Dawn

Dawn

Sunday, June 21, 2009

For those with an interest in what’s happening with the Spanish banks, here’s an expert view. Well, expert compared with mine, anyway. The writer cites the opinion of a Spanish banking analyst that "We're going to see a complete change in the banking landscape in Spain." Presumably this means more than them going into and out of the estate agency/realtor business.

Over in the UK, there seems to be a wilful determination to ignore the truth underlying the scandal of the extraordinary expense claims of British MPs. Which is that, not wanting to raise their very visible salaries, they years ago introduced a system under which they could claim almost anything as a tax-free expense, up to an annual maximum. And most of them did. Displaying impressive creativity as they, or their partners, scrambled around for things to spend on. As one commentator puts it today – “Since the 1970s, governments have conspired with backbenchers to use the additional costs allowance as a means of boosting parliamentary emoluments but without incurring the public anger that they feared would follow an inflation-busting increase in their official pay.” But I’ve yet to hear any MP admit to this. They all seem to prefer to looking petty, venal, stupid, hypocritical and crooked. But least some of them are resigning. I guess both the government and the opposition prefer the public thinks merely individual MPs have taken them for a ride over the last 5 years, rather than the entire Labour and Conservative administrations of the last 3 decades. Or Parliament conspiring against the people.

Which reminds me . . . Exactly the same thing goes on in Brussels, of course. But with even less transparency. However, resignations are very unlikely there as it’s now a criminal offence to publish details of MEP expense claims. Not that anyone cares.

Here in Pontevedra the start of summer has brought the appearance of a new category in our ever-widening panoply of beggars – a Rumanian dwarf. At least, I think the lady was Rumanian, as she was using the standard phrases and wearing the standard clothes. Does anyone know the Rumanian for “Are you Rumanian?”. Which would, of course, be quite useless if she isn’t.

The writer of this article displays near term pessimism but longer term optimism for Iran, a viewpoint I share. As he says, “The coming crackdown will be bitter, not just because of the challenge in the streets, but also because the elite are at odds with each other over it, as well as over who should run the system and how. It is a crisis of legitimacy as well as of authority.” Elsewhere, another commentator has this to say about the country’s dichotomy:- “Today there are two Irans. One is prepared to support the Supreme Leader’s bid to transform the republic into an emirate in the service of the Islamic cause. Then there is a second Iran – one that wishes to cease to be a cause and yearns to be an ordinary nation. This Iran has not yet found its ultimate leaders. For now, it is prepared to bet on Mousavi. The fight over Iran’s future is only beginning.” Personally, I’m convinced the Iranian people will see off the autocratic Mullahs in the same way they saw off the despotic Shah. But much blood will be spilled along the way. A proud but sad country. And deserving of more understanding from the West.

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