comment on LBN....WH threat: U.S. could be like Europe if taxes rise

[bobbieinok]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1131518

WASHINGTON, Jan 7 (Reuters) - A top White House economic adviser warned on Friday the U.S. economy could become "more like those of Europe" if taxes were raised to stabilize Social Security for the long haul.

"That is not the direction we should be heading," the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, Gregory Mankiw, told a conference in Philadelphia sponsored by the American Economic Association.

more....


THIS threat works because everyone in the US knows the US economy and the US system of doing things is the BEST IN THE WORLD.....most Americans do NOT know about 4-6 weeks paid vacation, year long unemployment insurance, health care, etc

when I was teaching German and business German, it was interesting to see the American students' shock at some of the 'safety net' features Germans take for granted...some tried to 'explain' it away by saying 'of course, Germany is a socialist country'...

when I was in Germany during Reagan's terms, some older Germans would praise his hard line on the Soviet Union and complain about their government.....they were totally shocked when I talked about the lack in the US of safety features they took for granted

[finecraft]

1. I saw T.R. Reid on Washington Journal Friday morning

He wrote a book called "The United States of Europe", and was telling about the time he spent living in England. He said that he and his family used the British universal health care system for medical treatment while they lived there, not their private employer insurance from the US company he worked for. He said that the British universal health care system was MUCH better than any US health care they had used while living in the states. A Canadian doctor sent an email during the program saying that he was a US citizen, living in Alberta and practicing medicine at a Canadian hospital. He wrote that if he ever got seriously ill, he would definitely opt for care in Canada, not in the US, because their health care system is so much better than ours.

[CBHagman]

2. I know most people probably don't read up, but ...

...will "threatening" the Americans that we'll become like Europe really scare people? All I think is: low crime rate, strong social safety net, five weeks of vacation. Whoopie! Do other Americans go around thinking the British and the Scandinavians live in squalor and eat out of trash cans or something? I didn't think there were any negative stereotypes except for the boogyman of "socialized medicine" that they always fling at us.

[Oversea Visitor]

3. Woah

If US be just like Europe the americans people will really have a good life.
Comparing the quality of life between americans and european, I am truly sorry but americans are way way behind on this.

[Liberal In Texas]

4. Threat? A European economy works for me.

CEO's in Europe make salaries more in line with their workers.
Health care is free. (OK, paid for by taxes.)
They care about the environment and preserving historic places.
They support the arts.
They don't kill themselves holding down 2 jobs.
They don't try to police the whole world.
No death penalty.
They're tolerant.
They think making abortion illegal is insane.
They have great public transportation.


They hate BUSH!

[cire4]

5. And it is a bad thing to be more like Europe????????

Free health care
Free college tuition
Free child care
5 weeks paid vacation
35 hour work weet
6 months maternity leave
1 month paternity leave
Excellent public transportation systems
Better quality of life
Cheaper prescription drugs
Less poverty
Environmentally cleaner
Regulated business
No corporate media
True separation of church and state
Stronger currency
Big Middle class
More cultured entertainment
Multi-lingual
Healthier population
More educated population
Happier population

Oh yeah....I'm so scared of that...