Unintended consequences - Greece

Grow a big government, promise the moon to everyone, get into financial straits? Welcome to Greece. Only problem now is that with people rioting and services being cut, tourism -- a major source of income -- is tanking. From National Public Radio:

Crisis-Struck Athens A Tough Draw For Tourists
The Greek capital of Athens has suffered from an image problem since the debt crisis began more than two years ago. Media reports often show masked gangs throwing petrol bombs at Parliament or riot police dousing demonstrators with tear gas.

Many tourists are staying away as a result. Tourist arrivals to the city are down by between 20 and 40 percent, industry representatives say.

And that is the reported number... More:

Ejersbo, a 22-year-old engineering student from Denmark, and his 53-year-old father, Jakob, were the only tourists standing at a spot better known for now as a site of anti-austerity protests.

"I mean, you can easily be the only people at a restaurant for a whole evening because there are only that many tourists," Ejersbo said. "And Greeks currently don't have that much money to spend on dining out."

The article does mention some great places to go and it is not all doom and gloom but still, the people of Greece are going to have to realize that the Free Stuff doesn't come out of thin air and that there are consequences. We are about five years from being where Greece is now -- time to backpedal away from the abyss...