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2012-01-07 Europe

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Posted by tipper 2012-01-07 06:08|| || Front Page|| [4 views ] Top

#1 The passing of an extraordinary edict making cash transactions of more than Euro 1,000 illegal (not subject to reporting just plain illegal). Following Prodis own desire, the existing regime has indicated that this level will be progressively reduced to a limit as low as Euro 300. Hence cash is maybe for the first time in history no longer legal tender (over Euro 1,000, for now);

Posted by Water Modem 2012-01-07 06:25|| 2012-01-07 06:25|| Front Page Top

Anti-individualistic, the Fascist conception of life stresses the importance of the State and accepts the individual only in so far as his interests coincide with those of the State, which stands for the conscience and the universal, will of man as a historic entity (11). It is opposed to classical liberalism which arose as a reaction to absolutism and exhausted its historical function when the State became the expression of the conscience and will of the people. Liberalism denied the State in the name of the individual; Fascism reasserts the rights of the State as expressing the real essence of the individual (12). And if liberty is to he the attribute of living men and not of abstract dummies invented by individualistic liberalism, then Fascism stands for liberty, and for the only liberty worth having, the liberty of the State and of the individual within the State (13). The Fascist conception of the State is all embracing; outside of it no human or spiritual values can exist, much less have value. Thus understood, Fascism, is totalitarian, and the Fascist State - a synthesis and a unit inclusive of all values - interprets, develops, and potentates the whole life of a people (14).

-- THE DOCTRINE OF FASCISM, Benito Mussolini, 1932.

Posted by gromky 2012-01-07 06:38|| 2012-01-07 06:38|| Front Page Top

#3 "currency-sniffing dogs" even. Europe has a tremendous underground to avoid government. This will only make life more difficult for?. Not the wealthy, not the very poor, but the middle class what's left of it. Diamonds, precious metals, and coinage should increase in demand.

Posted by Dale 2012-01-07 07:54|| 2012-01-07 07:54|| Front Page Top

#4 "Has Italy Gone Fascist?"

It wouldn't be the first time....

Posted by Barbara 2012-01-07 10:13|| 2012-01-07 10:13|| Front Page Top

#5 I haven't seen anything in the European press about this. Just this anonymous post. ZeroHedge is a daily read for me, but it's the Debka of economics, and can be rather hysterical.

Posted by Mizzou Mafia 2012-01-07 10:30|| 2012-01-07 10:30|| Front Page Top

#6 1) The black market will experience rapid growth, and become an unofficial currency market for large transactions. Smuggling will strongly increase in all directions.

2) While banks are protected from rapid runs, as Greece has recently demonstrated, slow runs will drain them just as effectively.

3) Virtual money will decline, as its convenience will be very outmatched by its lack of security from government.

4) Almost immediately, reported this morning, there has been a jump in the price of diamonds, which are far easier to smuggle and hard to detect.

5) Though the authoritarian edicts from the government are the cause of many problems, their solution will almost certainly be to issue even more authoritarian edicts.

Posted by Anonymoose 2012-01-07 11:06|| 2012-01-07 11:06|| Front Page Top

#7 The black market is the free market unleashed.

Also shows the "fair" tax up to be the stupidest tax (next to income).

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2012-01-07 11:27|| 2012-01-07 11:27|| Front Page Top

#8 It's getting serious:
Italian tax authorities to raid summer resorts in crackdown

Posted by tipper 2012-01-07 16:50|| 2012-01-07 16:50|| Front Page Top

#9 tipper: Yet another technocrat error is assuming that because people are willing to pay taxes to an elected government, to any extent, they are just as willing to pay taxes to an unelected, appointed body that calls themselves their government.

It goes back to that popular theory, likely despised by Monti, that the purpose of government is to serve the people, not the other way around, no matter how much he stomps his feet and demands that everyone must obey him.

Posted by Anonymoose 2012-01-07 18:26|| 2012-01-07 18:26|| Front Page Top

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