Greece's government voted by a razor thin margin on Thursday to approve an austerity package needed to unlock vital aid and avert bankruptcy, despite an internal rift and violent protests at the gates of parliament. Lawmakers approved the spending cuts, tax hikes and measures making it easier to hire and fire workers after nearly 100,000 Greeks waving flags and chanting "Fight! They're drinking our blood!" descended on Syntagma Square in central Athens.Well now the Greek's Conservative Party run government can get the economic aid they were promised by the Germans and others. And it is sad that they had to do that to their people -- to make so many suffer -- but I'm sure they had no choice:
Anger has also been growing at the relaxed approach consecutive governments have taken towards catching tax cheats, with many saying officials have dragged their feet on investigations to protect a wealthy elite.Clearly these people do not understand who government is there to serve.
[Cross-posted at Firedoglake]