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LAN_403

Uspring

Mon Jun 27 2016, 10:21AM

Registered Member #3988 Joined: Thu Jul 07 2011, 03:25PM
Location:
Posts: 711

I don't believe Greece poses a big problem wrt the UK, since the UK is not a part of the Euro zone. The European central bank has flooded the markets with Euros in order to allow states and industry to borrow money with low interest rates. That lowers the Euros external value, might also lead to financial bubbles and reduces motivation for nations with poor economies to curb public spending. I haven't noticed a major adverse effect of the ECBs policies on the citizens yet, except for the rigid rules of the Troika for Greece. That is very painful for them but unavoidable as long as the Greek economy can't support their own citizenship by itself.

Patrick

Mon Jun 27 2016, 02:27PM

Registered Member #2431 Joined: Tue Oct 13 2009, 09:47PM
Location: Chico, CA. USA
Posts: 5639

What I meant by the Greek example was not magnitude but attitude. Eventually there will always be more takers then makers. Communism is an example of this.

WaveRider

Tue Jun 28 2016, 01:35PM

Registered Member #29 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 09:00AM
Location: Hasselt, Belgium
Posts: 500

There are many reasons for what happened, IMHO. Let's list some!
1) EU institutions are indeed bloated and could operate more efficiently. (But this is true of many governments and corporations.)
2) Incessant EU bashing from political fringes for many years. (Shameless UK tabloid press at the top of the heap!)
3) EU not very good at highlighting its own positive accomplishments (e.g. lack of war, cheap package holidays to Spain Italy and Greece)
4) People take EU benefits for granted; only see the silly stuff (e.g. rules on banana curvature, size of strawberries, etc.)
5) Aussies don't call Brits "whinging Poms" for nothing
6) Fear of foreigners works every time
7) Old generation (that remembers "The War") is dying off; nobody remembers any more how horrible the European order was before 1945
8) The banks and fat-cats
9) The French
10) The Germans
11) The Greeks
12) Vladimir & The Russkies

The "Leavers" were sold a package of half-truths, fear and loathing by charletans and xenophobes who have no intention or ability to deliver what they promised. The "Stayers" were generally a flaccid bunch not really convinced of their position or so out of touch with the sentiments of the "little England" flyover regions of the UK as to be parodies of themselves. This toxic political brew is brought to you by 30 years of "financialization" and deindustrialzation by the so-called "makers". Blaming the immigrants and refugees is easy when you own the newspapers and TV stations!

Thakns for letting me rant!

Shrad

Tue Jun 28 2016, 02:53PM

Registered Member #3215 Joined: Sun Sept 19 2010, 08:42PM
Location:
Posts: 780

that was a good one actually...

Patrick

Tue Jun 28 2016, 05:28PM

Registered Member #2431 Joined: Tue Oct 13 2009, 09:47PM
Location: Chico, CA. USA
Posts: 5639

That Putin is going to be more and more of a problem, with or without the EU, and once that NATO line is crossed, its going to get interesting. The Europeans, I predict will start to back down as long as Putin makes promises to take only a few countries at a time.

WaveRider

Tue Jun 28 2016, 06:51PM

Registered Member #29 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 09:00AM
Location: Hasselt, Belgium
Posts: 500

Putin is certainly rubbing his hands with glee! I am sure his proxies in the UK have done their share of agitation to destabilize the UK's position in the EU. Would it not be the height of irony to find out that Farage and/or BoJo were agents of the KGB...ooops! FSB?

The Soviet Union famously had many moles in MI6 and the Brit parliament during the cold war years! The Brits couldn't do anything without the Soviets knowing immediately. How would today be any different..you know..with all those Russian oligarchs who've taken up residence in London. Before the Yanks get too haughty, the CIA was well infiltrated too!

klugesmith

Tue Jun 28 2016, 06:55PM

Registered Member #2099 Joined: Wed Apr 29 2009, 12:22AM
Location: Los Altos, California
Posts: 1714

That mention of Russia reminded me of DPRK, which has endorsed Donald Trump for president of USA. The Donald says radical Islamists are a more important threat to the Western order.

[edit]Does the man in black cap look like Barack Obama, perhaps taking an opportunity to photobomb old Mr. Kim?

Shrad

Wed Jun 29 2016, 08:23AM

Registered Member #3215 Joined: Sun Sept 19 2010, 08:42PM
Location:
Posts: 780

the greek situation might as well be linked to russia as most of the power and wealth is owned by either boat companies or the orthodox church, neither of them paying taxes, the first shipping russian oil and gas, the second, well, doing what religions do usually...

WaveRider

Wed Jun 29 2016, 10:58AM

Registered Member #29 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 09:00AM
Location: Hasselt, Belgium
Posts: 500

Hmm.. I should have known that someone else would think of it first!

Mr. "Damp Rag" himself:

BoJo shows his true colors:

Was this any surprise!:

The Donald has also been cozying up to Vlad! Authoritarians everywhere rejoice!

Putin

Patrick

Wed Jun 29 2016, 07:35PM

Registered Member #2431 Joined: Tue Oct 13 2009, 09:47PM
Location: Chico, CA. USA
Posts: 5639

Thats a funny pic !

Art and music can be more scary to police states than bullets.

This has been a more useful thread than i thought.

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