[Olog-hai]

Lucinda Creighton is cut from the same cloth as Obama. All austerity in the EU is combined with tax increases, which only enrich the politicians at the top (and is something that Obama is trying to push on the USA). What a good swath of the EU has that the USA foolishly gave up is heavy industry.

Ireland right now is being pressured to increase its corporate tax rate, all due to jealousy from without. Should they do it?

[Berlin_Freeper]

EU economic recovery policy driven by Germany is austerity.

Any tax increases come solely from the individual member leadership, like Frances insane Hollande.

Nothing can be done about tax increases from the EU level when people choose to elect lunatics like that.

The point remains valid, austerity is the only real solution.

[BfloGuy]

Ireland right now is being pressured to increase its corporate tax rate, all due to jealousy from without. Should they do it?

Of course not. But you're right -- in Europe [and here] austerity means making the citizens pay more in taxes while imperceptibly slowing the growth in spending.

It has fooled a lot of people, though. I've even seen posts here where FReepers lament that in Europe "austerity" hasn't worked; when they haven't actually tried it.

I believe Iceland is the only place that let the banks fail, cut spending and has actually cleaned up its mess a bit. No one wants to talk about them though.