Ok. I'm starting off my morning scouting the political sites, coffee in hand, to see what's happening in my country. I click onto Politico.com, Real Clear Politics, ABC News, the conservative Townhall, the liberal Huffington Post....
And on MSNBC this is the featured story:
In Europe, social safety net softens the slump
Aid for unemployment, health care and further education cushions blow
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Listen. Hear that noise? We can practically hear the facekings and Trinitys and Wyldgusechazs and starinvestors of the site circling their wagons around the idea of The Supremacy of American Capitalism. Capitalism is the ONLY way, they'll tell us! -- I believe a few have even equated socialism with "pinko communism", Marxism, Stalinism, Leninism, Maoism, and whatever other unpleasant-sounding -ism is out there.
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The article tells us that the German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, where the auto industry has been hit especially hard because of the economic crisis this is the home of Mercedes-Benz things are tougher than they have been in decades. Unemployment is up 70 percent and many employees have been forced to cut down their hours.
The story focuses on the Fuerstenberger family. Quality of living has not changed very much for Jan and Sarah Fuerstenberger and their four children despite the fact that neither parent is currently working.
If we were in Detroit, we could worry every minute, said Sarah Fuerstenberger, 37. But here, were safe because of the system. The German government is really good about taking care of people; we know we wont be starving one way or another."
In Germany, and across most of western Europe, the government provides safety nets that include:
* generous unemployment checks
* universal healthcare
* inexpensive university education
In the midst of recession, I hadnt even thought of the word recession, said Sarah, a Detroit native who has lived in Germany on and off since college.
In Europe, social safety net softens the slump - Europe- msnbc.com
And on MSNBC this is the featured story:
In Europe, social safety net softens the slump
Aid for unemployment, health care and further education cushions blow
--------------------
Listen. Hear that noise? We can practically hear the facekings and Trinitys and Wyldgusechazs and starinvestors of the site circling their wagons around the idea of The Supremacy of American Capitalism. Capitalism is the ONLY way, they'll tell us! -- I believe a few have even equated socialism with "pinko communism", Marxism, Stalinism, Leninism, Maoism, and whatever other unpleasant-sounding -ism is out there.
--------------------
The article tells us that the German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, where the auto industry has been hit especially hard because of the economic crisis this is the home of Mercedes-Benz things are tougher than they have been in decades. Unemployment is up 70 percent and many employees have been forced to cut down their hours.
The story focuses on the Fuerstenberger family. Quality of living has not changed very much for Jan and Sarah Fuerstenberger and their four children despite the fact that neither parent is currently working.
If we were in Detroit, we could worry every minute, said Sarah Fuerstenberger, 37. But here, were safe because of the system. The German government is really good about taking care of people; we know we wont be starving one way or another."
In Germany, and across most of western Europe, the government provides safety nets that include:
* generous unemployment checks
* universal healthcare
* inexpensive university education
In the midst of recession, I hadnt even thought of the word recession, said Sarah, a Detroit native who has lived in Germany on and off since college.
In Europe, social safety net softens the slump - Europe- msnbc.com