Yes, the Democratic Party in the US would qualify as right-wing or at least, right-of-centre, in Europe. The provision of healthcare by the State is what is really getting up some noses in the US. What we here in the UK see as "civilisation", the US sees as governmental bloat/socialism. Divided by a common language, indeed. That said, Republicans are referring to Obama as "a marxist", without a trace of irony. Sometimes you wonder where it's all going to end.
So how do I get on this EU train...I'm fairly intelligent in a non-mechanical way, can hold an argument, read and understand reports with acronyms and write the occasional 1000 words without saying anything....sounds like a laugh
How would you describe advocates for the EU? Surely there is nothing amiss in describing this group as Pro European.This is what they are,informed or even misinformed. The point you are trying to make is not clear.Unless you infer that only those who believe in the EU should be given credence. Certainly Europe has had the longest period of peace since the end of the 2nd World War but the EU cannot claim resposibility for this.Only Nick Clegg would attempt to stretch our credibility that far.
Support or opposition to the EU is immaterial. The point I was making, albeit rather badly, was that most information we get in the press here about the EU is of the "curved cucumbers banned" and "EU Gravy train for Fat Cats" type whereas any statement that highlights the actual state of affairs, which is a long way from the distorted view we get fed, is considered "Pro European" Closer European Integration which includes NATO and the EU as being the key cross border organisations is the only thing I would consider to be responsible for the longest period of sustained peace in Europe's history.
The Secretary for Labor in the US cabinet 1992-96 was Bob Reich, whom I used to know at Oxford. He was by far their most left-wing cabinet minister since FDR, but I would hesitate to describe even Bob as a Marxist. A physical dwarf but an intellectual giant. Robert Reich - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
OK, may I recommend trying Dawkins's The Magic of Reality - I have the illustrated edition, which is very accessible. Published by Doubleday 2012 - ISBN978-0-857-53194-0
Why do MEP's cost in excess of 1,000,000 per year and the EU spends in excess of 1,000,000,000 per year, that doesn't sound like economy.
It is equally telling that any deviation from the EU is the best thing since sliced bread meme is dismissed as the mad raving of Daily Mail readers. If a referendum was held today I suspect the NO vote would win, but we can't have democracy can we, it might give the wrong result ?
Nothing like Van Rompuy or Barroso then ? Give me a smart guy with a vision rather than an 'intellectual giant' any day.
The EU, rags to riches (paid for with debt) to rags in three generations. The belief that you can have it all, as long as you keep spending money you haven't got.
Absolutely. Political power has been hi-jacked by the political class and the people are largely ignorant of anything to do with politics. They vote according to tribal loyalties they barely understand. 60% of constituencies in the the UK go to the same parties irrespective of the quality of the candidates. Those candidates are selected by a handful of activists at the local party level. When those who are elected go to Westminster the party whips soon staighten out any free thinking ideas they may have. There are no mechanisms to hold the government to account for the average man in the street and the mainstream parties offer no real philosophical choice in their policies. Is it any wonder most Brits know more about X Factor and Celebs in the Jungle than they do about politics. Switzerland sounds interesting, I believe Ned Flanders would do well there :wink:
Question Time this week, even Prescott said politic is the only ob he's ever had. How can that give hime an insight into what its like out there? Alas there are too many career politicians who come from a good Uni, into a ministry, take up a safe seat and off into the world of big bucks
I've said for years that the technology exists to have regular referenda in England. The Houses of Parliament came about as a way to exercise the will of the people. At that time, it was impossible to poll individuals, so a representative was elected to Parliament who would vote on his constituents behalf - represent their views. Now, we have the infrastructure to poll each voter individually. We should use it. Instead of being asked to choose an MP every five years, we should be asked to vote on every major bit of legislation going through the Houses. If the Budget was voted on by the taxpayers rather than MPs, I bet we'd sort out the deficit very quickly.
