[gcruse]

American workers need a much stronger and a viable safety net, on the lines of their European counterparts

Europe is trying to dig out of that hole right now.  There's something human and ironic about latching onto failure just as others are reaping its downside.  As for me, I try to learn from the mistakes of others as I've found that  life is too short to make every mistake for myself.

[oceanview]

yes, and we don't want america to enter that hole that you correctly point out, europe is in. keeping a strong private sector middle class job/wage base is the only way to do that.

[KC_for_Freedom]

Europe is trying to dig out of that hole right now. There's something human and ironic about latching onto failure just as others are reaping its downside. As for me, I try to learn from the mistakes of others as I've found that life is too short to make every mistake for myself.

Good point. Every liberal college in the country spends much more time on Samuelson then on Friedman. I conclude they fear Freidman and free market capitalism. Europe has a fine safety net for their industries. An American farmer can plant, grow, harvest, and ship his crop to France and under sell the French farmer. So this is good for who? The French pay more for almost everything. The French pay higher taxes. the French think we should be like them?

I am sorry that the world keeps changing, G-d knows I tried to stop progress in my foolish youth. Now I advise the young to get a broad based education and look for new opportunities when the world gives them lemons. I would give the same advice to those who have been outsourced. (How many percent are they anyway? Maybe some workers could get unemployment insurance? (Oh they already do!) Much smarter than to listen to an 89 year old economist who now wants to have government control over supply and demand.