Jack's Crazy Thought of the Week - Greece Trap

It's been in the headlines lately how the financial problems of Greece are spreading to the entire European Union.

I lived in Greece for three months back in 1986, so I know a little about Greek culture.  In a nutshell, the Greeks are very fiscally irresponsible.  Their government has historically failed on a whopping 50% of their debt.

When the EU tells the Greek government to shape up, cut costs, cut services, act responsibly - the Greek population riots and burns buildings.  Like a spoiled child throwing a fit after being told to quit playing and come to dinner.

By contrast, the Germans are ultra responsible.  What needs to happen is for the Germans to start acting like the Greeks and the Greeks to start acting like the Germans.  However, that is impossible, so I suggest the following:

This will be very unpopular, but I see it is the only solution - Greece has 11 million citizens.  The European Union has over 500 million citizens.  Germany has 81 million citizens.  Up til now Greece has been trying to tell the EU to send more money (the tail trying to wag the dog).  The only way to get the Greeks to act more like the Germans is for 1 million Germans to move to Greece...and 1 million Greeks to move to Germany.  They can keep their cars, but they will have to trade houses/apartments/flats.  I would imagine some Germans would like to move to the warmer climate.  Not to mention some Greeks are tired of the chaos, strikes, and unemployment and would like a better life for their children.

There are two precedents for this - one very good one and one very bad.  First, Germany has experience in helping poor countries.  West Germany was an economic powerhouse and East Germany was a joke of a police state.  Obviously, East Germany became much more like West Germany...not the other way around.

Second precedent:  The last time Germany sent a lot of Germans to Greece was in WWII.So, let's not call them Germans.  Let's call them "Europeans"  - the "Million 'Mensch' March"!  [a 'mensch' is a Yiddish word for a person of honor and integrity].  Although 2 million really....as 1 million moving southeast and 1 million moving northwest.

And if 1 million doesn't do it then trade another million!  I think the Greeks would go for it.  They would like all the Mercedes, Audi's, and Beemers that come with the Germans.  If the Greeks don't go along with it, give their EU membership to the Turks.  Turkey has been wanting to get into the EU for the last 25 years...

=j=