Although your headline was about worker protests, 20,000 people no less, you spent almost every word of the story channeling the views of central bankers.

The best way for the US to answer Europe is to close all US military bases in Europe and bring all US troops home from Europe and the Middle East. Time to allow the EU to sink or swim.

Socialism creates deadbeats.

While the USA spent Trillions in the last 60 years to protect European countries and still does the USA would have NO debt- I say Close DOWN all our Military Bases in all of Europe and we will save Trillons and you will all go Bankrupt having to spend the money to protect yourself-I will write to our next REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT in 2012 to do right that CLOSE DOWN OUR MILITARY BASES and bring our Boys and Girls home - protect yourselfs--

What in the h e l l was that m o r o n Geithner doing in Europe when he can't even manage his own business. O'Bama is just a trouble maker who hasn't got a clue on what he is doing. Now they are directing their anger at their own failed system at us that they would not even have if it wasn't for the U.S.. They have forgotten they would all be speaking German or be light shades if it wasn't for our grandfathers blood. What a bunch of loser socialist.

Geithner is dumber than a box of rocks and an extreme socialist to boot. Anyone listening to his advice is dumber than him.

The U.S.A. is not far behind, and I wonder, might the following apply to the U.K., France, as well?

By a sane (not a fly) anonymous poster:

In two decades the corporatocrats have decimated high tech industries and other decent paying professionals

I haven’t expected any help from any union nor professional society for almost two decades, which is plenty enough time for unions or professional societies to prove which side of the road they are riding on. The only professional group that has done anything has been Programmers Guild. Twenty years of no help from any union or professional society has resulted in *two* lost generations of America’s best and brightest who once had lofty dreams of building a better America.

Now, America is a broken nation with crumbling infrastructures and off-shored manufacturing industries. It makes one want to sit down and cry for what could have been had there only been an interest in doing what was best for America by standing up for American professionals. It was not for the lack of effort of individual American professionals like Dr. Gene Nelson, Rob Sanchez, and Kim Berry but it was, and is, awfully lonely out there without any union or society voices along side them.

Years ago I threw in the **bleep** on the H-1B issue because I saw it as a lost cause because it was just too lonely out there without the backing of professional groups to stand beside America’s professionals.

Simply put — too many hogs at the H-1B slop trough of greed. Thanks to Rob, Gene, Kim and others who have been willing to continue to stand up for American professionals.

What could have America been in the 21st Century? Instead of offshoring, destruction of U.S. manufacturing, and destruction of US research and development we could have had groups of activists willing to stand up for America’s foundation for growth and development through its vast pool of scientists, engineers, and programmers.

Instead, the future of America has been shattered. Generations of professionals have been lost and dreams destroyed. I lay blame for this destruction at the feet of those who have supported the H-1B and L-1 Visa; and those who backed NAFTA and CAFTA.

Perhaps some day these people will wake up one morning and look themselves in the mirror and realize the awful truth of what they have done to their fellow Americans and how they have contributed to massive U.S. unemployment and the shattering of America’s industries and research.

Perhaps they will realize how their lack of support has destroyed the lives of thousands of American professionals and their families, and brought America to the brink of the economic crisis that we now stand at. A crisis brought on because America no longer produces anything and no longer develops anything of value — all the while tens of thousands of brilliant and well educated Americans could have been building up America.

And, at that moment of realization, they will weep for what they could have done to help America but did not.

Life is about choices. Some people have chosen to do that which is decent and right. To these folks: Dr. Gene Nelson, Rob Sanchez, Kim Berry and others — may God bless each and every one of you. Maybe through your efforts some future generation will be able to have their dreams of careers in science and engineering fulfilled. You have stood tall to do that which is morally right. You are the kind of people that made America a great nation and maybe you will be the thread that can bring it back.

http://www.vdare.com/posts/20-year-anniversary-of-h-1b-two-lost-generations

"Europe stood defiant in the face of US criticism about its public finances..."

People are standing defiant okay but against any governmental cuts, while Trichet can't even mention the US or hypocrites Geithner and Obama .

This article is more of the same from French journos with their nationalism/anit-Americanism.

I question the use of the term "workers" in this article. Don't confuse union members employed by governments protesting en masse with people who actually work for a living.

"Taken as a whole, it is probably better than other major advanced economies,"
Back before penicillin there was a common saying "That's like applauding gonorrhea"