These guys aren’t comatose, but they may as well be mindless with this kind of dependency on the government. How can they consider this living?

That point is definitely key. I’ve noticed these past decades that Americans, too, prefer the “easy out” with regard to such things.

Take, for example, a recent road racing incident that resulted in the death of a mother and her child. She had pulled out in front of two clowns involved in an impromptu “race” that clearly was an act if irresponsibility.

However, in the ensuing media madness and “outrage” the issue of a stoplight at that particular intersection came up.

Regardless of the fact that a stoplight wouldn’t have changed the outcome one bit, to the huddled masses who can no longer think critically, it seems logical. Yet, if two bozos are unwilling to adhere to the existing speed limit, what makes anyone think a glowing red light will suddenly make them realize they are going too fast?

Regardless of the fact that a stoplight is my personal sticking point at none-too-busy intersections where people have no idea who’s supposed to go next at a four-way stop. If you notice, at the grocery store, people walk the exact same way that they drive….no regard for anyone else.

Mental laziness and lack of critical thinking. “It’s just too hard” so “let someone (or something) else do it”. That way, I don’t have to think as it’s already decided for me.

Like electricity, the brain will choose the path of least resistance. Resistance, in this case, being the necessity to think.

Now this is rich. They’re throwing things because they have TOO MUCH Capitalism?

NBC is just ridiculous… CNN at least makes a pretense of it being “news”

Good point.

The very essence of the fabric that makes this nation unique is rugged individualism.

“THAT WHICH DOES NOT KILL US MAKES US STRONGER!!”

I submit to all that don’t like our style of government to exert your “Freedom of Choice” and move to where “YOU” will most be happy!!

Leave this country alone! Do not push your preference upon those that don’t want to be trespassed upon. In other words…….

“DON’T TREAD ON ME!!!”

Back in the late 80s, after the plans to hand Hong Kong back to China were announced, the UK government (of Margaret Thatcher, I’m sorry to say) wouldn’t allow any Hong Kong Chinese to emigrate to the UK even though they held UK passports (who needs thousands of well educated, highly motivated and family oriented new citizens? Not the UK, apparently) so they all went to Vancouver instead. It was pure racism and pure stupidity on the government’s part.

On the main topic, after 18 years over here I think I’ve worked it out. In return for a moderate degree of personal security the Euro deal is that you exchange your right to be in command of your own life to any serious degree and surrrender that right to an all powerful State which treats you as both a dependant (to be indulged and bribed in exchange for your vote) and a potential threat (who must be continually bullied, nagged, harassed, surveilled and intimidated just in case you ever get any funny ideas about ever challenging that State or questioning its right to boss you around). Living here is like being an adult baby; forever dependent, forever “looked after”.

You really, really don’t want this in the US, especially since I plan to return someday and I’d like the place to at least distantly resemble the country I left.

Socialism is hardest on the mid career folks with the greatest expenses for family obligations. The solution pretty much Europe wide has been to stop having children and import unskilled labor from Muslim nations (the European version of Mexico for the US).

The cultures of Europe will be gone in another generation or two, and the economic engine will be so hobbled that it will cease to function. At that point, I am not sure we (the US) will have any strategic national interests here to cause us to squelch the almost inevitable Muslim insurrection and Sharia law implementation throughout Europe. Not an apocalyptic vision, but certainly a scary one for the future of Europe.