That is an opinion you will have to stand by your self. As for myself, I think that we don’t need any ‘government’ at all. True democracy requires nothing other than competent administration… and preferably through free elections.
This is not what we see in Europe today. Today we live in a fascist system, maintained by the EU in communion along with the WEF. This is my true conviction.
It isn’t Linux vs. Windows per se, but reduction of dependence toward non-European tech. So they won’t buy from RH. They might buy from SuSE, maybe Canonical (UK). Or any company that can deploy tens of thousand of a distro of some kind that isn’t directly controlled by a company outside the EU.
They will probably spend about the same, or maybe even more, but from it is still a big win because all of the money remains in the EU (rather than huge corporate profits moving to the MS headquarters). The profits then contribute to improving the EU product, which overall is good for us. We really shouldn’t spend public money subsidising MS and the US economy.
Most “citizens” (look up the original meaning of the word) don’t give a shit. They’d sell their grandmother for a bit more convenience.
What I’m always so flabbergasted about is the belief that “The EU” would be even remotely interested in the wellbeing and serving the interest of its subjects.
I think we pretty much agree - with one caveat - the issue is not that the spending magnitude, but its efficiency.
Keynesianism is not good or bad per se, it depends on drivers skills.
So how the hell do we go about reconnecting democracy?
That is a BIG question and slightly off topic…however!
IMO 2 places to start;
1 Establish a visible, well funded news network that is dedicated to revealing and publishing facts not fiction.
2 Stop government lobbying, particularly if it’s right leaning, as the majority of Think tanks appear to be these days.
To some up, access to Truth in the media world wide, not some billionaire’s directed perspective and limit the influence of groups on government decision making and allow citizens to make their decisions on facts not fiction, like in the old days. Easy really!….. New thread? 
To be clear here: the fault is with us, the european nations. In failing to operate a political society that expected and demanded a competitive market economy. We made the focus of politics an upward spiral of expectations on how the gov’t can do more to shield citizens from consequences, and it has atrophied the private sphere. There is a reason why both economic growth and productivity growth happen across the atlantic rather than here, and it is not because america is some nefarious villain. No, it is simply because we gave up competing. So take this as a warning, for those of you getting excited about the EU coming in to ‘solve’ the problem for you. It is not your friend, and it does not have the tools to solve an uncompetitive society. I’m all for reducing absolute dependence on the US tech stack, autonomy is important, and i say this as a 25yr user of opensuse linux. But it is [your] job to make this happen, expecting some remote and bureaucratic institution to implement the fix will only reinforce failure.
This is a perfect example:
The problem isn’t tesla, if they make safe self-driving cars. The only beneficiary is the dutch public who get to use them. The actual problem here is why we aren’t concentrating on how the european car industry has become incapable of producing a competitive alternative!
You are absolutely right in every point. All I can do is agree with you.
Yeah, your #1 and #2 are contradictory and perfect example right there of why it is not gov’ts job to arbitrate on personal morality.
Way of topic here.
All I am saying is, people and governments can make better decisions if the issues are not clouded by misrepresentation or distortion of the facts/news. (How else do we explain Brexit???)..
My reference to the right of politics is based on the observed and recognised actions of media company ownership by wealthy individuals to control and direct news content. As well as the observed attacks by rightwing governments on the free press. Additionally, the observed and recognised activities of think tanks funded by wealth (extreme right US wealth in the UK) and entwined in government policy making (actual people inside government in the case of the UK).
Not lefty facts just facts.
You are free to think or vote however you want and IMO governments job is to help us do that. I am definitely not picking on anyone’s facts. Sorry if my tongue in cheek post offended you. Peace to all mankind!
An exquisite demonstration of the very issue i highlight above. 
A selfdriving Tesla is a problem, especially in the city. The program has to make decisions, choices. Who built this on what grounds and ethics?
About the cause of US dominance: fact is that the US has a huge gap between ultra-rich and poor people. VC capitalists and oligarchs support the wildest and most fantastic ideas but the poor have no good health care. European countries have a different opinion about a just and fair society.
Agreed. And the trend is happily bringing us to a position of being equally poor. How equitable!
That is a choice, and one we are of course free to make. What do i object to however is getting our knickers in a twist over US tech dominance… at the same time as justifying our continued disinterest in actively competing to ensure the future wealth that would allow us the [choice] of autonomy.
This is the wrong place for this discussion and we need to quite before the moderators kick us off.
If you let me know what forum you discuss politics on, I can join you there to continue.
Not sure what example you feel you’ve expressed here. If you’re suggesting any of the statements I have made are purely from a lefty perspective and not based on reality. Then I would suggest that your point of view is possible clouded by your political viewpoint. Again, very much like the reason for Brexit…..
The government creates legislation to moderate personal morality, it’s called a civilised society.
Have a nice day 
Well, there we are. Two days from news about OSS and the conspiracies about EU fascism and the left system press are back. Stop it before we arrive again at politicians drinking children’s blood and the great corona lie.
Please fellow lizards!
This will get us nowhere.