[Angelus Errare]

Well, let me put it this way.

How small a European government is really means nothing to us here in the States. Ditto with tax rates, social security, ad infinitum. However, the conservative parties in Europe, by and large, are far more likely to remain allied with the US and not blame America for everything under the sun that goes wrong. And they aren't all anti-Semites, either.

Most of the modern European anti-Semitism emanates either from the liberal intellectuals who think that Israel's right to exist is racism or from angry Muslim immigrant communities who have been radicalized by Saudi mi$$ionary efforts over the last 50 years. I'm still waiting to see which European nation is going to be the first to implement the sha'riah.

[Stultis]

How small a European government is really means nothing to us here in the States. Ditto with tax rates, social security, ad infinitum.

I'm no expert, but I suspect that the big problem in Europe, overwhelming these other issues, are labor markets that are frozen solid, and other obstacles to corporate restructuring. From the article:

The first signs of a new, more pragmatic Schröder were seen last week when Wolfgang Clement, the economics and labour minister, unveiled plans to cut unemployment benefits and make it easier for small firms to lay workers off.

Reforms like this are essential but, as the article suggested, will meet huge resistance. Wasn't it only last spring that the Red Brigades reemerged in Italy and assasinated the government minister leading the effort to reform Italian labor law?

Europe needs about a dozen Maggie Thatchers to face down the labor unions, but I'm not optimistic. Will conservative parties in Europe have the testicular fortitude to see through the necessary reforms?