LH>But the evidence doesn't agree with your assertions. LH> Statistics don't support your prejudices. You've given no statistics that support your prejudices. You've quoted a statement that your "poor" (who are financially poorer than our "poor") have more living space than people ("average" people) who live in certain major and very expensive European cities. That statement is meaningless given that the European cities are very expensive and (London apart) very crowded. (I hope that's clear.) You've quoted data on their possessions plus medical care that I said I found *surprising* given a *maximum* income of $18,400/ 23,000/ 21,160. And I do find it *surprising* that a family of 4 on that kind of *total* income can afford all that even given that many goods are cheaper in the US. LH> Anecdotal evidence doesn't trump statistical fact. I don't recall offering anecdotes (not that stats are not anecdotes in aggregate...). I've queried various of your statements *given the stats*. LH>In my current reading about Western Europe I have encountered LH>several authors who believe Europe is a disaster about ready to LH>happen. It is doomed. We may as well give up on it. It is well LH>on its way toward becoming a collection of failed states with a LH>few exceptions. They don't know how to run their economies. LH> They aren't managing their entitlements. They don't know how to LH>integrate their immigrants. They don't know how to defend LH> themselves, and they are in serious danger of reverting to something akin to Fascism. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz LH>I read one author who argued that America should rescue Europe once again. I don't think so. particularly given how late you tend to leave it.... Gary Younge says some people in the US tell him if it weren't for them, he'd be speaking German now. No, he says, he'd be speaking Yoruba. Judy Evans, Cardiff