Porque No?

I thought I should be consistent with the starry-eyed Wilsonianism, not to say total naivete, of this blog, so here goes: Europe is doing awesome! There may be austerity, corruption, undemocratic overreach by a handful of elites who foolishly created a monetary union without contemplating the absence of a fiscal union, but hey. I don't see a return to nationalism. I think the wreckage of all this could amount to better international solidarity, or a growing awareness of the raw deal that global capital offers everyone.

John Cassidy's got my back on at least some of this.

Government by Absence

America has avoided a shutdown of its government but still inspired Joshua Keating to wonder why our European counterparts, basket cases though they may be, don't have to worry about shutdowns.

Belgium and Portugal illustrate how most countries avoid governmental gridlock. The premier and his staffers propose a budget. If it's rejected by the legislature, the premier resigns. This solution raises the stakes somewhat, but on the other hand, civil services tend to continue in Europe even after the resignations.

American bureaucratic sclerosis is keeping up with the Old World -- maybe even outdoing them.