
The end game to me in Europe is simply a game of domino’s…with Germany hurt but still standing. One nation after another defaulting in the end cause people have little tolerance for choosing suffering. Plain & simple. Where that leaves us and Asia is a good question but if Japan tanks it doesn’t bode well for Korea & asia in general.
I wish we could instill the values that made America great once again but how do you reinforce American ingenuity, hard work, saving, frontier spirit, & general Christian values when the easy way is to capitulate & line up for your bailout from Uncle Sam..no matter how haggard he’s looking.

Alan Harris

Yesterday, 7:36 a.m.

Vincent Roach earlier…...
Of course the Greek people could be made to pay their taxes etc. All it takes is for them to elect the right person. But there’s the fatal flaw with democracy….... turkeys don’t vote for Christmas. What they need is a politician who lies to get elected, or as we more politely say in England, is ‘economic with the truth’ (shouldnt be hard to find a politician capable of that !) He/she will promise the comfy cushion till election day and redefine it later. I wonder if Syriza’s Alexis Tsipras, the 37-year-old head of the Coalition of the Radical Left, is that person? Sure, what he’s saying now scares us all…. it has to or he wouldn’t get elected. Lets wait it out a while to see how he re-defines the campaign message once he has got his butt in the chair.

ken wills

Yesterday, 5:51 a.m.

My wife read this and said:  the L in that blokes name should be after the D . I said `its not his fault, he just says the truth` She said, `I dont want to know the truth unless its happy `

Wrong, but apposite.

Ski Milburn

May 19, 6:12 p.m.

John,

I feel your pain.  You need to get out more.

By that I mean, out of banks, and conferences with bankers about banks.  You’re starting to remind me of that old anti-drug ad campaign, “This is your brain.  This is your brain on banks”.

The sad truth is it is as you foretold and a 30 year infatuation with debt is coming to a sad end.  The miracle of fractional reserve banking and central banks, coupled with the permanent deficits of Reaganomics have led to a world where banks have loaned too much money they didn’t actually have to borrowers who can’t actually pay, and you don’t need to read your own book to know what happens next.

You can’t stop it.  Hug your wife, get some sleep and know that when this is all over, whether the Euro or even the United States of America survives in its current form, the sun will still come up in the morning, the rivers will still run, the wind will still blow, and people will live and love on this great land.

James Prestridge

May 19, 6:04 p.m.

What happens if the unthinkable happens and the healthy countries (e.g. Germany) leave the euro and return to their original currencies????????

Mickey Dawiz

May 19, 5:38 p.m.

“Call me skeptical, but I fail to see how a young man who has never been at a negotiating table with any of the Troika (and who has apparently never talked with a German banker) can think he can hold Europe hostage.”

As one who is older. I question your point:  The Troika are very used to dealing with those their age, as they come from a similar ‘reality’ and are ‘predictable’; someone younger is a far bigger question mark and un-predictability can be an advantage in negotiating and “hostage taking” - just look at North Korea.

Alan Harris

May 19, 5:35 p.m.

Re jack Goldman today 3.25…. Ive rarely heard it put better. We are ransoming our children to cushion the older generation. If this doesnt stop, they will have no choice but to do the same. There has to be a full stop. We abolished slavery didnt we?

Alan Harris

May 19, 5:25 p.m.

One of your more passionate missives John, but thoroughly misguided. Youre looking at Grexit from outside the box. From inside, Greece is threatening to tear up the bailiffs demands and post the keys through the banks door…...remind you of anyone in USA? Starting over sounds like a good idea to me.  Greece ‘....will be forced to stop paying our creditors, to go to a suspension in payments to our creditors.’  then that delivers the problem to europe.’ To me, that sounds like youth speaking.! Scary as it maybe, one day they will be running this show.
IF, and that’s a big if, push comes to shove, if ‘Greece can manage on its own. By not paying its debts, the country will have enough cash to pay its workers and retirees.’ ....... then, (not responsible by our investors standards), isnt it better to open Pandora’s box than suffer the death of a thousand cuts?
Greece has Merkle by the balls….and she hasn’t got any ! Anyone who has ever stood guarantor for a friends debt knowing it will never be paid, eventually accepts their own stupidity, pays the balance, and NEVER lends another penny. Does it mean the friend curls up and dies? No, self survival is the strongest instinct. And the Greek people will survive….and our ‘civilised’ societies WILL pick up the tab.

Charlie Adamson

May 19, 4:55 p.m.

A most helpful insight from a fevered 19 year young timeless awareness.  John,... your keen pick up on the parallel between Europe’s present plight and the dangers of human arrogance and meddling and Mary Shelley’s account of narcissim is timely.

May I also add that this same behavior seems to be shared by many other nations as well as many institions, governments and companies.  However when allowed rein it always seem that it is the peasantry who always pay most dearly.

Thanks for sounding the call to awaken.  Perhaps some of the “loyal” somnambulist subjects will wake up before they get run-over on their way to a paupers grave.

Thanks