Perhaps no economy in the world is in such disastrous shape as Iceland. Last year, the weight of the global financial crisis crushed this island nation causing its banking system to implode, its currency to collapse and its unemployment rate to soar.This is quite a reversal for the country founded circa 874 AD. The United Nations' Human Development Index ranked Iceland as the world's most developed country. Maybe that was the result of the reckless abandon shown in running the country's banks.
People were outraged by the state of the economy. According to Reuters, about 6,000 people attended a recent protest. That's amazing when you consider Iceland's population is about 320,000. Of course, the government fell and a new Prime Minister was named.
What's attracting the attention of headline writers now is that Johanna Sigurdardottir is a lesbian, making her the world's first openly gay head of state. Sigurdardottir's sexual orientation is hardly making a ripple in Iceland. According to a journalist I heard interviewed on the BBC this morning, Icelanders could care less who their leaders lie next to in bed.
Before people start applauding Iceland's liberal political culture, the journalist -- whose name I did not catch -- points out the country was not always so progressive. About 30 years ago, a group of prominent Icelanders came out of the closet. The reaction was so vitriolic that some apparently fled the country.
These days, people could care less about whether their leaders are gay or if their Treasury Secretary forgets to pay his taxes.
They just want the economy to be fixed. How the people who are tasked with this spend their free time is of no importance.
Why is gold making a new high, trading at $1,118.00 per ounce?
Chasing Value: Ten stocks for 2010 -- Part 1 
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-30-2009 @ 5:37AM
mauricio said...
I guess when your house is on fire running into a busy street doesn't look bad!! This liberal jerk that wrote that people don't care if their leaders pay their taxes or not is DEAD wrong!!! WE do!!! but it is not us voting on letting this low life take the job!!! One thing is personal choice and we do TOLERATE aberrated behavior, and tolerate is the keyword. Tolerance and acceptance are two very diferent things!!!
I am afraid we will be the next after Iceland!!! simply because we are going from one bad choice to another bad choice and things will NOT get better until the Partisan fighting is put aside and we concentrate on fixing our problems like civilized, inteligent adults!!
1-30-2009 @ 6:42AM
al coholic said...
Are you thinking Barney Frank should run for President? LOL
1-30-2009 @ 8:13AM
Dan Barnett said...
Al,
I'm still trying to figure out how we elected the Treas. Sec.
And yes, I use Turbo Tax too.
3-13-2009 @ 10:27PM
jbartlebee said...
"Faced with economic disaster, Icelanders could care less that their prime minister is gay" -------------------------------------
So, how much less could they care, a little or a lot. Or did you mean to say that they couldn't care less?