Since the beginning of our country at the settlement of Jamestown in 1607, America has adopted many ways of living from its “parent” Europe. Even though we fought against them for independence in 1776, and fought again in 1812, we still continued to learn from our oversea neighbor and do some of the same things they did. Today, we are more economically similar to Europe than ever before. America is still, at its core, a conservative nation, and it is one that cherishes the foundations of individual liberty. As Samuel Gregg explains in his book Becoming Europe, we are in danger of following Europe into its economic cul-de-sac, but we still have time to avoid this fate. The root cause of the Europe's downfall today lies in its economic culture, which is responsible for the horrible institutions Europeans have put in effect. After World War II ended, Europe yearned for a sense of security and economic protection. The war's destruction made intervention by the government virtually impossible to oppose. Because of this, ever since the end of the war, Europe has become more and more economically secure. Luckily, America is more economically free, and that must be maintained. If not, we will no longer have the freedom our founding fathers had. We will no longer make our own decisions or be the entrepreneurs we once were. America's slogan, “Land of the Free” will slowly disintegrate. If America does not switch gears soon, the state of Portugal, Ireland, Greece, and Spain in 2010 that was only heard of on the news will become a reality here. In Athens, pictures of rioters burning tires, looting shops, and attacking police in the streets will occur in the States. The EU stepped in and saved these four countries desperately in need by creating a massive safety net and bailing them out. If the amount of debt of those countries occurs here, we will surely see riots to some scale. The future of Europe is Greece. That will soon be the future