Free Republic

Americans are depressed about their current economic fortunes and in many cases their personal finances. In the case of some individuals who have invested/gambled more than they could afford to lose on real estate investments, the mordant pessimism may accurately reflect reality. However, those of us not familiar with the Fabius Maximus Blog, have not seen, felt or tasted the sense of doom that seems to permeate the air of Europe today like a dank, fetid humidity. Ambrose Evans-Pritchard of the UK Telegraph offers the following assessment of Europe’s economy. We face extreme danger. Unless there is immediate intervention on...

Impoverished German children dream of the USA; one Greek person in four is behind with their most basic bills; sixty per cent of the poor in Romania have outdoor toilets. Cracks are appearing in Europe's beloved image of itself as the egalitarian alternative to the United States, writes Per Wirtén. What do we really know about poverty in Europe? Not a lot. The constant flow of facts, images and stories from the other side of the Atlantic means I know more about American poverty than its European counterpart. There is a steady stream of books and articles about "the working...

The anti-Turkish mood is rooted in the EU's broader malaise. People living in economic insecurity are afraid to embrace change. So, is Turkey to start membership talks with the European Union? The reception could hardly be more hostile. As the public sees it, the EU is big enough already. Political leaders from France's Nicolas Sarkozy to Germany's Angela Merkel are opposed. Austria wants to offer a "privileged partnership," not full membership. Thus the chances of Turkey's (let alone Ukraine's or Serbia's) ending up in the Union would seem to be slim. But are they? Now is now, and tomorrow is...