The P.I.G.S. - Did I hear Congressman Ryan (R) right just now on Hardball?

[eleny]

He was discussing health care and the "social welfare state" with Matthews and said something like, "The pigs are going down - Portugal, Italy, Greece, Spain.". According to Ryan, these countries are going down because of their social programs.

Yipes, that was out of line if I heard him right.

[NoNothing]

1. It's PIIGS

Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain. It's not a new term.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PIIGS

[eleny]

3. "The term has been actively denounced as an pejorative" - from your link

Not a new term and definitely not one Congressman Ryan should have been using. Thanks for the link.

[NoNothing]

9. People have complained

But it's not really a controversial term. Certainly it is silly to single out Ryan for using it.

http://news.google.com/news/search?q=piigs

[eleny]

10. He singled himself out today

I watch these news programs just about every day and it's the first time I ever heard anyone refer to those countries using that term. He used it when denigrating their system of social programs, so I don't trust your opinion.

If the people in those countries don't like it, it's controversial no matter what you may think.

[LiberalFighter]

12. Considering the family he belongs to I would believe in high school

he was an elitist and believes he is better than most members of Congress.

He is probably trying to make a name for himself so that everyone from his high school look up to him instead of Senator Feingold.

[On the Road]

8. Ireland is Sometimes Omitted

leading to PIGS with a single "S." Seems to have become much more popular in American journalism recently when Greece's financial troubles came to light.

While it may be considered pejorative by some, it's still used pretty widely -- something like the term BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China).

[jberryhill]

24. Okay, I'll bite....

"Ireland is Sometimes Omitted... leading to PIGS with a single 'S.'"

Ummm... How are we spelling "Ireland" these days?

[KingFlorez]

2. What is the excuse for the US going down?

Instead of being xenophobic, he needs to look at the disaster his party created.

[eleny]

4. Evidently "By the people and for the people" doesn't work for Ryan

[golfguru]

23. US is going down for very simple reason...

The BRICs are taking over in manufacturing products & services.
BRIC = Brazil, Russia, India, China.

Now they have the technical knowhow and labor force to manufacture
cheaply & effectively. Manufacturing is the biggest wealth creator.
Our services dominant economy can not grow high paying jobs.

[depakid]

25. A lot of Australians wonder about that

Invariably, they react with dismay about the state of affairs in America- short (or no) vacations, a paltry minimum wage, double digit unemployment, a faltering economy, poor support for public education, millions of health care bankruptcies, an appallingly dishonest mass media- full of mental cases spewing hate 24/7... the list goes on.

People like Ryan are the quintessential ugly Americans- full of hubris and disdain for others, but with with no solutions to their own nation's continuing decline.

[denimgirly]

5. Last i checked it was ONLY the U.S. that was going broke through their current Healthcare system

Everyone else is saving and its people are happy.

[gkhouston]

6. My nickname for that disgusting windbag is "Shinola".

Primarily because hair his looks badly dyed to me, as if he's combed some Shinola into it. Also, he's full of a substance allegedly mistaken for Shinola by some of his supporters.

[elehhhhna]

7. Looks like Greece is going down because they're being shorted by Goldman Sachs

but whatever

[eleny]

11. Thanks for the info

[elehhhhna]

18. read this --

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x521885


This is a must:

http://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-sachs-shorted-greek-debt-after-it-arranged-those-shady-swaps-2010-2

much more at zerohedge.com as well

[eleny]

20. So they tied a rope around Greece's ankle...

They also took insurance out on Greece's falling down and then they yanked the rope.

[elehhhhna]

26. yep. they've done it to companies, why not countries?

[Phx_Dem]

13. Always classy, those Republicans. Speaking of pigs . . .

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

14. It's pretty standard parlance

It's not necessarily polite--I wouldn't expect Obama or Hillary to use the term--but it's standard shorthand in economic discussions about the EU.

So Matthews wasn't trying to be offensive.

They are sometimes called the club-med nations because they're all Mediterranean. (PIGS with one "I," excluding Ireland in that case, since Ireland isn't Mediterranean)

[eleny]

15. Matthews didn't say it. Also, Ireland isn't in financial trouble so Ryan left it out

My opinion is that if the countries involved don't like it, then it's bad to use the term. Standard shorthand be damned.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

16. Sorry, misread. I agree that an elected official ought to avoid the term

I mis-read "Matthews and said something like" as "Matthews said something like"

[eleny]

17. S'okay!

:hi:

[Zynx]

19. What's funny is that it is also a stretch to call Portugal Mediterranean.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

27. Excellent point!

[dmr]

21. Republicans have lost the fine art of decorum.

Manners and decorum is what my parents taught me.

Maddow talks about their lack of embarrassment these days in regards to lying; I add that they've also lost their manners and sense of decorum.

This is the party of values!

Go figure ...

[golfguru]

22. and the BRICs are doing great

Brazil+Russia+India+China that is....growing economies 6-10% year after year.
However pollution is rampant in China and India. Not sure about Russia & Brazil.

[olegramps]

28. Republicans are the PIGS R US party.