tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post616893104550962531..comments2024-01-09T00:39:13.955+00:00Comments on Oh what NOW!: Then and now.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post-39776023536117714362016-02-26T20:38:30.396+00:002016-02-26T20:38:30.396+00:00Thanks for the rational comment Nigel.Thanks for the rational comment Nigel.The Filthy Engineerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07584236558282159183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post-84438933952018031382016-02-25T10:02:11.691+00:002016-02-25T10:02:11.691+00:00I don't remember, at all, the last referendum ...I don't remember, at all, the last referendum on staying in the EU. I did however vote in a referendum about staying in the European Economic Community (EEC).<br /><br />That EEC was not a political union; there was not free movement of labour; there was free trade in goods (of a sort). Looking back, that EEC seems much more like the current EFTA rather than the current EU - though any such comparisons are distinctly approximate.<br /><br />Things change; so do people's opinions.<br /><br />However, the current EU looks to definitely become what most people would view as a nation state (a super-sized one). It has its own department of foreign affairs, its own supreme court, its own currency (that certainly all new members must join), its own borders (porous though they be - as a matter of EU policy).<br /><br />If the UK's national security is so dependent on EU membership, the EU clearly needs to have its own armed forces - with the enthusiastic approval of the Remain camp as led by David Cameron.<br /><br />If that is what the EU countries want, without the UK, then they should surely be allowed to have it - good and hard - as IIRC some great USA journalist once said about something not entirely unrelated.<br /><br />But all those who want such a large nation state should notice that size comes with a marked lack of flexibility - to live in an ever faster changing world. The historical record has a fair number of nation states that grew too large and split asunder through internal tensions.<br /><br />"Ever closer union" is a bad philosophy. There can be too much union just as well as their can be too little union.<br /><br />Best regards<br />Nigel Sedgwickhttp://www.camalg.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post-7521581711248732572016-02-25T03:20:30.155+00:002016-02-25T03:20:30.155+00:00Who gains financially if the UK leaves the EU?
Wh...Who gains financially if the UK leaves the EU?<br /><br />Who gains financially if the UK stays in the EU?<br /><br />Get the names and amounts. I think you'll find quick enough that it is the same group of people who gain, no matter the result.<br />Top 2% - no effect on their wealth - 'in' or 'out'.<br />Next 4% Group 1 - will gain if 'in',otherwise lose <br />Next 4% Group 2 - will gain if 'out',otherwise lose.<br />Bottom 90% Will see quality of life decrease whether 'in' or 'out'.<br />Sterculian Rhetorichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471982606603075150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post-46751325686595037542016-02-24T23:00:45.687+00:002016-02-24T23:00:45.687+00:00I agree. Except for the bit about voting to stay i...I agree. Except for the bit about voting to stay in the EU. We voted to stay in the EEC, otherwise known as the Common Market. The EU was foisted on us afterwards, ratcheting towards "ever closer union" and successive Prime Ministers have betrayed our trust by signing away our rights.<br /><br />All things considered, if it were still a common market without this nonsense about a European superstate, I'd vote to stay in. As it is now, I'll be voting to leave.Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13006890073202758172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post-61351263319406629152016-02-24T21:32:01.364+00:002016-02-24T21:32:01.364+00:00As the traitor Heath once said "If we tell th...As the traitor Heath once said "If we tell the people the truth, then they'll never go for it"Dioclesehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11520854651324331134noreply@blogger.com