New beginnings. Not unlike the past, which I have now expunged by the way. So it's really a time of new beginnings.
A couple of days ago, an interesting incident took place in the Greek Parliament. Oddly unsurprising and in so many ways indicative of House's current predicament.
No more than fifteen MPs from all political parties were present in the Republic's legislative sanctum, discussing after a manner resembling parallel monologues of little consequence for the fate of the country one of those ever so convoluted bills that for the past six years we've known to be direct translations from emails sent to the Greek Administration by the infamous Troika, who truly govern the nation--or try their worst to destroy it.
The fateful time came for the unlucky amateur actors posing for MPs to cast their votes on the bill. Much to the Speaker's dismay, only seven MPs were present on that occasion--a regular day in Parliament--from the side of the so-called government coalition. But fear not! In a gesture of unmatched wizardry that would make Albus Dumbledore blush and Gandalf the Grey turn green with envy, the Speaker promptly declared that the vote was carried by the ruling party's (Nea Democratia) "presumed majority," which at the time was absent.
"Presumed majority" is a term unheard of before, but more intriguingly a term impromptu coined to describe what could have been if all the MPs of Nea Democratia had been present, also predicated on the assumption that none of them would vote against the bill.
The Speaker's openly unconstitutional declaration spurred outrage across the hall and a day later the bill was withdrawn by the Nea Democratia-PaSoK administration. We can only assume, quite safely, that it will be reintroduced for discussion at a later, more opportune time, when the Speaker's deus ex machina intervention won't be necessary.
The incident was hushed up and buried by all major Greek news media.
As should all such cases be hushed up and buried, unless we wish to overburden the citizens' already troubled minds with trivial details such as the ills befalling the republic.
A couple of days ago, an interesting incident took place in the Greek Parliament. Oddly unsurprising and in so many ways indicative of House's current predicament.
No more than fifteen MPs from all political parties were present in the Republic's legislative sanctum, discussing after a manner resembling parallel monologues of little consequence for the fate of the country one of those ever so convoluted bills that for the past six years we've known to be direct translations from emails sent to the Greek Administration by the infamous Troika, who truly govern the nation--or try their worst to destroy it.
The fateful time came for the unlucky amateur actors posing for MPs to cast their votes on the bill. Much to the Speaker's dismay, only seven MPs were present on that occasion--a regular day in Parliament--from the side of the so-called government coalition. But fear not! In a gesture of unmatched wizardry that would make Albus Dumbledore blush and Gandalf the Grey turn green with envy, the Speaker promptly declared that the vote was carried by the ruling party's (Nea Democratia) "presumed majority," which at the time was absent.
"Presumed majority" is a term unheard of before, but more intriguingly a term impromptu coined to describe what could have been if all the MPs of Nea Democratia had been present, also predicated on the assumption that none of them would vote against the bill.
The Speaker's openly unconstitutional declaration spurred outrage across the hall and a day later the bill was withdrawn by the Nea Democratia-PaSoK administration. We can only assume, quite safely, that it will be reintroduced for discussion at a later, more opportune time, when the Speaker's deus ex machina intervention won't be necessary.
The incident was hushed up and buried by all major Greek news media.
As should all such cases be hushed up and buried, unless we wish to overburden the citizens' already troubled minds with trivial details such as the ills befalling the republic.
