Socialist Party Election Celebration Rally

Over the past few weeks speculation has intensified about the proposed property tax which we are told the government intends to introduce next year following an announcement in the Budget speech in December. There is an absence of hard information from the government but, in general, in the establishment media there is agreement that a property tax should be imposed with the rider that it should be ‘fair and equitable.’ For property tax we should substitute ‘home tax.’

Elysium is a dystopian sci-fi action film released in August 2013, starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster. Set in the year 2154, it follows the story of Max da Costa, a factory worker living in the ruins of a future Los Angeles. In this future, the rich and powerful have fled the poverty, disease, and environmental destruction they’ve wrought on the world, and moved to a space station called Elysium. There they live in an idyllic society, far removed from the struggle of ordinary people on earth.

Because of a moratorium on any political activity the day before the election, yesterday was very quiet. Athens seemed to empty out somewhat as people went home to vote. However, the relative silence was punctured by sustained cheers and horn beeping when Greece beat Russia and progressed into the quarter finals of Euro 2012.