U.S. Versus Western European Values

Pew Global Attitudes Project (h/t Ritholtz):

As has long been the case, American values differ from those of Western Europeans in many important ways. Most notably, Americans are more individualistic and are less supportive of a strong safety net than are the publics of Britain, France, Germany and Spain. Americans are also considerably more religious than Western Europeans, and are more socially conservative with respect to homosexuality.

I find it somewhat odd that people who are more religious are less likely to think success in life is determined by forces outside of our control.  I guess they figure that if they accept Jesus as their personal savior, their success is determined by a factor they control.  Or maybe that their choices to sin or do good are punished or rewarded by the Man upstairs, so in essence they are controlling the outcome.  Seems a little specious to me.

On a similar note, today's sermon was a letter from the Archbishop of Cincinnati telling us to put pressure on Congress to avoid throwing poor folks under the bus in the budget debate.  He also touched on providing people with health insurance, helping those in poverty, addressing inequality and Catholic social teaching.  Hopefully he sent a copy to the members of Congress who represent the archdiocese: Speaker of the House John Boehner, Steve Austria, Mike Turner, Steve Chabot, Jean Schmidt, Bob Latta and Jim Jordan.  Of those, only Jordan isn't Catholic.  Unfortunately, I don't think they will heed his advice.