Hungarians Won't Take Prime Minister's Lying Down

I have some advice for those who run the nations of the world: "If you're lying, don't admit it . . . at least not out loud where someone has a tape recorder."

I am not offering this advice to Ferenc Gyurcsany, Prime Minister of Hungary, however. It's too late and no use closing the barn doors after, well . . . you know.

You see, Ferenc was recorded last May telling his liberal government collegues that, as far as the nation's economy was concerned,

We lied throughout the past one and a half or two years. We lied in the morning, we lied in the evening and also at night.

According to CNN he also said the government had botched economic policy "not a little bit, but very much. None of the other European countries have done such stupid things that we did."
Unfortunately for Mr. Gyurcsany, the state radio network broadcast the recording today (Sunday).

People were so upset that 10,000 of them showed up to register their displeasure by . . . well . . . by attacking, invading, occupying and looting the offices of the national television broadcast station. Why? I don't know. I'm sure that it makes sense to the upset Hungarians.

In any case, last April Gyurcsany's liberal party was reelected by the slimmest of margins in a campaign that included charges that his party had been manipulating economic data.

As an honest, upright politician, Gyurcsany immediatly responded to the crisis by vowing to remain in office despite the protests.

I suppose this is because of the patriotic duty he feels towards those who voted for him.

Hungary deserves better.

So do we all.

Are you listening world leaders?

Keep your mouths shut.

Please?