Europe's Day - Europe's Choice

[Al.]

Pitiful nonsense

Yes, that's always what you seem to post. Care to add a bit of substance, or are you going to tout the "West Kraut" line interminably?

[sondagefaux]

France and Germany already broke these very rules with impunity. They were not sanctioned.

Writing them down again won't change the realpolitik.

The new rules allow the parties to take each other to court.

If Ireland thinks that Germany is not playing by the rules, it can take Germany to court.

That option is not currently available but will be if Ireland ratifies the proposed treaty.

That option is not simply a reiteration of the existing rules.

It is, as you have noted yourself, one of the

Substantial differences indeed.

between the proposed rules and the existing rules.

[Lord Muck Savage]

France and Germany already broke these very rules with impunity. They were not sanctioned.

But it didn't follow that we had to do likewise?
How about getting our Public sector and SW expenditure/wages down to the average European level so that this country can recover and become competitive again?
Surely, that's within our power?

[MrFunkyBoogaloo]

Treaties and Laws mean NOTHING in the EU. The entire bailout of the eurozone was ILLEGAL.

I'll be saying NO to any more 'propositions' from the EU. It can, simply, F*ck Off!

[Al.]

Another day another 'the Germans are coming to get ya' thread. If you read the article what you actually see is that it implies strongly that the Germans don't appear to want to have to wield their influence. Which of course is the opposite of the mantra of a lot of people whp love to paint the EU as some sort of nouveau German empire. Which is a bit like what used to be called 'hysteria'

That is too easy JCR but you run into a couple of problems. First it requires you to disbelieve Schäuble. Second to overlook the content of the series that are at odds with your 'bash the Germans' claim. For instance, the Polish (Foreign) Minister saying he fears German inaction more than German power.

Also note that Lech Kaczynski, the Polish president that died in a plane crash, was rather against the expansion of German power. Europhile Komorowski was then thrust into the position.

If Germany did not want to wield their influence, they would not do so. Oh, but they do; any claim in the BBC article that they don't is the opinion of the author. The treaties on European Union would never have had such a distinct German flavour (imposing the Soziale Marktwirtschaft upon all the member states, for one example), and the euro would not have been so Germanic in nature, if Germany did not want to wield influence. Parties such as the Christian Democratic Union are quite in earnest when they speak of having a "passion for European union", but they don't explicitly state that it's to be on Germany's terms...except for people like Helmut Kohl, who came out with statements like "The future will belong to the Germans ... when we build the House of Europe" and Volker Kauder, with his bold claim that "(n)ow Europe is speaking German"...

[sondagefaux]

Treaties and Laws mean NOTHING in the EU. The entire bailout of the eurozone was ILLEGAL.

Under what article?

[Al.]

But it didn't follow that we had to do likewise?
How about getting our Public sector and SW expenditure/wages down to the average European level so that this country can recover and become competitive again?
Surely, that's within our power?

What exactly are those averages, now that you bring them up? Remember, Germany was the "sick man of Europe" before the euro came along; they climbed out of their "sickness" quite rapidly once the interest rates of the euro (the trigger of the financial crisis) went up. Germany has not cut their welfare or their state pensions to the bone, certainly.

Please tell us, in addition, what raising Ireland's corporate tax rate (something Germany wants Ireland to do) will do to make Ireland more competitive? It will make Ireland less competitive, rather, and remove a competitor to Germany. Also, please cite a single industrialised or equally-modern nation on the planet that has been able to restrict its spending to three percent of gross domestic product.

[Al.]

Treaties and Laws mean NOTHING in the EU. The entire bailout of the eurozone was ILLEGAL

Under what article?

Article 125 TFEU.

[MrFunkyBoogaloo]

under what article?

Article 125 TEU

[He3]

Treaties and Laws mean NOTHING in the EU. The entire bailout of the eurozone was ILLEGAL.
!

Not quite nothing but on your second point Karl Whelan (link below) was just one of those who drew attention to the dodgy nature of what was done - a French Minister was even more blunt at the time.

Which incidentally is why we are asked to accept one of the two new treaties.

EU chucks out the rule book to set up 'Stabilisation Fund'.