You know, I see the news of the upcoming general strike here in Portugal, and I laugh. Seriously. Do we REALLY think that a day off is going to change this government's intention of implementing it's austerity measures?
People laugh at the Tea Party in the states, but they showed EXACTLY how to make their voices heard, be it there or anywhere else where there's a democracy worthy of it's very name. Form civic movements, make yourself heard, go the source and make sure those in power can hear you, loud and clear, day in and day out. 1 day of belly aching isn't going to change a damn thing and ceding to unions and the "status quo" political parties haven't done much so far. "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."
Am I saying that this govenrment is 100% right? Hell no! I'm sure I've noted in the past of the continuous pork-barrel spending, the unnecessary entitlement programs, the constant pandering to unions, and it's unseemingly endless attempts and trying to meddle with private enterprise. But guess what folks, WE ELECTED THESE DIMWITS INTO POWER! Yes, we. Not someone else off the streets. Not "big corporations" or "private interest groups", WE DID. You want to start somewhere in trying to change the course of this country? LOOK IN THE MIRROR! I remember when Socrates was first voted in and thinking then that most who voted for him didn't have a clue as to what they were doing. Now they attack him, but forget that they were the ones who put him in power......TWICE! Government, in any democracy, is ALWAYS a clear reflection of the people that voted them in. You may hate that line, but that's the truth.
We're in a heap of trouble financially right now because we, again WE, simply couldn't say when. We demanded free health care, we demanded job security, we demanded massive handouts, we demanded easy access to public sector jobs as if there was an endless supply of them, and we demanded easy credit without any assurances that we'd pay it off. Now, after pigging out at the financial buffet for years, we're footed with the bill and, while our faces are still stained, are claiming we didn't eat any of that? Who in the hell are we fooling?
And here's the kicker. Alot of the benefits and entitlements could still be saved. That's right, the health care, the job benefits, the entitlements, could be saved. No, it's not through hiking taxes, nor is it though simple budget cuts. It's, once again, through ourselves. We need to make a difference in this country. We need to step up and do what we do, but do it better, faster and more efficiently. If you work the fields, get those crops in quicker and try to make them better. If you're in a facotry, make your product more reliable, more attactive and appealing to the consumer. If you're in an administrative position, get your work done well before the deadline and with as little flaws as possible. By doing these simple things, we improve as a whole. We start becoming true masters of our own destiny, and we can start naming our own price instead of expecting an easy handout. Results matter, folks.
People are refusing to accept the reality of this situation. We are in SERIOUS trouble, folks. I don't think people quite understand the possible "end game" in this which could very well be technical bankruptcy. You DON'T want foreign investment to stop investing in this country because we are not self-reliant, not in the least. A situation of an IMF intervention, while not doing much more financially, would have a brutal blow towards our credibility and image as a nation. Hate to break it to you folks, but we're not the US, UK, Germany, France, etc... We're Portugal. We're a tiny little country in the Iberian Peninsula that most don't even know exists. We can't live without the outside world giving us credibility. To return to the pre-1986 times would have a devastating effect, not only to those in power, but all of us too. Inflation and unemployment would surely skyrocket and we'd be no better than Albania.
So. Instead of not working for a day. How about making that sacrifice and understanding that we're all in this together? Stop passing the buck and start accepting your flaws and faults. Stop blaming others and start making a difference yourself. We got into the mess together, we can get out of this mess together.
