by SallyLightfoot » Wed May 06, 2009 1:18 pm
djcraig wrote: "I'm afraid we're catching up with the Euros."
What specifically is so bad about Europe? Here are some things which are not bad, so I'm wondering what is so awful that outweighs all of this:<ul><li>their highly rated overall happiness?<li>their longer lifespans?</li><li>their shorter workweeks and more vacation?</li><li>their universal healthcare?</li><li>their low rates of infant mortality and childhood poverty?</li><li>their low murder rates?</li><li>their higher rates of literacy and numeracy?</li><li>their greater # of science and engineering graduates, leadership in producing scientific literature, and greater R & D spending?</li><li>their industry leadership in chemicals, engineering & construction, and food/drugstore retail?</li><li>the fact that sixty-one of the 140 biggest companies on the Global Fortune 500 rankings are European (while 50 are U.S.)?</li></ul>Those quotes tell us that Thomas Jefferson was an ardent anti-federalist. So what is our takeaway from that? The US became the most powerful and successful country in the world during the 20th century, a period during which the federal government grew at geometric rates. Life and society improved immeasurably during this time, not just in terms of health, quality of life and scientific advancement, but in terms of civil rights and freedom for all-- something which TJ overlooked.
Could our success have been achieved if the US instead evolved into a loose confederation of states with minimal federal government? It's an interesting thought. If you could, would you be willing to trade in the success of what America is today in exchange for your lower taxes-- which, let's face it, is the main reason you and the tea-bagger crowd have rediscovered value in slogans from early patriots.