I’ve been saying this for what seems forever, once a populace becomes hooked on state largess, it will refuse to give it up, just like a junkie hooked on crack cocaine. Entitlement programs are the opium of the masses.

For an example, nothing will get the Finns up in arms and into the streets than a mere mention of cutting into programs like monthly state allotments to families with children, being anywhere between 104-170 euros a month, per child, according to the number of children in the family. Then there’s ‘free’ education in higher learning etc. etc. and the list goes on and on.

Contrary to common belief that’s held by people enamored with the welfare entitlement state, utopia does indeed come at a cost, nothing is for free, and when it collapses, as it must, politicians who not only buy into the failed scheme, but have actively pursued it at all cost, are left with little to offer except more of the same. For them, to do otherwise, is to sell out on their utopian promises, even if it bankrupts future generations for generations.

That is what we are witnessing here right now, collective denial, a mass frenzy to safeguard  statist utopianism coupled with the refusal to look backwards, even a couple of decades, to learn from the implosion of the now defunct USSR. As Mark Levin has said, (paraphrasing) “Utopians never benefit from experience because to do so, would be to reject the statist’s utopian schemes, hence their need to always cast society’s gaze to next big project all the while their present plans crash around them.”

Angry EU voters, citizens rebel against austerity

BRUSSELS –  For more than a year, European Union officials have called for austerity, austerity and more austerity as a means to solve Europe’s debt crisis. Now people who don’t want to pay the price are taking their fight from the streets to the ballot box.

Governments have fallen, more are at risk and in some places, a stark streak of nationalism is on the rise that could swing Europe ever deeper into a fortress mentality.

At stake is the future of the continent, where countries rich and poor are struggling with mountains of debt and moribund economies — a toxic combination that often seems to require contradictory remedies of belt-tightening and economic stimulus.

Increasingly, the long focus on austerity is convincing Europeans that the German-led mantra of fiscal responsibility is creating a vicious circle of more misery leading to lower growth — leading to even greater debt distress.

“What is happening in Europe is the austerity drive is actually slowing down the necessary rebalancing of European economies,” said Simon Tilford, chief economist at the Center for European Reform.

Austerity measures aimed at balancing national budgets have led to drastic spending cuts by governments across the continent, including layoffs and pay cuts for government workers, slashing of key services including welfare and development programs, as well as tax hikes to boost government revenues.

Many in Europe have had enough of this harsh medicine.

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