From socialism to sex shortages

MSNBC ^ | April 19, 2005 | Glenn Reynolds

[Cultural Jihad]

From socialism to sex shortages

Bad news for Europe
• April 19, 2005 | 2:19 AM ET

I offended my co-blogger Eric Alterman a while back by linking to studies suggesting that Sweden's economic performance was pretty weak compared to that in America, and that it made a poor policy-model for those advocating higher taxes and more government programs.

Well, there's more bad news for Sweden, and for Eric, as Bruce Bawer reported in The New York Times this weekend that the picture is grim not only for Sweden, but for all of Europe -- and it seems to be the grimmest where taxing and spending and regulation are the highest:

[snip]

It's almost as if high taxes, heavy regulation, and an extensive dole sap people's desire to work hard, making the society as a whole worse off so that those policies don't just redistribute wealth, but actually destroy it. That's probably because they do, and have done so everywhere they're tried. People are usually pointing to some socialist paradise or other where life is wonderful, but -- not to put too fine a point on it -- those places are basically a lie. Socialism just doesn't work, anywhere, for very long. You'd think people would learn.

[snip]

Socialism produces shortages -- and in Sweden's case, apparently, it's even managed to produce a sex shortage among the formerly randy Swedes. Which just proves that too much government can ruin anything, given enough rope.

[concerned about politics]

Socialism just doesn't work, anywhere, for very long. You'd think people would learn.

I hope Americans can figure that out before our country becomes a total liberal cesspool. It's gotten pretty bad already, but there's still hope.

[1FASTGLOCK45]

"Socialism produces shortages -- and in Sweden's case, apparently, it's even managed to produce a sex shortage among the formerly randy Swedes"

--> Hey, in San Francisco there is no sex shortage, they just get sex changes and "Whoala" you have no shortage of females....acording to them anyways...

[Northern Alliance]

That is not just Sweden. The USA was, and would still be, in that situation if it were not for the high birth rate amongst immigrants.

Personally, I don't think the reason is socialism, but the demasculation/feminization of society; the eroding respect and support given to the institution of marriage; the necessity (from either real need or runaway materialism) of mothers working full time; the government making more and more decisions about the health, welfare, education, discipline and environment of children that were once made by parents, and the lack of available quality time of both fathers and mothers to spend with children given the long hours so many people have to or choose to work these days.

[Triggerhippie]

Socialism produces shortages -- and in Sweden's case, apparently, it's even managed to produce a sex shortage among the formerly randy Swedes.

This may not all be the fault of socialism. I happen to be very anti-socialist and have also experienced a dramatic sex shortage in the past month.

[Susannah]

I saw Republican Senator Brownback of Kansas speaking to a conference in New Hampshire on cspan2 channel. He plans to re-introduce the marriage amendment in the Senate AND he cited some statistics from northern europe as a basis on why we need to stay with traditional marriage. I don't remember all that he said, but the statistics from northern europe indicate that male/female marriages have declined sharply since they've allowed same-sex marriages; birth-rates also declined rapidly.

[freepatriot32]

Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.

[FreeKeys]

I offended my co-blogger Eric Alterman a while back by linking to studies suggesting that Sweden's economic performance was pretty weak compared to that in America, and that it made a poor policy-model for those advocating higher taxes and more government programs.

This Chip Bok cartoon about DemocRAT economic policies featuring Billy Jeff Clinton appeared in Reason magazine's 25th Anniversary Issue, May, 1993

[traviskicks]

http://www.neoperspectives.com/swedishwelfare.htm

For more on the Swedish welfare system, and comparing it to our welfare system. (you might be surprised, their welfare system is better then ours in SOME ways - not overall)