A great prospective Robert ! ........as usual.
Self reliance is what is evidently missing.
The individual with freedom to create, to produce and to live has the most positive impact on a society. Advancing the freedom of individuals is all of our responsibility. The issues of racism , sexism, homophobia and wage controls all
Evaporate under the heat of unimpeded progress.
Needs will be met by trading value for value.
Best practices and best customs will dominate the
Life style choices when excellence is the goal and yard stick.

Me dino just read what Mr. Hope And Change hoped he could make the USA turn into.
Oh, that thankfully failed "I dream of open borders" Evil Hag also.

+++++++++

In the words of Ronald Reagan, "There you go again." Pointing out the obvious, but rarely discussed state of Europe. We see it now, dressed in dirty and tattered clothing, that was once elegant and beautiful, accompanied by the faint odor of defeat. They have dropped out of the game, even though they left their money on the table.

I saw a documentary on the mamoni explosion in Italy, where grown men are still taken care of by their moms. Interesting- I couldnt wait to get on my own after high school. I guess even here that rarely happens now.

Great article Robert. I only had to look up 3 words this time.
My November National Geographic had an interesting article titled "The Search for Happiness" then went on to point out their belief that the happiest places on earth promote the welfare state where no one takes responsibility for themselves. It stated that Denmark was one of the happiest places where a garbage truck driver could make more than a doctor! Someone who schooled for two weeks was able to earn more than someone who had worked for 8 years could earn more because of the tax system that ensured that everyone would end up "equal"! Slavery to the state is what makes people happy according to the National Geographic article.
Few if any people want to be free. America is better than Europe but just barely and is working at sliding down the slope to a communist democracy where we will vote for the thugs we want to be plundered by.

European and American men, among others, are quite literally losing their ability to reproduce: https://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar... James Corbett's recent documentary, Why Big Oil Conquered the World, offers chilling insights into the power elite's depopulation goals: https://youtu.be/0wlNey9t7hQ

Robert, you absolutely nailed it! Not much else to say.

I agree wholeheartedly with everything in the article except maybe the link between guns and Europe's views on immigration. My colleagues there say their politicians offer pure racism or pure opening the door to immigrants who will be a burden on their welfare systems. I see that racism as a consequence of their welfare system. My colleagues, who tend to approve of the European welfare system more than I do, say the trouble is in the past people from there paid into the system an used the system. Now there are all these people who need the system. But they say politicians can't say that. They can only say "foreigners out!" or "foreigners in!"

My colleagues in Italy are the most pessimistic. They accept high taxes, the mafia milking infrastructure projects, people milking the social safety net, and things never improving as facts of life. They're generally upbeat people too, enjoying food and engineering and life, but they've given up on reforming the gov't.

Regarding the guns, I see the benefit as more symbolic. The guns say "We the People" established this gov't. It says if someone commits a crime, we're not powerless and waiting for the authorities. I don't think introducing gun rights to Europe would solve all it's problems. I think US needs give up the status quo (as you rightly call it) of being an empire. I was one of the 36 million people out there carrying signs in 2003, trying to stop the invasion of Iraq.

You are so right about the staus quo. After the cold war, it felt like the weapons industry was scrambling for a boogey man. They tried drug interdiction. That wasn't as scary as a nuclear holocaust. Then, as you say, it's religious extremists--- lowlifes hiding in caves using boxcutters as weapons. It wasn't as scary as nuclear holocaust, but somehow this one worked, saving the life of the military industrial complex.