We Are All Europeans Now

Greece is a far away country about which we know very little, as Neville Chamberlain described Czechoslovakia right before developments there brought the world closer to World War II. France has never been a great friend of America’s—remember Freedom Fries?—so its travails aren’t causing Americans to lose any sleep. Germany seems to the casual observer to be in good shape, so no worries there. Italy, of course, is of concern, and not only to some 18 million Americans who claim Italian ancestry, but with the resignation of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi surely his successors will find a solution to a country running a smaller deficit relative to its size than is America. So no need to worry about the failure of eurozone politicians to come up with a solution to its problems.