Voters steer Europe to the right

POSTED BY: Geezer
UPDATED: Tuesday, August 18, 2026 16:35
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CITIZEN

Thursday, June 11, 2009 9:48 PM

Nokia is Finnish.

SIGNYM

Thursday, June 11, 2009 10:02 PM

Quote:
Rather than prove to you the truth of capitalism I might demand you prove it false. The result is the same.

Hey, sorry for all the typos.

Still: whether your believe capitalism succeeds or fails depends on what you want it to do. So, what DO you want it to do? Economic systems are human-created, and (unlike nature) we can claim they have a purpose. What is the purpose of capitalism? And more importantly, what's in it for me? THAT is a very capitalist question! If capitalists can't explain the benefits of capitalism in terms of broad self-interest, it seems that its raison d'etre fails its own premise!

Most explanations of capitalism fall into the "Sure it sucks now (or for some, or for you) but it's better for the future" genre. Some claim that it leads to a better life through greater invention and higher productivity. Others that it is a more durable system because it's more in tune with "human nature". But instead of me putting words into your mouth, what is YOUR premise for accepting such a system? And why should I accept it too?

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We should have strapped him into a glider, filled it nose heavy w/ explosives, and dropped his Allah lovin' ass into a large, empty field. After which, release wild boars into the area so they could make good use of his remains. Now THAT's justice.- rappy

Yeah, that's what Sheikh Issa said. Seems you both have a lot in common.- signy

KWICKO

Thursday, June 11, 2009 10:48 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by citizen:
Nokia is Finnish.

Thanks for that. Being a public school-educated American, all I knew was that it was from "over there" somewhere...

And sadly, I never can figure out between Finland, Sweden, and Norway, which is which. Shameful, it is.

Mike

Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day...
Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

"You're a idiot." -AuRaptor, RWED, May 27, 2009.

KWICKO

Thursday, June 11, 2009 11:11 PM

Quote:

Elsewhere in the world, like europe, enterprise is not encouraged. It's not prohibited...but the profit motive just isn't there. The result? Lots of people who all live the same I guess. Few rise above. Those that really want to stive for anything move here. The rest stay and do nothing...perhaps they depend on luck. And when you depend on luck you wind up on the drift.

Wowk. Talk about sweeping generalizations!

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Honestly, the way I've always seen it, the euros have climbed the wrong tree into vines of overwhelming debt and now don't know how to get themselves down.

Seriously? THEY have climbed into overwhelming debt? That's pretty darned funny, considering where our national debt stands after the last 8 years, AND where our personal debts are now situated based on our I-want-it-all-and-I-want-it-NOW consumerist societal norms.

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We on the other hand have things about 40% solved. We need to overcome insurance abuse with strict regulations...

So much for "free" markets, eh?

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...and then end the process of fruitless torts that burden insurance companies whereupon they pass the buck to the middle class in the form of higher premiums. The one thing that stands in my way like a titan blocking my path to my Subway is the thought of buying my own health insurance for my family. It really pisses me off how bad it is out there when you don't get it as a benifit to employment. I will not however trade in this fear in exchange for a free health care system that will never self-sustain and will with no doubt drive the american population into ruin and long term debtor misery.

Because every other nation that offers national health care has been cast into ruin and misery. Except that they haven't.

Quote:

When I do get the subway open I'm considering a free sub to anyone who watches firefly for the 1st time. Good idea?

Depends on how much capital you have stashed away, and how long you can sustain the losses.

Mike

Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day...
Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

"You're a idiot." -AuRaptor, RWED, May 27, 2009.

KWICKO

Thursday, June 11, 2009 11:13 PM

Quote:
Quote:
If you say these things are more prevalent among the poor, and that's no big deal because they're poor and no one really cares if they live or die.
A cruel thing to write. I said no such thing.

You didn't SAY it, but you seemed to imply it in your rather dismissive tone toward the poor. It came across as "the poor are the root of our troubles, and are dragging us down." If you didn't mean it that way, then I apologize for the misunderstanding. It IS a sentiment I've seen posted here more times than I can recall, so I must have you mistaken for another poster. Again, my bad.

Mike

Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day...
Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

"You're a idiot." -AuRaptor, RWED, May 27, 2009.

KWICKO

Thursday, June 11, 2009 11:17 PM

Quote:
Or is the UK just a bunch of people with big egos and bad teeth?

You seem to have mistaken the UK for the "Old South" here in America. You know the toothbrush was invented in Alabama, right? You know how you can tell? Because if it was invented anywhere else, they'd have called it the TEETHbrush.

RIPWASH

Friday, June 12, 2009 12:32 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
Quote:
Originally posted by citizen:
Nokia is Finnish.

Thanks for that. Being a public school-educated American, all I knew was that it was from "over there" somewhere...

And sadly, I never can figure out between Finland, Sweden, and Norway, which is which. Shameful, it is.

Mike

Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day...
Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

"You're a idiot." -AuRaptor, RWED, May 27, 2009.

Norway is on the left. Sweden is on the right. Finland is in there somewhere. Norway . . . noted mostly for it's amazing fjords . . . designed by Slartibartfast himself. He won an award and everything.

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"It's okay! I'm a leaf on the wind!!!"
"What does that mean?!?!?!"

KWICKO

Friday, June 12, 2009 12:44 AM

Quote:
Norway . . . noted mostly for it's amazing fjords . . . designed by Slartibartfast himself. He won an award and everything.

As he damned well should have! His work is fantastic!

SIGNYM

Friday, June 12, 2009 1:25 AM

----------------------
We should have strapped him into a glider, filled it nose heavy w/ explosives, and dropped his Allah lovin' ass into a large, empty field. After which, release wild boars into the area so they could make good use of his remains. Now THAT's justice.- rappy

Yeah, that's what Sheikh Issa said. Seems you both have a lot in common.- signy

CITIZEN

Friday, June 12, 2009 8:45 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
Thanks for that. Being a public school-educated American, all I knew was that it was from "over there" somewhere...

Heh.

Since they're Finnish, they'd be at the end.

Geddit. Hello. Is this thing on?

Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
And sadly, I never can figure out between Finland, Sweden, and Norway, which is which. Shameful, it is.

Norway is on top, Sweden is on the bottom, and Finland is the ball sack.

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