Street Talk on the Greek Referendum, Voting Day

Today is the voting day when the people of Greece will make a choice.

Yes or No?

 "Nai" means "yes" in Greek and "Oxi", pronounced "O-shee", means No




Today's Referendum Question:

Will it be a yes to the Eurozone and compliance with the bailout packages that are offered together with the oppressive terms and conditions that will accompany the continuing bailout.

Or will it be No and the tremendous uncertainty that will accompany a no vote up to and including possible expulsion for the Eurozone and the need to create a new currency.

Either choice brings more depression in the economy and a steadily falling standard of living.

[The pictures in this post are from the village of Kalives yesterday]







I talked to several Greeks and ex-pats in the villages the last two days as I went about my business. In the hardware store some young men and some elderly men stood for 30 minutes to explain the reasons they are voting no.

A generalized fear is that the vote has already been fixed by the Yes side. The Yes side is viewed as the "have money side" and is composed of the wealthy who are making money on the suffering of the people and lack compassion.

That alone is a frightening line of thinking and a precursor to revolution. They feel that with so many voting No that if the results are Yes vote then the vote was rigged.

But the polls  consistently show it is far too close to call.

One of the elderly men repeated over and over that here the "people eat the money". It took me a while to grasp that what he wanted me to appreciate is that euros go to buying food and the people- especially the elderly who have seen their pensions slashed, are hungry.








Soon after one of the young men said "Ella- ella", "come, come" and he took me out to where a rusty truck was parked with some vegetables in the back. He told me some of the farmers from up in the mountains villages come each day and put food in the back of the truck for anyone hungry to take.

There was almost nothing left. Just scraps of vegetables.




What was interesting, or perhaps more accurately- alarming, is a consensus that a Yes vote would suit the "masters" just fine as France and Germany are using the Eurozone crisis to "enslave" the poor countries like Greece, Italy, Spain and more. They see it as the goal of the rich and powerful to put everyone under a new global economy of oppression which is why they must vote No even though this choice is wrought with unknown risks of great gravity.

Yes = "sign your life away"
No = "freedom for Greeks"

The extreme positions and thinking that accompany these positions is quite unnerving. The analysis or the evidence to back some of these claims appears to be missing from the conversation.

The new bailout is being increasingly called by the "New Treaty of Versailles" [the original treaty ended WW1 with such extreme penalties for Germany that it may be the greatest single cause for the renewed hostilities of WW2]. Again- an example of an extreme position which invokes and many dangerous images.


The vote will have some irregular practices. For example they told me that the voting boxes will be open and not the usual slot topped box we are familiar with. They believe this is so everyone can see the last voters choice. If anyone knows whether or not this is true I would appreciate and update on that front.

The euro is seen as the devil's money. The European Central Bank [ECB] with austerity has robbed the Greeks of their ability to care for the elderly.




The International Monetary Fund published a report a short time ago stating that from the 240 billion euro bailout 89% went straight to the banks for debt relief. Of the 11% that made it to Greece it is estimated that at the most, half of that made it into the general economy. The other half has disappeared.

If there is a Yes vote and the terms of a renewed agreement with the Troika occurs it will mean cutting the pensions again by half, lowering minimum wage for a third time and putting an absolute end to collective bargaining in Greece.

What would you call this if was happening to you?

Remember the economic crisis in the US saw massive sums of money going to the banks at public expense and a financial punishment of the those most vulnerable. The same pattern exists here.

How would you vote if you were making a choice under these circumstances after years of failed austerity?

One business owner whom I trust told me that international shipping containers destined for Greece slowed in recent weeks and has come to a complete halt about a week ago. Nothing is coming into Greece in terms of import. If that continues then real shortages are on the immediate horizon.

Neither a Yes nor a No choice will mean relief for Greece. Whatever the results today there is a long and difficult road lying before this country and whatever the vote, the rich will undoubtedly find opportunity to make more money at the expense of vulnerable people.

Today will set this country on a new road- which road it will be is the choice today.