Posted on 05/16/2010 4:00:56 AM PDT by Scanian
When Chancellor Angela Merkel decided that Germany would pay part of Greece’s bills, voters punished her party in elections in Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia. How appropriate.
The 1648 Peace of Westphalia, which ended the Thirty Years’ War, ratified Europe’s emerging system of nation-states. Since the end of the Thirty-One Years’ War (1914-1945), European elites have worked at neutering Europe’s nationalities. Greece’s debt crisis reveals this project’s intractable contradictions, and the fragility of Western Europe’s postwar social model — omniprovident welfare states lacking limiting principles.
Greece represents a perverse aspiration — a society with (in the words of Wisconsin Republican Rep. Paul Ryan) “more takers than makers,” more people taking benefits from government than there are people making goods and services that produce the social surplus that funds government. By socializing the consequences of Greece’s misgovernment, Europe has become the world’s leading producer of a toxic product — moral hazard.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
I think God is going to once again demonstrate the consequences of man’s ego. How appropriate the European Parliment is in the new tower of Babel.
George Will has said a lot of intelligent things, something sorely needed in today’s world, which I suspect isn’t different in that respect from any other time in world history.
But this article is clear, concise, potent, descriptive, accurate and colorful. It is the best thing he has EVER written.
It alone should be enough to expose the naked emperor and send him running back to the palace!
George! You’re getting better! Terrific article.
It has been a long time since I have read George Will, he hit the mark on this one...
Will hits one outta the park.
I agree. I have considered him irrelevant for years, but Will seems to have caught the journalist’s second wind. His recent articles stand head and shoulders above most analyses of current events.
Even Caesar tried to create one big European nation. Can’t be done. Ever. Europeans have too much historical antimosity towards each other regionally.
It looks like George has had a bellyfull like the rest of us. Glad you liked the post.
Will: “There is no ‘European people’ united by common mores.”
How about the American people? Common mores?
Yes, Will is a very intelligent writer. And this is definitely one of his best. Unfortunately many of his past columns were practically indecipherable even to conservatives. Maybe George has finally taken that clear and concise writing course we wished he'd taken years earlier. (smirk)
” Unfortunately many of his past columns were practically indecipherable even to conservatives. Maybe George has finally taken that clear and concise writing course we wished he’d taken years earlier. (smirk)
“
That’s exactly so. That’s why I quit reading him. Today’s column was a pleasant surprise.
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