Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
excellent points! - it's not clear how one measures, or what's included in the 'economy of europe. Perhaps the reference is to the eu?
The highest ratios of government debt to gdp at the end of the first quarter of 2021 were recorded in greece (209.3%), italy (160.0%), portugal (137.2%), cyprus (125.7%), spain (125.2%), belgium (118.6%) and france (118.0%), and the lowest in estonia (18.5%), bulgaria (25.1%) and luxembourg (28.1%).
The pandemic has aggravated the problem, with governments taking on ever more debt in their efforts to provide economic relief. The international monetary fund estimates that general government debt in the euro area will exceed 98% of gross domestic product by the end of 2021, up from 84% at the end of 2019.
Even bloomburg acknowledges that the eu is headed for (another) major financial crisis:
"europe faces a predicament. Even as it struggles to contain the covid-19 pandemic, it’s setting itself up for another crisis — this one financial. To ensure the viability of the common currency at the heart of the european project, the eu’s leaders will have to cooperate in ways they’ve so far resisted." https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/ar...nancial-crisis
Europe hasn’t grown against inflation in like 2 generations. 50 years ago they had 8 of the largest 25 companies in the world they now have 0. No thanks. Aim higher.
Big companies are no good, they have stable mid-sized firms that make there country more prosperous.
And actually four European based companies are in the top 25.
Ok, so let’s get rid of Medicare. I’m tired of paying for old peoples’ healthcare. The free market will solve it.
Exactly.
I'm sick to death of paying for the healthcare of people who've spent their entire adult lives neglecting or abusing their heath -- eating poor diets, smoking, drinking alcohol excessively, not exercising, etc.
Costs of Medicare have gone through the roof because older boomers now use Medicare ( pretty soon all of them will), and boomers are one of the most overweight, unhealthy generations ever.
Why the heck should we pay for their damn healthcare?
I'm sick to death of paying for the healthcare of people who've spent their entire adult lives neglecting or abusing their heath -- eating poor diets, smoking, drinking alcohol excessively, not exercising, etc.
Costs of Medicare have gone through the roof because older boomers now use Medicare ( pretty soon all of them will), and boomers are one of the most overweight, unhealthy generations ever.
Why the heck should we pay for their damn healthcare?
I don't like paying for their dire Covid cases either.
I'm sick to death of paying for the healthcare of people who've spent their entire adult lives neglecting or abusing their heath -- eating poor diets, smoking, drinking alcohol excessively, not exercising, etc.
Costs of Medicare have gone through the roof because older boomers now use Medicare ( pretty soon all of them will), and boomers are one of the most overweight, unhealthy generations ever.
Why the heck should we pay for their damn healthcare?
I agree. Medicare is socialism, and Boomers hate socialism. They should be ok with eliminating Medicare. They should have faith that the free market will take care of their healthcare needs.
I'm sick to death of paying for the healthcare of people who've spent their entire adult lives neglecting or abusing their heath -- eating poor diets, smoking, drinking alcohol excessively, not exercising, etc.
Costs of Medicare have gone through the roof because older boomers now use Medicare ( pretty soon all of them will), and boomers are one of the most overweight, unhealthy generations ever.
Why the heck should we pay for their damn healthcare?
JOOC, Did you feel that way ^^^^^ when you lived in Canada ?
I'm sick to death of paying for the healthcare of people who've spent their entire adult lives neglecting or abusing their heath -- eating poor diets, smoking, drinking alcohol excessively, not exercising, etc.
Costs of Medicare have gone through the roof because older boomers now use Medicare ( pretty soon all of them will), and boomers are one of the most overweight, unhealthy generations ever.
Why the heck should we pay for their damn healthcare?
Yeah right because my Mrs' Muscular Dystrophy and recent cancer was all 'her fault' yeah?
Minus the UK, western Europeans spend half as much per-capita on consumer goods. They take up there recreational time with outdoor walks, cafes, biking, family visits, or window shopping.
It has created slower growing economies, but Europeans have found a way to make it by. Americans are taught its their patriotic duty to spend, but our economy doesn't have to structured in a way that is reliant on consumerism. 70% of our GDP is based on consumer spending, so if people stop the economy will tumble. But with the supply chain crisis America may be forced to reorient their economy are production.
That means insuring supposed low growth businesses like local businesses, mid-sized firms, and protected industry (that is less competitive globally).
1) Consumerism has nothing to do with democracy.
2) Why do you think the UK is more similar to America than are other European countries? What is the business model?
3) What do you mean by slower-growing economies? The United States averaged 1.97% annual growth since 1960. Europe has averaged 2.34% annual growth. Europe has generally had faster growth than the United States.
The main problem in Europe is that housing is ridiculously expensive, they have to subsidize the hell out of their businesses to remain competitive, and they have to import a lot of their natural resources. Which means they have to export a higher percentage of their production than say, the United States.
Bloomberg and other fashionable, affluent liberals have a certain mindset about limiting growth and consumption. Since they have done well enough for themselves their life style wouldn't be measurably restricted. It's sort of like pulling up the drawbridge after crossing over. At that point, they feel virtuous by making a subliminal effort to punish the population of the West for the sin of affluence and waste, to wear the hairshirt if you will. See the Club of Rome report, written over a period between 1968 and 1972, affiliated with MIT (link). This punitive ideology has been kicking around for a while.
As far as "Europe" goes, there's a reason we are here in the U.S. and they are their. They can keep their cossetted, protected lifestyle. My ancestors would have been dead if they stayed and would not have created descendants.
They also by doing this to perpetuate their membership of the governing class and world bodies, such as the IPCC, etc. The underlying objective is to lower living standards, for everyone but themselves that is. The views of the more hungry working class are ignored or brushed aside. This is nothing new.
America revolted against Europe in 1776 and decided to do its own government.
We should not be like any other country because we are not any other country. We should do what we want.
for that matter, some countries beleive in siestas mid-day, or closing down their businesses mid-day to relax. Are we going to institute siestas every business day just like europe too? Businesses wont allow that here in America.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
