The Europeans' View of the U.S. May Change Yet Again — Letters to the Editor - WSJ.com

MORE PEOPLE SHOULD READ THIS LETTER: The Europeans' View of the U.S. May Change Yet Again — Letters to the Editor - WSJ.com

Hear, hear on this letter.

The media and lots of talking heads don't want to talk about Obama and the Democrats in the way this letter clearly lays out their agenda and plan.

Likewise, the media abjures discussing what the Republican Tea Party is trying to do in terms of getting the US back to having a growing economy.

The media and too many pundits get it all mixed up.

(An analogy that has cropped up in Chamberlain trying to negotiate with Hitler. He trusted Hitler (Obama) and look what happened? As this letter attests, Chamberlain (the Republicans) should have stood strong.)

Of course, the Democrats don't understand the impact of their policies are they are telling the public things can go back to a better economy on the back of anti-business policies, high taxes and sticking it to the rich.

Roosevelt raised taxes and pandered to unions and the Great Depression continued and took a dip in 37/38.

We are in the same position with Obama and the Democrats. Why aren't more people talking about it?

This letter starts to lay things out. Thanks for such a good letter.

"Western Europe's resentment of American economic and military power has been based on envy and dependence, not on rational analysis ("The World Says China Will Overtake America" by Andrew Kohut, op-ed, July 14). It is no surprise that Europeans who got what they wanted—a chastened, humbler and weaker America—now realize the negative implications for their welfare states. Per Daniel Henninger's same-day Wonder Land column, "The Disappearing Recovery," post-World War II Europe accepted slower economic growth in exchange for generous state benefits. But Europe still struggles to meet its benefit obligations and can do so only by skimping on military expenditures and relying on U.S. strength. As the U.S. moves toward adoption of a welfare-state model (federal spending of more than 25% of GDP instead of less than 20%), Europe will need to triple its military spending or find itself increasingly vulnerable to threats from other rising powers.

President Obama assured the international community that post-Bush America would be a partner, no longer acting with impunity and arrogance prior to consulting others. Europeans cheered, until they realized that they can't even battle the forces of Libya's Moammar Gadhafi without U.S. support. What happens when China starts to flex its muscles and the U.S. no longer can afford to be the world's policeman (at a cost of nearly 5% of GDP per year)? For that matter, what happens when ObamaCare kicks in and the U.S. no longer can afford to subsidize the world's health-care research and innovation? Either medical progress will slow or Europeans who have been getting a free ride need to pony up more money that they don't have.

Fortunately for Europeans and Americans, expectations regarding who will or will not be a world power in future decades are very rarely accurate. Just 25 years ago Japan's economic ascendancy seemed inevitable. If America slams the brakes now on mimicking Europe, the Brits, French and Germans can go back to envy of and dependence on America, rather than fearing for their health and security.

Gary R"