Are the European Union and the Euro Endangered Species?
France voted "Non!" to the proposed European Union on Saturday and, today, The Netherlands did, too (except, of course, they voted, "Nee!").
Politically self-engrandized national leaders, such as French President Jacques Chirac, are scrambling to save their necks from the voter fall-out.
It seems as though the elitist European "vanguard of the proletariat" have moved too far too fast and have outdistanced themselves from the more mundane concerns of the average monsieur et madam dans la boulevard.
It is, after all, foolish to think that a Highland Scot and a genuine "ich bin ein Berliner" would ever think of themselves as belonging to the same country. The "internationalist" ruling classes (a designation which is ironic, of course, since they liken themselves as 'socialists") are still acting as though the French revolution might have turned out OK if only Madame LaFarge had joined with elles amis and written up a 2,000 page document (sans the capital punishment of course).
The ordinary Dutchman, sanding down a new pair of wooden shoes to display in his tourist shop in Maarken, knows perfectly well that what is good for France or Spain is not necessarily what is good for The Netherlands. After all, both the French and Spanish have, at various times in the past, conquered, occupied and added that Dutchman's small water-saturated plot of earth to their respective empires. After fighting for centuries to preserve their unique language, culture and sovereignty, why should he vote to sign it all away to Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Schroeder?
Speaking of Schroeder, the devastating defeat of his party in last week's local elections, has (according to a BBC news report today) made political survival such a priority that some are not only reconsidering participation in the European Union but to throw the Euro into the Baltic Sea and return to the Deutchmark!
No Union....No Euro....That's what happens to an army when its generals falter and try to save their own necks....the soldiers scatter, breaking up into little clusters of armed brigands within which, despite the appearance, every man is looking after only himself.
In other words, "disintegration."
Is this to be the fate of the European Union? Probably not. There are too many economic pressures preventing the smaller nations from scattering into different autonomous directions. Even the most "politically and economically powerful" European nations such as France, Germany and Italy are in such dire straights that it is not conceivable that any of them could hope to thrive without some significant cooperation from its neighbors.
The average voter knows this, too, and resents it greatly. Who are they to blame for their nations' malaise? (now there is an appropriate French word, oui?). I expect the socialist parties will be getting spanked for their troubles.
The United Kingdom, however, seems somehow to be keeping its head above the fray, so to speak. Tony Blair has kept his options flexible while he wets his finger to see which way the continental wind is blowing. To some degree, France and Germany needs the UK more than the UK needs France and Germany. France and Germany know this, of course, but would never admit to it.
Although the UK holds the winning hand I doubt that Chirac and Schroeder will do anything that might reveal their national weakness. Chirac, especially, can be counted on to bluff and bluster his way to the political sidelines (which could well lead him to some serious jail time for prosecutable corruption). As Proverbs 16:18 affirms, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
The next few months will be of vital importance for Europe. If they cannot find a way to create a political union, the survival of the European community of nations may find its very survival dependent on maintaining and strengthening their economic ties and creating some sort of "European Security Strategy." Perhaps a new sort of NATO will emerge as Europe seeks to protect and defend itself from the "silent invasion" of those who would like to "unite" them all under Koranic law.
Politically self-engrandized national leaders, such as French President Jacques Chirac, are scrambling to save their necks from the voter fall-out.
It seems as though the elitist European "vanguard of the proletariat" have moved too far too fast and have outdistanced themselves from the more mundane concerns of the average monsieur et madam dans la boulevard.
It is, after all, foolish to think that a Highland Scot and a genuine "ich bin ein Berliner" would ever think of themselves as belonging to the same country. The "internationalist" ruling classes (a designation which is ironic, of course, since they liken themselves as 'socialists") are still acting as though the French revolution might have turned out OK if only Madame LaFarge had joined with elles amis and written up a 2,000 page document (sans the capital punishment of course).
The ordinary Dutchman, sanding down a new pair of wooden shoes to display in his tourist shop in Maarken, knows perfectly well that what is good for France or Spain is not necessarily what is good for The Netherlands. After all, both the French and Spanish have, at various times in the past, conquered, occupied and added that Dutchman's small water-saturated plot of earth to their respective empires. After fighting for centuries to preserve their unique language, culture and sovereignty, why should he vote to sign it all away to Jacques Chirac and Gerhard Schroeder?
Speaking of Schroeder, the devastating defeat of his party in last week's local elections, has (according to a BBC news report today) made political survival such a priority that some are not only reconsidering participation in the European Union but to throw the Euro into the Baltic Sea and return to the Deutchmark!
No Union....No Euro....That's what happens to an army when its generals falter and try to save their own necks....the soldiers scatter, breaking up into little clusters of armed brigands within which, despite the appearance, every man is looking after only himself.
In other words, "disintegration."
Is this to be the fate of the European Union? Probably not. There are too many economic pressures preventing the smaller nations from scattering into different autonomous directions. Even the most "politically and economically powerful" European nations such as France, Germany and Italy are in such dire straights that it is not conceivable that any of them could hope to thrive without some significant cooperation from its neighbors.
The average voter knows this, too, and resents it greatly. Who are they to blame for their nations' malaise? (now there is an appropriate French word, oui?). I expect the socialist parties will be getting spanked for their troubles.
The United Kingdom, however, seems somehow to be keeping its head above the fray, so to speak. Tony Blair has kept his options flexible while he wets his finger to see which way the continental wind is blowing. To some degree, France and Germany needs the UK more than the UK needs France and Germany. France and Germany know this, of course, but would never admit to it.
Although the UK holds the winning hand I doubt that Chirac and Schroeder will do anything that might reveal their national weakness. Chirac, especially, can be counted on to bluff and bluster his way to the political sidelines (which could well lead him to some serious jail time for prosecutable corruption). As Proverbs 16:18 affirms, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
The next few months will be of vital importance for Europe. If they cannot find a way to create a political union, the survival of the European community of nations may find its very survival dependent on maintaining and strengthening their economic ties and creating some sort of "European Security Strategy." Perhaps a new sort of NATO will emerge as Europe seeks to protect and defend itself from the "silent invasion" of those who would like to "unite" them all under Koranic law.
posted by Bird of Paradise at 5:58 PM
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