America in Decline: Why Germans Think We're Insane

[TalkingDog]

http://www.alternet.org/module/printversion/149324

The European Union has a larger economy and more people than America does. Though it spends less -- right around 9 percent of GNP on medical, whereas we in the U.S. spend close to between 15 to 16 percent of GNP on medical -- the EU pretty much insures 100 percent of its population.

The U.S. has 59 million people medically uninsured; 132 million without dental insurance; 60 million without paid sick leave; 40 million on food stamps. Everybody in the European Union has cradle-to-grave access to universal medical and a dental plan by law. The law also requires paid sick leave; paid annual leave; paid maternity leave. When you realize all of that, it becomes easy to understand why many Europeans think America has gone insane.

Der Spiegel has run an interesting feature called "A Superpower in Decline," which attempts to explain to a German audience such odd phenomena as the rise of the Tea Party, without the hedging or attempts at "balance" found in mainstream U.S. media. On the Tea Parties:

Full of Hatred: "The Tea Party, that group of white, older voters who claim that they want their country back, is angry. Fox News host Glenn Beck, a recovering alcoholic who likens Obama to Adolf Hitler, is angry. Beck doesn't quite know what he wants to be -- maybe a politician, maybe president, maybe a preacher -- and he doesn't know what he wants to do, either, or least he hasn't come up with any specific ideas or plans. But he is full of hatred."

[adigal]

1. They did a better job than the NY TImes in describing

Glen Beck and the TeaBaggers. Good job, Der Spiegel!!

[harun]

2. An accurate assessment.

[Kurovski]

3. Thanks for this.

And Germans know from Hitler. kr

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

4. Wailing and gnashing of teeth in 3... 2... 1...

[leeroysphitz]

5. You know you are really crazy when...

[Syrinx]

6. here's a link to the original article

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,726447,00.html

[xxqqqzme]

11. That is one stunning article.

Too bad Americans are so ill-informed.

[BrklynLiberal]

7. As usual, the news about the US as it is written in other countries' media is way more

accurate, truthful and honest than almost anything you can read or listen to hear in the US

[cilla4progress]

8. Wish more people could get this through their heads...

just preaching to the choir here on DU! Those who need to understand this, never will...

Thanks for this.

[MindandSoul]

9. I wish some U.S. newspaper would see the situation that clearly and be as honest!

[bluerum]

10. Right to the point and right on point. But the Beckers and baggers are mad.

[Swamp Rat]

12. Why are they picking on poor, little Glenn Beck?

:cry:

[Raine]

13. Interesting

THANKS for posting this, it's on point.