Spain quip adds to Romney's foreign policy trouble

[Katzndogz]

Spain is a welfare failure. So is Greece, so it Italy. France is determined to ruin its economy with socialist programs as well.

Pointing out that Spain has failed is an honest assessment.

And what about Germany or Sweden? They both have bigger welfare state than Spain, but they both are doing very well recently.

Spain troubles have nothing to do with welfare state or excessive government spending -- those are right-wing lies pure and simple, and Romney is just stupid enough to repeat them in public.

It works in Germany because:
German Joys: Why Germany's Welfare State Works
Germany, with its manufacturing base and export prowess, is the America of yesteryear, an economic power unlike any of its European neighbors. As the world's fourth-largest economy, it has thrived on principles that the United States seems to have gradually lost.

[One of those, the article points out, is a profound aversion to debt, both on the personal and governmental level].

...

Germany's lower unemployment rate also reflects its orientation toward formal vocational training.

The Krugers' older child, Thorsten, was interested in books from an early age, and prepared for a university education. Their daughter, Nadine, got a vocational diploma in social work that included three years of schooling after high school, with the final year being on-the-job training at half pay.

About one-fourth of all German businesses take part in this apprenticeship program; six of 10 apprentices end up getting hired permanently, said Dirk Werner of the Cologne Institute for Economic Research.

Sweden is not a welfare state.
Sweden Not a Socialist Standard-Bearer At All - Hit & Run : Reason.com
The [currently in opposition] Social Democrats [who were the architects of Sweden’s 20th century planned welfare state] haven’t only joined the free-market consensus, but seem to attack the current government from the right, pushing for a better business environment. Gone are demands for the restoration of social benefits. Opinion polls have rewarded the Social Democrats for their right turn with sharply improved ratings.
Sweden is still offering good social welfare, but more efficiently and sensibly and increasingly through the private sector. This model of falling taxes and public spending is rapidly proliferating from the north of Europe toward the south, and the northern Europeans have little tolerance for the statist conservatism and fiscal negligence of Southern Europe. Nor do the Swedes understand the fiscal irresponsibility of the U.S., while they still admire American research and innovation.

In countries like Spain, Greece and Italy the people have shown an aversion to working at all. We are following that line, fewer and fewer people able to provide for more and more who refuse to work. They are owed, they are entitled. In Greece there are riots over a visit by Andrea Merkle. They are rioting because she said she would not ask the German people to work very hard so that the Greeks can do nothing.

 

[ilia25]

Spain is a welfare failure. So is Greece, so it Italy. France is determined to ruin its economy with socialist programs as well.

Pointing out that Spain has failed is an honest assessment.

And what about Germany or Sweden? They both have bigger welfare state than Spain, but they both are doing very well recently.

Spain troubles have nothing to do with welfare state or excessive government spending -- those are right-wing lies pure and simple, and Romney is just stupid enough to repeat them in public.

It works in Germany because:
German Joys: Why Germany's Welfare State Works
Germany, with its manufacturing base and export prowess, is the America of yesteryear, an economic power unlike any of its European neighbors. As the world's fourth-largest economy, it has thrived on principles that the United States seems to have gradually lost.

How do you know it is not the other way around -- that manufacturing base and export prowess are not the result of a strong welfare state? Or that those two things are even related?

Sweden is not a welfare state.

It is less welfare than it used to be, but still it has far bigger welfare state than Spain or US.

In countries like Spain, Greece and Italy the people have shown an aversion to working at all.

Those lies, pure and simple. End even if it were true, it does not explain why Spain or Greece have huge unemployment -- i.e. people looking for work, but unable to find it.

You must be a complete idiot if you think that people are rioting in Spain and Greece because Germans are forcing them to work. They are rioting because they cannot find jobs. And the austerity, which Germans are forcing on them, makes the unemployment situation worse.

 

[thereisnospoon]

Spain is so poorly governed that the entire north-east region of the country has threatened to create a new country. Can't get worse than that.

Catalunya's perrenial desire for independence goes back a long time and has little to do with the present situation or government. The Basque country is actually a greater problem.

Overall ignorance re Spain and world history is astounding. Romney (tho yes he did "win" the debate) exposed his ignorance of foreign affairs yet again with his reference to Spain. Spain's current crisis is primarily due to a housing bubble that started earlier and was much bigger than ours. Compared with much of Europe, the Spanish govt is not a big spender; and its foolish policy of austerity just made everything worse.

Spain's woes are Europe's woes, and Europe's woes are ours. If just one of the banking giants in Spain collapsed (which wont happen), we would all suffer.

Right. If that puts you in your pro social safety net comfort zone, so be it.

 

[thereisnospoon]

Their trouble is common currency. European Central Bank policy cannot be optimal for different countries, so it has been tailoring it for Germany. That created wage inflation on the periphery during the boom years, and now they have to adjust rapidly trough high unemployment -- which means low government revenues and high deficits.

So the Euro is to blame. How convenient.

If something is convenient, it does not mean it is not real. Monetary policy is the cornerstone of any country economic success, and Spain gave it up.

As for conservatives blaming the government spending for everything, it's just plain stupid.

Not juts conservatives blame government "over" spending for economic woes. In fact government debt which is the number one cause of economic problems.
Higher taxes, excessive borrowing and over spending remove capital from the private sector. What that occurs, the economy suffers and inbound revenue to the government falls.
You people have a vested interest in large intrusive government. You will defend big government to your graves.
Government produces nothing. It only consumes.

 

[thereisnospoon]

Spain is a welfare failure. So is Greece, so it Italy. France is determined to ruin its economy with socialist programs as well.

Pointing out that Spain has failed is an honest assessment.

And what about Germany or Sweden? They both have bigger welfare state than Spain, but they both are doing very well recently.

Spain troubles have nothing to do with welfare state or excessive government spending -- those are right-wing lies pure and simple, and Romney is just stupid enough to repeat them in public.

"Doing very well lately"....That's funny.
The German government has about had it with bailing out the weak EU nations. Sweden has a small homogeneous obedient and contented population. It has fewer people than New Jersey. It has an almost non-existent minority population. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't count and is a very poor example.
Western European style social safety nets are no longer sustainable.
But hey, if you want 8 months of winter, $10 per gallon gas, a top marginal tax rate of 70% , Sweden calls you. I will help you pack.
You people and your dream of a socialist utopia here in the US are very funny.
Newsflash..It isn't going to happen. So just shut up about it.

 

[Uncensored2008]

Good Lord! Looks like we have another "W" wannabe on our hands.

What is it about Republicans and their 'cowboy' mentality. Could it be Romney (if he is elected POTUS) has already planned a pre-emptive attack on some sovereign-nation he might perceive as one of our great enemies?

Oh shit, next thing you know, he'll say Greece has a debt problem..

Fucking leftists, stupid as a pile of bricks...

 

[Uncensored2008]

Good thing you got Breitbart

Far more accurate than Yahoo, that's for sure.

 

[ilia25]

So the Euro is to blame. How convenient.

If something is convenient, it does not mean it is not real. Monetary policy is the cornerstone of any country economic success, and Spain gave it up.

As for conservatives blaming the government spending for everything, it's just plain stupid.

Not juts conservatives blame government "over" spending for economic woes. In fact government debt which is the number one cause of economic problems.

Look, repeating that nonsense won't make it true. Your understanding of how the economy works is oversimplified, and mostly wrong.

Yes, in theory an excessive government spending could be a problem. But in reality, no developed country had plunged into crisis because of it. Even if you look strictly at the governments running big deficits or having trouble borrowing at reasonable rates, it results not from excessive spending.

Government produces nothing. It only consumes.

You mean we should get rid of it?

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Dead Ambassador >>>>>> Spain remark

Exactly. This gaffe about Spain is insulting to them and a really stupid thing for his to say but really, its pretty insignificant when compared to other things he has said.

If left to his own devises, Mittens will get a lot of people killed.

If this loose cannon is elected, hopefully Ann Romney will get her way and he won't be allowed to speak. Otherwise, he'll have us in a war within a year.

OTOH, he will have us in a war anyway.

 

[ilia25]

Spain is a welfare failure. So is Greece, so it Italy. France is determined to ruin its economy with socialist programs as well.

Pointing out that Spain has failed is an honest assessment.

And what about Germany or Sweden? They both have bigger welfare state than Spain, but they both are doing very well recently.

Spain troubles have nothing to do with welfare state or excessive government spending -- those are right-wing lies pure and simple, and Romney is just stupid enough to repeat them in public.

Western European style social safety nets are no longer sustainable.
But hey, if you want 8 months of winter, $10 per gallon gas, a top marginal tax rate of 70% , Sweden calls you. I will help you pack.

Ah, now that makes total sense -- the big welfare state and social nets are only sustainable in a cold climate coupled high gasoline prices.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Good thing you got Breitbart

Far more accurate than Yahoo, that's for sure.

Once again, its obvious that we've been wrong about the empty-headed rw's.

They do so have a sense of humor.

Stunted and kinda dumb, but it IS there.