You may recall when Obama first got into office, he jawboned the Europeans to increase their stimulus spending. Showing contempt for our president's brilliance, the Europeans refused, saying thanks much but we know what's best for our own economies.It now appears that they were right. Marcus Walker and David Gauthier of the Wall Street Journal report: Germany and France have escaped from recession surprisingly quickly, outpacing the U.S. in returning to growth thanks in part to government stimulus efforts and consumer spending. Germany, Europe's biggest economy, grew at an annualized pace of 1.3% in the second quarter, while France, the region's second-biggest economy, expanded at an annualized rate of 1.4%. Both countries recorded contractions for the previous four quarters, and bounced back earlier than other advanced economies including the U.S. and the U.K.   The news that Europe's economic engine is rebounding suggests the region is joining the recovery under way in China...(Read Full Post)