Main Argument: The idea that America is booming while Europe is failing is mostly wrong.

Three Myths Debunked:

1. US isn't growing much faster than Europe

Yes, US GDP looks higher, but that's partly because population grew faster

More importantly, living costs in the US have skyrocketed (which Trump exploited politically)

When you account for cost of living, US GDP per person grew 70% since 1990, Europe grew 62%

That's basically the same (1.6% vs 1.5% annual growth)

2. Europeans aren't less productive

Americans work longer hours with less vacation time

When you measure productivity per hour worked, Europeans are nearly as productive as Americans

Western Europe (Germany, France, Italy, etc.) matches US productivity exactly

The gap only appears because Europeans choose more leisure time

3. GDP isn't everything

Europeans get more vacation, live longer, have less inequality, and produce less carbon

Europe produces $71/hour with low emissions; US produces $81/hour with high emissions

Europeans have made a different choice: less stuff, more time, better health, cleaner environment

Bottom Line: Europe doesn't need deregulation and tax cuts. It needs investment in education, research, infrastructure, and clean energy. The European model is actually working quite well – it's just prioritizing different things than raw economic output.

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