Posted on 01/16/2005 8:38:31 AM PST by Pikamax
Ireland is the richest country in Europe? This alone shows how wrong this so-called report is(so please stop citing it as definitive fact).
Go to http://www.worldbank.org , and you will see that Luxembourg, in term of both GNI and PPP, is by far the richest country in Europe(I am sure it will rank pretty well among US states).
8 | The CIA has predicted that the European Union will break-up within 15 years unless it radically reforms its ailing welfare systems. |
Beyond the big "duh!" that such a statement prompts, it occurs to me that there is one way, other than changing the way they govern, that would allow them to become competitive again and thus avoid collapse. And that is to do everything they can to instill the same level of debilitating socialism in the countries they are competing with.
If you can't bring your own country up, then you can bring the other countries down to your own decrepit state.
--Boot Hill
longjack
There is a big problem using PPP as a guideline.
The government/country of the United States is one of the oldest in the world.
Which governments/countries are you thinking about? Englands King George III, Frances King Louis XVI, the German Kaiser, the Japanese Emperor, or
well, after reading over 1000 pages most people become somewhat constipated.
The American constitution is on 1 page, maybe that's why the world call us simpletons?
It works though..............
I think history tends to suggest it's the latter. The tough guy gets elected and then changes all the rules. Hugo Chavez would be the most recent notable example.
...And in that history, you now have the odds-on reality for the future of Europe.
They will get their strongman.
But.,.... strong leaders only emerge in desperate times.
A few more years to go, until...............
I totally agree. Paternalistic big government is here to stay, and it will only get larger and more centralized.
However, we are still far removed from the total and unsustainable socialism that prevails on the other side of the Atlantic
I agree that the situation is as you say at the present time. However, IMHO we have recently begun to accelerate the process at a rate which will significantly reduce the lead the Euros have on us in our race to the bottom. They are nearing the bottom at this point in time while we still have some time left, but their lead diminishes with each session of Congress.
As much as I appreciate many aspects of the Bush administration I am nevertheless greatly disappointed by what I believe to be it's fiscal irresponsibility. Tax cuts are excellent policy, but they should be complimented by a corresponding reduction in spending IMHO. Or at least by holding spending to the level necessary to offset inflation. I'm no economic wizard so I'm quite sure my argument can be picked apart by those who are, but it's my intuitive theory and I'm sticking with it until it's shown to be wrong.
I disagree somewhat, Europe is accellerating at an incredible pace. The gap widens.
I lived there for 13 years.
I only played basketball for Kaiserslautern. Americanbyhoice2 is a star, he played football.
longjack
socialism
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