Europeans have opted for the quiet life - but they are in for a big shock

The Independent (UK) ^ | 19 February 2003 | Hamish McRae

[Lefty-NiceGuy]

There seems to be no politician on that scene which can overcome the inertia or thrust of the Labor/Green/Socialist coalitions and turn things around.
Well in Germany, that almost did happen last election. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Free Democrats (FDP) came about BUSH-GORE close to beating the Social Democrats (SPD) and Greens. Ironically if more people would have voted for the socialist party (PDS), they would have gotten thier 5% and this would have forced a "big coalition" between the SPD and CDU. Some think this kind combination would be the only possiblity to do serious reform.

Of coarse the SPD and CDU could join up any time they liked. Why doesn't this happen? Divisive politics, just like in the US. The CDU spents so much time critizing the SPD/Green goverment, it would be hard for them to negotiate a coalition with SPD.

What I'd like: a "big coalition" or something else with a lot of cloat comes in and slaughters the special intrests perks all at once. They cut subsidies, open up the drug market, trash union goodies, trash big buisness goodies, and then revist ever stinking micromanaging law and clean those up too. When the smoke clears they should give us an honest idea how the social system is doing, so people can know if they can count on it or not.

[Lefty-NiceGuy]

"Not a move you'd like to try when you're afraid of a Recession!"
Yup, Kensian fiscal economics -- A) when you're down spend, cut taxes and make debts B) when you're up cut spending, raise taxes, and pay off debts. Somehow people forget how to do part B :-).

I feel another lesson in supply side economics coming on. I'm afraid I'm never going to buy that stuff. My point was just that before the US pays off it's debts it should leave loaning money to industry. I know this leads to SSTF's two books, but I'd rather have them invest granny's retirement there than pick stocks based on some halfwit policy. We'll just have to be honest with ourselves when it comes time to tax and spend looking at both books.

[JasonC]

"can you imagine anyone campaigning on slashing wages and benefits and be able to win?"

Sure. Happens all the time. They just call it "devaluation", or "accomodative monetary policy", or even "low interest rates". Pay people monopoly money and real wages go down. They say they are "stimulating the economy". What is "stimulating" it is falling real wages, reducing the lopsided craziness government and labor impose. Lying is easy when people are economically so ignorant.