Europeans Fear Crisis Threatens Liberal Benefits

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/23/world/europe/23europe.html?pagewanted=1&ref=europe ^ | May 22, 2010 | S. Erlanger

[Leisler]

PARIS — Across Western Europe, the “lifestyle superpower,” the assumptions and gains of a lifetime are suddenly in doubt. The deficit crisis that threatens the euro has also undermined the sustainability of the European standard of social welfare, built by left-leaning governments since the end of World War II.

Europeans have boasted about their social model, with its generous vacations and early retirements, its national health care systems and extensive welfare benefits, contrasting it with the comparative harshness of American capitalism.

Europeans have benefited from low military spending, protected by NATO and the American nuclear umbrella. They have also translated higher taxes into a cradle-to-grave safety net. “The Europe that protects” is a slogan of the European Union.

But all over Europe governments with big budgets, falling tax revenues and aging populations are experiencing rising deficits, with more bad news ahead.

With low growth, low birthrates and longer life expectancies, Europe can no longer afford....

[Leisler]

"Gustave Brun d’Arre, 18, is still in high school. “The only thing we’re told is that we will have to pay for the others,” he said, sipping a beer at a cafe. The waiter interrupted, discussing plans to alter the French pension system. “It will be a mess,” the waiter said. “We’ll have to work harder and longer in our jobs.”

[goodnesswins]

"It will be a mess,” the waiter said. “We’ll have to work harder and longer in our jobs.”

Hhmmmmm.....maybe they WILL wake up.....

[Paladin2]

Duh.

[sphinx]

If your social policy is to spend today every dime you can beg, borrow, or steal, and kite the check to the next generation, you need to be sure to have a next generation.

[Farmer Dean]

Oh boy,where’s my violin.Frogs got a free ride while we spent a fortune on their defence.Now they all want to bitch about having to actually work.

[OldMissileer]

The only reason they could sustain it for so long is the United States paid for their defense.

They were able to pump that savings to prop up and delay the inevitable crash, which will now be worse for the delay.

[truthguy]

Hey, as many have said on this site; "deal with reality or reality will deal with you". The Europeans are dealing with reality that they cannot afford the social welfare programs they have created over the years.

We in the United States are going to deal with it also. California, New Jersey and soon most states are going to have the same problems Greece is having. As one Senator put it the other day; "you can't have a society with more takers than makers."

[truthguy]

The only reason they could sustain it for so long is the United States paid for their defense.

Absolutely! I forgot about that aspect of it. We carried Europe from 1945 till the end of the cold war. To be fair, the UK put as much in per capita for defense as the US did, but they are the only country that did.

[ConorMacNessa]

Those smug bastards have enjoyed peace and prosperity for over 60 years under the shelter of American military might - it's about time they paid the freight.

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[dalebert]

Hey..they voted for the mess.

[DaxtonBrown]

So, just as Europe figures out the wwelfare state party is a hangover, Obama signs us up for the same.

[Albion Wilde]

Liberal feminist anti-male, anti-marriage, pro-abortion policies:

[VRWC For Truth]

Boohoo, get off your LAZY azzes and do something productive like running your own business. Some might actually find it more financially rewarding then lying around all day.

[Jacquerie]

Mark Steyn said words to the effect that western civilization is taxing, aborting and buggering itself into extinction. Quite right.

[ThunderSleeps]

Europeans Fear Crisis Threatens Liberal Benefits

Well effin' duh! Liberal "beliefs" don't work in the real world. Sorry for the harsh wake up call but this is reality.

[Ethrane]

Gee....socialism doesn’t work.

Whoulda thunk it?

[hal ogen]

So what now? Will europeans have to sit in sidewalk cafes all day without buying anything to eat or drink? That’s rough. Loser socialists.

[Leisler]

Wither it is the killing fields of France, or WWII, or fleeing to the New World, or getting abortions, Europe has always been hard on its young. And, now it offers them debt payments and no social luxuries. War, flight or debt.

[Ethrane]

LOL...really.

What now?

Well, either the governments of the world, including ours, rein in spending, cut entitlements, re-adjust government worker pay/retirement peaceably...or as always, there will be violence and bloodshed.

[billuk1]

“you can’t have a society with more takers than makers.”

And I say you can’t have more receivers than taxpayers... ;)