Europe's Reality and Ours

Tomorrow (the web is a wonderful thing) IBD's editorial points out the harsh reality of Europe's future Today in Investor's Business Daily stock analysis and business news: "Europe Closing Shop?"

And today's Arizona Republic's editorial comes to the same point "European social model is limping on the runway":

After citing the statistics of "old" Europe's economic failure compared to the United States the following is the conclusion:

"In the United States, the basic choice on social policy is whether to pursue the European model and increasingly rely on the government to provide economic security, or enhance an American alternative in which individuals are more empowered to obtain economic security for themselves. The current Western European experience offers an instructive and cautionary lesson about that choice."

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The biggest issue facing the United States, my country as I am proud to say, is the dichotomy between two theories and as much as I try to sum up it boils down to capitalism or not, faith in God or not.

The public debates that really irritate me is first that the notion that one (I, Me) can't be a believer in economics and have a compassion for people.

The other irritation is that according to some I can't have my belief as a Catholic and still be compassionate, concerned, be an advocate for people that I disagree with, and even have a great time.

I digress and will save the remainder of this for another day.