zlacker

>>blago+(OP)
Tech companies in general and Amazon specifically seem scared to death of unionization. I think Amazon's actions in this matter are going to backfire tremendously.

>>ipsoca+qv
...and anyone who's had to work with a union can understand why.

>>koheri+mJ
You mean like, most of the companies in Europe?

>>jhaywa+ZJ
Europe, which has a per-capita GDP ~1/3 lower than the US.

>>mroset+9M
This didn't pass the smell test, and sure enough Monaco, Norway, Switzerland, Ireland, Iceland, all have higher per capita GDPs. Denmark, Sweden, Austria, and Finland are in the same ballpark or a little lower. Germany and Belgium are lower, but still above 1/3 lower.

UK and France are ~1/3 lower. Italy and Spain are ~50% lower.

>>Pfhrea+vN
US population 330m gdp/capita 59k

--Higher GDP European state--

Switzerland pop: 8.5m gdp/capita: 65k -- reputation as a tax haven

Ireland pop: 6.5m gdp/capita: 69k -- reputation as a tax haven

Norway pop: 5.3m gdp/capita: 85k -- petrostate

Iceland pop: 364,260 gpd/capita: 54,753

Monaco pop: 37,497 gdp/capita: 162k -- french riviera

--Most populous Western Europe nations--

Germany pop: 82m gdp/capita: 44k

France pop: 67m gdp/capita: 38k

UK pop: 66m gdp/capita: 39k

Italy pop: 60m gdp/capita: 32k

Look I'm all for a larger welfare state, and there are plenty of things our nation could learn from Europe. But to pretend that if we made our country more European our economy would grow to resemble a tiny nation/tax haven like Ireland more than the UK, France, or Germany is unrealistic.

>>JamesB+Vf1
Thank you for pulling up the numbers. It seemed very suspicious when the comment above selected the smallest EU states.