Tony Blair couldn’t even get the UK into the Euro, FFS! Even before the Iraq war he was far too US-friendly to be EU President.
Polish government. Is it simply because of ‘my enemy’s enemy’ or do you concur that they’re ‘popular with voters’ for good reason?Sorry, I quite like who?
Polish government. Is it simply because of ‘my enemy’s enemy’ or do you concur that they’re ‘popular with voters’ for good reason?
Let’s see if they leave the hated EU.I have enormous respect and admiration for the Polish people, who, on balance, have had a pretty rough deal. Particularly against the background of their 20th century history, I do feel that the democratic decisions that they make should be worthy of respect, even if I personally don't necessarily agree with them.
Sure, it gets my goat that the EU should be lecturing, indeed threatening to 'punish' a proud nation for challenging the same rule of law that Germany and France regularly ignore with complete impunity. But then, who writes the cheques.
Let’s see if they leave the hated EU.
Then they need to fall in line with the democratic majority in Europe and drop the racism and religious hatred, anti-abortion laws and attacks on the liberties of social minorities. Want club benefits? then obey club rules.They don't hate the EU, I've already said that. They won't be leaving it any time soon.
You'll find this interesting;
https://www.gov.pl/web/primeministe...mateusz-morawiecki-in-the-european-parliament
The Poles also have a long, ignoble tradition of anti-semitism. Should this also be ‘respected’?
Then they need to fall in line with the democratic majority in Europe and drop the racism and religious hatred, anti-abortion laws and attacks on the liberties of social minorities. Want club benefits? then obey club rules.
The problem is that Poland’s anti-semitism isn’t just ‘historical’; it lingered on during the Communist era and continues, with added impetus by the rhetoric about ‘globalisation’ (see also Hungary).
Let’s hope diplomacy doesn’t fail. Neither Britain nor Poland can afford to give up the economic benefits of closeness to the EU.Disregarding the obvious question over whether the EU should, in that case, have granted Poland accession in the first place, the simple answer is that, if Poland continues to follow its own course on the matters of abortion, religious, racial and social persecution etc, and the EU insists upon application of its own quasi-imperial order, then it should move to sling Poland out of the 'club'. That would serve to focus minds, both upon whether or not Poland wishes to retain the benefits of membership, as well as what the role of the EU actually is, and how far its reach should or should not extend into the affairs of member nations.
'Modern Monetary Theory'. Seems to have some strong Keynsian elements, from what I glean from the thread. But the takehome message is that government spending doesn't derive from tax, but governments with their own sovereign currency essentially spend money into existence. It demolishes the lie that gave us austerity, but it does rather rely on the government having its own currency to play with (and that currency not being a basket case). Hence my view on joining the Euro.