[shots]

While I agree that working too much may be not be the best thing isn't this simply a lifestyle choice? Is there anything stoping people from not working as much in the US? If you're content to make just enough to live on then good for you but if you want to get financially ahed in life and are willing to wrok hard for it that's not really a bad thing either.

Europeen countries don't have to spend as much on defense because they know the US will be there if anything ever happens. If we decided to cut spending on the military and let it dwindle to the status of some europeen countries it would be just a matter of time untill china takes over the world. Also you mention that both pay high taxes but aren't the taxes higher in most of Europe? I'm no expert on this subject but I've always heard from any europeens I talk to that the taxes are ridiculous there.

Overall I would say that if you don't particullarily care about moving up in the financial world you might be better off in europe But if you're the kind of person who is driven and willing to work hard to get ahead you have much more oppertunity to do so in America.