| Submit your comments on this article |
| Economy |
| The welfare state's death spiral |
| 2010-05-10 |
| By Robert Samuelson |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #8 Thanks! Besoeker - You're welcome. And thanks for your posts and comments too. You often have interesting things to say, and I'm glad you say them here. |
| Posted by: ryuge 2010-05-10 16:50 |
| #7 I suspect there will be some will to go after Somali pirates at some point. It allows the elites to look like they are taking charge and drown out the other issues for a media cycle or two, it allows them to pick the timing for such statements, and as long as they don't try to go after Somalian bases and such there is little downside because few will support the rights of pirates to attack people. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2010-05-10 14:55 |
| #6 The one thing they always have plenty of will for is staying in elected office and arrogating power to themselves. Look at Senator McCain and his flipped stance on illegal aliens now compared to the amnesty he was trying to pass with Kennedy. Some of them continue to run even when their own party has told they they were done. I am looking at YOU Arlen Specter and Charlie Crist. |
| Posted by: No I am the other Beldar 2010-05-10 14:40 |
| #5 I agree w/you guys. Protecting our border and stopping Illegal Immigration - no will. Cutting reckless spending - no will. Actually following the U.S. Constitution - no will. |
| Posted by: Broadhead6 2010-05-10 11:31 |
| #4 Terrorist - no will. Pirates - no will. Massive entitlements - no will. It's amazing that the ruling caste has demanded and consolidated so much power, but spend so much effort to avoid using it to solve real problems. Their real time and energy is spent consolidating even more power. Power, the ultimate opiate. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2010-05-10 09:48 |
| #3 Average pension benefits will be cut 11 percent; wages for government workers will be cut 14 percent; the basic rate for the value added tax will rise from 21 percent to 23 percent. These measures will plunge Greece into a deep recession. In 2009, unemployment was about 9 percent; some economists expect it to peak near 19 percent. You have to wonder why governments are so "neutered" to do anything. I swear, if our Congress stayed home for several years we |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-05-10 08:36 |
| #2 Scary, because I see it happening. No western country will cut entitlements since it would be political suicide for any government. So we will continue to play this shell game until the world economy falls apart. Much like Nero playing the violin while Rome burns. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2010-05-10 08:07 |
| #1 Excelent ryuge. Thanks! |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-05-10 08:00 |