Just when you think life in Europe can’t get any easier, along comes the European Union’s commissioner for enterprise
and industry touting subsidized vacations. You heard it right. The enterprise chief proposes raising hundreds of millions
of euros through additional taxes to help the aged, young adults, the disabled and families encountering “difficult
social, financial or personal” circumstances get out of town.
The
Times of London quotes Antonio Tajani as saying, “Traveling for tourism today is a right. The
way we spend our holidays is a formidable indicator of our quality of life.”
Tajani envisions the subsidies enabling people to leave their own countries and experience other parts of the EU. About 30
percent of travel costs would be subsidized.
Elevating vacations to rights status is certainly consistent with Europe’s emphasis on equality, says Elham Mafi-Kreft,
a clinical assistant business professor at Indiana University. But the native of France also doubts the EU can continue piling
on costs and weighing down its economy.
At some point, the EU must swing back toward efficiency and growth, she says. Europe can’t continue to afford the lifestyle
it has built.
How much that pendulum should swing, though, will be determined by a society that works to live rather than lives to work.
“It’s a hard one to choose,” Mafi-Kreft says. “And it’s a very cultural one.”
What do you think about subsidized vacations? About Americans’ work-leisure balance?
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Welcome to the archives for NewsTalk, an IBJ blog published from November 2007 through December 2010.
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The Fringe! Plus, the simple fact that there are so many local faves in such close proximity to each other.
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I remenber, watching the toll road, being built, through South Bend, when I was 10 years old. I believe, back then that it was estimated, that the toll road, would be paid for in 20 years and then it would be free. I am now 71, what happened? Since the power is in the people, by that, I mean that, we the people are in total control of everything. I, suggest that no one ever use the toll road again, let it go broke. We the people can control the price of everything, from groceries to gas, if we would just do it. If we don't pay the asking price, the sellers will lower the price and if we wait awhile, they will lower the price to what we accept as reasonable. I would like to know why a highway like interstate 94, is so well maintained, a much better highway, than the toll road, but has no tolls. I would also like to know why, a sitting governor, with a term limit, maximum of eight years, can lease, public property, for 75 years. Even though I have transponders in both of my trucks and will not be affected by the increase, I have been and will contine to avoid using the toll road. I make many trips from northern Indiana to Chicago, every year, and I prefer the better highway, I94!
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Coming from her background,she should be used to those kinds of advances! Menard probably figured it was ok to tuck a buck!
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I'm still waiting for the list of available, high quality apartments in the Village.
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This criminal masquerading as a lawyer obviously has serious issues. He’s been proven by his own testimony to be a pathological liar and probably has a personality disorder as he seems to be constructing a reality around himself. He places no value on truth, honesty or loyalty as evidenced by what he has done to his clients and his own family. And by the demands and lies he has made in court, it is evident he feels entitled to do and say whatever suits his purpose and everyone else is expected to nod obediently and believe him because he is, after all, Bill Super Lawyer; or BS lawyer for short. This millionaire wanna-be no longer owns anything of value; he squandered it and put everything he had into foreclosure. He has no money, house, car, boat or vacation home left to show for what he earned or what he stole. He’s just another loser without morals who will be doing time. I’m certain all of his courtroom shenanigans are antagonizing his poor victims. As Lamar said, his behavior and claims in court have been outrageous. The judge needs to be more than concerned; he needs to be judicial and end this nonsense.
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Sure it is tempting to think of money from the government for vacation. Sure we all probably stop and think how nice living in Europe could be with the lacks work schedules and focus on family and life enjoyment. However you don't become a world economic force or a leader in invention with that sort of work ethic. This is a free society... or at least it used to be. If we want to go on vacation then we need to make the choices so we can save money to do so. We all make choices in life that lead us to our financial, personal and work situations. This is how it is supposed to be. If we don't like our life...we have the right to work to change it to be whatever we want.... or course the key word there is "work". We all know that fewer and fewer people are wanting to be bothered with doing much of that. Now are economy is being dismantled piece by piece by this administration's socialist goals, and more and more poeple who actually want to work are finding it hard to find jobs. How does a goernment support an entire country's population once it has destroyed its economy?
That is where I feel like we are headed... no one has a business of thier own as we all get to work for the Federation. We have almost no personal belongings, just an assignment, a place to sleep and all the replicated food we can eat, depending upon our level of duty ala Star Trek. Not feeling well, go visit Bones or Dr. Crusher, or maybe even the Dr. halogram program. Need some recreation, visit the holodeck. A real vacation, well, try to fit that in between assignments to Deep Space 9 or the latest Cardasian conflict. What a fantasy these progressives have dreamed up. Or should I say, what a crock!
Our country is losing its working middle class at an alarming rate. It is the middle class that gives us hope to change our lives through faith, prayer, and work. Without our working middle class the leap from poor to rich is too great a hurdle for most to take. May God help our working middle class to survive!!
Just as the sum of all small business employees is greater than the sum of the giants, so are the tax revenues from the working middle class greater than the tax revenues from other sources. When the giants, like the government, become greater then our freedom to make our own choices will diminish. We can't afford to lose anymore ground. We have lost so much as it is due to entitlement mentalities versus a mentality of 'what can I do to help.'
The greatest resource on the planet is human life! It is sacred and not to be wasted in idleness!! Work is energizing and refreshing.
The next time we think it is okay to waste our lives in meaningless activities like watching tv or movies we need to get up and get moving..exercise, sweep the gargage, do something nice for someone else...do anything that will make the world a better place!
But please turn off the soul zapping tv! Okay if you must, check out the weather and big news events, and educational programs, but please be aware that most of what is on tv is stealing our souls and wasting our lives!