I think people would rather have jobs than speed bumps.

Truly, the crisis facing neoliberalism is rooted in the dichotomous implications of classical conservatism interfacing with the modern tension between individuality and the desire for social cohesion. Inevitably, postneoliberalism will have to address the underlying similarity between Hegelian gestalt and noneuclidean surfaces.

Actually, the rich are just fine. In fact, they're doing better and better as prices and interest rates go lower and lower. It's the rest of us who are screwed.

What #3 said.

"Judder bars" is such the better term than "speed humps"

They want their speed humps, yes. Which is to say, they support the existence of social control by the state. This counters a lot of the Ayn Randism of the moment, doesn't it? Conflicting winds. No wonder politics seems so adrift and aimless at the moment.

@1: I'd take a job building speed humps, right now.

'The people' are going to have to learn to live with a lot less than speed humps.

This is part of the new reality of growing energy costs and its associated limitations on the production of new goods and services. I applaud Merkel's attempt to begin the rationalisation of her people's wants vs the resources available on a finite planet. Hopefully other leaders will follow suit in short order.

I suggest a browse through this blog, for a good read about the changing times ahead.

http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/