"Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny." -- unknown

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results - Albert Einstein

the EU and the US
May 29, 2005 - 5:16 pm

http://www.suntimes.com/output/steyn/cst-edt-steyn29.html

two quotes hightlight.. just how fucked up this EU thing as gotten:

1) "If at the end of the ratification process, we do not manage to solve the problems, the countries that would have said No, would have to ask themselves the question again," "President" Juncker told the Belgian newspaper Le Soir."

so.. those who vote no will keep voting until they vote yes? yikes.

"In a world that is wholly private," he says of America, "we lose our bearings; deprived of any public anchor, all we have are our individual subjective values to guide us." He deplores the First Amendment and misses government-regulated media, which in the EU ensures that all public expression is within approved parameters (left to center-left). "Europe," he explains, "acts to ensure that television and radio conform to public interest criteria."

now... given the choice between the media we have in the states.. and this idea of government controlled left/center left media.. i'll take the mess we have here. i rather like that i can, or anyone else, can talk shit about the government and not worry about retribution. i like the idea that i at least stand something of chance of hearing multiple sides of any given issue.. while the above only makes it certain one view will be given -- and that will be the view the government wants you to have.

now.. the article has lots of other interesting tidbits.. but those two stood out the most to me.

it seems the real question when comparing the EU to US is the idea of what should the government do or not do for its people. the EU is firmly left.. including a heck of alot more for everyone (housing and whatnot) along with tons of regulation. the US leans left, but it's still largely up to each of us to succeed or fail on our own.

so the question is, is it up to our government to provide for everyone or to just setup a frame work?

the ambious part of me says the US way is better.. the risk is higher, but those who win can reap the rewards. another part of me says, isn't it a good thing if everyone got to live at a decent preset level?

however, with the bottom set artifically higher, the top will have to be lower -- those who have ability won't be able to fly so high.

does this make sense? i'm not writing it in one thought.. but sort of haphazdly.