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Some Eurozone countries have to improve their fiscal policies but that is about it. Germany is in trouble because it has too great a budget deficit.
You my friend need to go back and your history im afraid.
Only a protion of the french establishment collaborated with the NAzis. You might be wise to recall that there was a substantial resistance movement in France that worked consistently to sabotage Nazi holdings until the liberation. In fact the resistance was vital in facilitating the success of D-Day.
You had best tone down your unknowledgeable statements aabout European nationalities and there work ethic. You're insulting people and nations of whom you have no firsthand knowledge.
France was invaded. it was not neutral toward the Nazis. Geez, now i can see why we are ranked 65th or lower in world education standards.
Youre being taught utter crap which has no bearing on actual history.
Oh wait, the Spanish have siestas after lunch. They're clearly sooo lazy! :rolleyes:
As for character, I'm not sure what you mean. Do you think Britain has more character than, say Italy? Or is that you've watched Austin Powers and think the UK is the ultimate cool place to live?
Sweden and Switzerland were neutral except when it came to laundering Nazi stolen money.
And today, Europeans don't spend enough to defend themselves. I want the US to totally pull out of Europe. Let Europeans pay for their own defense. France's navy is from the 50's.
Alladin: English character regarding the UK's stand in WW2 and once again the war on terror and Iraq. Any idiot can sit around and do nothing and stand for nothing. Maybe you respect that. I don't.
You also continue to make ridiculous claims about European workers when you have never once set foot on European soil.
For your info, the American worker is nowhere near compared to what he/she was in the heydays of our industrial output in the 50's. Today Americans are just as lazy as anywhere else on the globe and much of the hard labour that fuels our economy is done by immigrants not US citizens. Add to that all the foregin industry in our country and you have a much more comprehensive picture of why we have a faster GDP growth rate than other nations (although still below some SE Asian nations growth rates).
Good. Can you start a motion and email it to your fellowmen? I’d very much like to see the US military to totally pull out of Europe.
By the way, I am PROUD that we in Europe spend a small fraction of what you spend on defence. A military force is a necessary evil, not something to cheer about as the biggest asset of a nation.
Character?
But it's fun to argue with you both. It's nice to have someone who likes Americans on my side posting here too though. :cool:
The words Freud and sexual frustration spring to mind!
Or is it just me
Most pro-EMU people reckon that membership would lower prices. Inflation in Britain is not that high (and hasn't been for some time) so it generally local taxation that makes prices higher in the UK (which would not necessarily change if we did join the Euro).
The UK has amongst the longest working hours in the EU.
German productivity/man hour is considerably higher than just about any other country in Europe despite the flagging economy.
I think you'll find that actually is him!
John (pnj) I had hoped that you'd see that Britain was not the same as Blair when I gave you the link to this place. Now i'm saying it, BLAIR DOES NOT STAND FOR BRITAIN!!!
I know a German who works 18 hour days, much like my father, so the european work ethic thing is wrong. The fact that American businesses keep psychiatrists in work by giving their employees only 2 weeks paid leave a year does not mean you're working for your economy any harder than anyone else in the world I'm afraid!
Anyone see that anti-Euro advert at the cinemas?
What a load of bullshit, I have lost all respect or liking for the celbrities that appeared in that advert........
And I couldn't agree more with it.
If you leave it to certain individual countries (not to mention companies who make the products in question) then you'd never get a ban on animal testing. Same thing goes for fishing quotas and maximum length of fishing nets.
Sadly some people put economic interest before environment or welfare. So I drink to the EU imposing rules on such issues.
Yeah, that’s great.
At least it would be if it wasn’t for the fact that there are going to be more than 20 national ministers all looking for what is in the best interests of their country. Now, if your minister is a lone voice…or one of a minority…
Well, basically if he is, then he might as well not go there. The democracy of the country is usurped by the remaining member states.
Unless you want us to believe that the EU only ever acts in the best interests of all countries, all of the time.
Trans: The public doesn’t buy into the EU propaganda…choosing instead to make it’s own mind up.
Or at least they have more faith in what they are being told by the anti-Europe lobby. When you consider that the media you rally against is actually controlled by big business, it does make you wonder about the economic arguments too - bearing in mind that the EU would have us believe that there is nothing to lose for Euro membership and that businesses will only prosper...
Kerching!
And there, in a nutshell, is the crux of the situation. Membership reduces democracy. Certainly at an individual and national level. Whilst there may be strong economic arguments for a single market, there are very few for political integration.
Slightly off tangent, there. But you miss a major point.
The consumer has had the choice for a while now, which is why we end up with companies like Body Shop. One of the biggest success stories of this country.
However, price dictates the market (to an extent) and people will look at this first before bringing into consideration ecological or moral issues. Walk down any High Street in the UK and most people will tell you that they don’t support testing on animals, that they are concerned about the environment, that they don’t like "oppressive" companies with few morals (a la Nike, Nestle, McDonalds) and then look at the top selling brands in this country…
Sometimes, a Government has to take a moral stand on an issue. This is one of them.
At the end of the day though, as many in Brussels are inclined to say, if the UK is so opposed to the EU then pull out and good riddance. Youll see how untenable such a stance is in time as the economy goes south in a major way.
Trouble is that the UK counts far too heavily on the US special relationship as the safety net, but that net is only as strong as political will of the US which (despite this brief administration interlude of war time solidarity) prefers to deal in terms of trading and strategic "blocks" of coutnries over individual countries.
But continue to bluster, its at least refreshing to see that the type of attitude I recall dealing with at the constituency level when i started out working for a Brit MEP 12 years ago are still making waves amongst the UK public.
Have you ever considered that perhaps this is because the UK paublic has a point?
Being inside a system gives you a screwy view of what is "reality"...
But like I suggested, If the UK is so opposed to the EU then by all means withdraw. Otherwise you might do yourself more good by seeking out more than just the exaggerated and paranoid Euro-Sceptic tabloid view of what the EU is and does.
I knew that would come out at some point. It's a standard insult to anyone in the UK who doesn't want Union. Just like the dismissal of people opinions as Tabloid induced.
You know, I suspect that if the UK voted "no" we would just have referendum after referendum until we said "yes" - like two other countries I can name of the top of my head...
And yes, I live inside this system. I like it, why should I change it?
If the EU want me to change, then they need to convince me that I should. Just telling me that they are right and I am wrong isn't enough. I want to know how the EU will protect my democratic rights, how my voice will not be diminished. At the moment I have 1/20m of a say in who governs me...
Suits me. Just wish I could persuade some of my countrymen to agree with me.
The democratic framework is well established my firend. First off the fact that all decisions are finalised by your own ministers should point you in the direction in which you should be seeking the bulk of your information on how the UK's interests are protected.
Secondly, regardless of how apathetic voters in the UK may be, there are democratically elected Members of the European Parliament which UK citizens have to represent their interests as much in Brussels as in Westminster.
Perhaps if most UK citizens bothered to concern themselves more with the process of decision making at the EU level instead of standing behind The Sun and responding with the ever so intelligent "Up yours Delohrs!" you might actually gain some real insight.
As for the standard Euro-Sceptic argument that the EU is all controlled by unelected bureacrats, well thats utter rubbish. The Maastricht treaty increased the powers of the Parliament specifically to cater to the need for increased democratic control for the public over that of potentially self-seeking Ministers and indeed the bureaucracy of the Commission. It's called Co-decision and it extends to an ever increasing range of legislative areas where Parliament must be satisfied or else a given proposal can be vetoed by directly elected Parliamentarians regardless of what Ministers want.
Why don't you come over and familiarise yourself with this alleged "monster" before you condemn it out of hand.
In the UK we elect 100% of the representatives of the Commons (don't get me started on the Lords). What % of the EU parliament do we elect?
I know. You don't need to convince me of that.
And therein lies a problem. In order for you to convince me that the EU is right, I must visit the EU.
Why can't the EU come to us? The EU is trying to convince us, not the other way around. Perhaps if they put some effort into it they might succeed...
Actually, as a side issue, can you explain the decision to decant to Strasborg. Can you explain how that is in the interests of the population of Europe?