WeAreTheKey

I would quiver in fear, terrified of all the freedoms that I'd lose by living in a society such as this... these socialist freaks must be mindless clone drones living without all the liberties we enjoy here in the U.S.. It's sad to see that they have to live this way, really....

By Jennifer Carlile
msnbc.com

EPPELHEIM, Germany — With its tidy villages, orderly cities and atmospheric scenery, there are few outward signs that the German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, home to historic Heidelberg and the famed Black Forest, is a victim of the current economic crisis.

But with the auto industry here hit especially hard — this is the home of Mercedes-Benz — things are tougher than they have been in decades. Unemployment is up 70 percent in the past year (albeit to a relatively low 5 percent total) and many employees have been forced to cut down their hours.

Misery below the surface, perhaps? Not at the bustling Fuerstenberger home just outside Heidelberg, where little has changed for the family's four children despite neither parent currently working.

“If we were in Detroit, we could worry every minute,” said Sarah Fuerstenberger, 37. “But here, we’re safe because of the system."

While economic forecasts are just as dire on this continent as in the United States, Germany’s citizens — and, indeed, most across western Europe — can count on a broad government safety net that includes generous unemployment checks, universal healthcare and inexpensive university education to tide them over.

“The German government is really good about taking care of people; we know we won’t be starving one way or another," she added.

With "Jobs Bloodbaths" in the headlines, tax money being used to bail out private banks and iconic car companies such as Britain’s Mini, France’s Renault and Italy’s Fiat laying off thousands, news here is similar to that across the Atlantic. Unemployment is also the same — around 8.5 percent across Western Europe and the United States.

However, Europe fiercely resisted President Obama's calls for it to increase its stimulus programs last month at the Group of 20 industrial and developing nations summit in London. That’s because leaders here argue that their existing social welfare initiatives are already keeping people afloat as well as stimulating demand.

At the Fuerstenberger home, where each of the four children has their own bedroom and Wii Fit and Mario-Kart are in near-constant play, the safety net certainly appears intact.

“I hadn’t even thought of the word ‘recession,’” said Sarah, a Detroit native who has lived in Germany on and off since college.

Full article: www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30363790

It does sound pretty sweet to have those kinds of survival worries alleviated. The price is pretty hefty, though. Over 50% of your income going to the government. Ouch!

I do love how the country's focus is on the welfare of it's people, and not on protecting corporate riches.

Hm, yes that is certainly a difficult choice as far as taxes....though without first-hand experience or having ever been to Germany, it appears from here that it seems to be worth it for them. Higher taxes for that level of peace of mind seems to be beneficial for them, at least from here.
Of course I'm sure there are people there who are unhappy with it, just like everywhere. But I think that they are more likely on the right side of things imo, the underlying idea of taking care of eachother and being "in it together" is a superior philosophy than our capitalistically-driven "every man for himself" philosophy which breeds all kinds of negative consequences, socially, mentally, spiritually, whatever...

Yes, promising stuff for all-mighty America to look at for it's future.

It is definitely a difficult balance.....maintaining individual freedom in society to allow the choosing of one's own path and chase one's own dreams.....and having a collective social structure where one is asked to give up a majority of their labor earnings for "the greater good" and financial security in hard times.

It does seem that many countries in Western Europe are getting much closer to figuring out where that balance is. America's balance measure got so far tilted it fell over and broke. Hopefully we can fix it and begin working toward that balance (complete healthcare coverage would be a good start).

Amen to that!

I'd like to see us achieve something much more balanced without having to give up a majority of our taxes... that's just absurd. We ought to be able to have strong, durable social systems in place to help anyone who needs it without having to sacrifice SUCH a huge chunk of our own income. Seeing our tax money go to the things that it has is almost comically heartbreaking, considering what incredibly beneficial things could be paid for with the money that goes instead to congressmens 'pet projects' and to bail out the selfish, greedy bankers and investment firms.

We need to change our entire cultural mindset, really. Did you know there are Eurpoean countries whos police officers don't even carry guns?
Can you imagine that in the U.S.?

The funny thing....... it works for them. Otherwise they wouldn't do it.

Anyhoo....

Um, then we would have an all-woman police force. I mean, WHY would any real man become a police officer if they couldn't carry a gun? It would be pointless.

(I'm on a roll today)

Seriously, though, if we could eliminate true poverty then violent crime would quickly be reduced to a tiny fraction of what it currently is.

Exactly! Everyone focuses on the 'costs' of such ideas without really looking at the great benefits that would come with them.
That's one reason I like The Venus Project/Zeitgeist Movement so much, the abolition of the monetary system would be a true revolution where crime is concerned. As the concept continued to develop and evolve, the underlying motivations for (almost) all crimes would evaporate.

Hmm...maybe one day we'll see America become more advanced in this realm. This is one reason I personally despise super-patriotism so much. The more we embed the idea of our 'superiority' in our brains, the less open we are to idea of altering that illusionary beautiful perfection we supposedly have.
It reminds me of an exchange like this:

"I have a diamond!!"

"well yes, but what about all those cracks?"

"I have a diamond! What do you have, a ruby?! Please!!!"

"Sure, it's a ruby, but look, there aren't any cra-"

"I HAVE A DIAMOND!!!"



It's a day for analogies apparently. Chest-beating, flag-waving "god bless America"-types honestly make me ill. They send a chill down my spine and put a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. But just to be clear, there is nothing wrong with being proud of your country's accomplishments or feeling honor and respect for the founders or the constitution etc... that's all great. It's just that "patriotism" is one of the slipperiest slopes known to the human race, and at the bottom of that slope is endless war, hatred, racism and varying degreees of dementia. No thanks!