European-style welfare states are lovely!

[CTyankee]

7. Americans ignorance about Europe is mind blowing!

The RW has repeated and repeated its tirade against "socialism" and the people who believe it don't know what it is they're believing. It's some kind of giant myth.

The OP was right in saying that Americans believe that socialism is "cheating." That was the exact word that I heard from the lady who cut my hair down at Supercuts when I told her about the free child care and support of women when they have their babies, particularly in Sweden, with generous maternity leave benefits. She looked shocked and then said "That's CHEATING!"
I thought it was an odd thing to say at the time...who did she think was cheating whom? My guess is that she thought women were scamming the system. This poor woman was working her tail off for practically slave wages ($12 for a simple cut, at the senior citizen level). I truly don't know how she can even afford to work, and she works a 6 day week...