My understanding is that the EU is (was ) a response to the US Dollar.  They saw the relationship of the 'States' and the 'Federal' govt when it came to economics and how there was "one currency" thruout the 'nation'.

They thought they could accomplish a similar feat by having a common currency.

I remember reading articles that it could not work long term due to differences in overall govt and different militaries.

Quoted: My understanding is that the EU is (was ) a response to the US Dollar.  They saw the relationship of the 'States' and the 'Federal' govt when it came to economics and how there was "one currency" thruout the 'nation'.

No, the EU started as a peace project in 1957, the Euro came in 1999. Why the different nations joined the EU differs - France looks upon EU as a political project - the European nations combined have more political influence than alone, The former East Block countries joined for economical reasons.

Another huge problem WRT the EU is the contradictory banking practices of its two largest nations.

France wants to maintain employment at whatever cost.  If this means a loose monetary policy and inflation, c'est la vie.

Germany, on the other hand, is deathly afraid of inflation after its experiences with it during the Weimar Republic.  So, the Germans run the show with an eye primarily to controlling inflation.

The British, being  British end up being the adult supervision for this whole mess.

The above combined with the anger that many nations still feel regarding the valuation of their currency (ask a Bavarian if he thought a DM was worth two Euro) and it seems that a lot of people are losing faith in the whole befuddled experiment.

If the cucumbers are not bent at the right angle, the wimenz cannot use them to hit the g-spot.

That alone should manage to kill the EU.

Quoted: This book (and, maybe, movie) should be updated somewhat: www.duallens.com/images/21203.jpg Has anybody here (besides me) ever read the novel?

That was our high school play!

Quoted: Quoted: To the credit of the British, they proposed something along these lines in the 60's and LBJ nixed it. Did anything good come from that that particular buffoons presidency? They did better than that, Britain actually did tentatively ask about becoming part of the USA in the 60's, strange but true! ANdy

You two have any more information on that one?  I've never heard of it before.  Sounds interesting.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: To the credit of the British, they proposed something along these lines in the 60's and LBJ nixed it. Did anything good come from that that particular buffoons presidency? They did better than that, Britain actually did tentatively ask about becoming part of the USA in the 60's, strange but true! ANdy You two have any more information on that one?  I've never heard of it before.  Sounds interesting.

+1  

I would welcome the next 51-5X states, not just as an ironic twist, but it would be good for them and us.  Plus it would realy give the middle finger to the EU.  Who knows, maybe others will follow.  Nothing would say FU to the EU like Britain going to the US Dollar!

Well, some of us are trying to go that way, though it the model is more networked, rather than formed en toto.  They can keep the pound...that's what currency calculators are for.  

See http://anglosphereinstitute.org

There are some tremedous ideas there, and hopefully they will get traction in the coming years.  It does give a more hopeful vision of the future than Buchanan's Fortress America.

Quoted: Quoted: "snus" ...and I thought that it was spelled "snoose." Wanders off scratching his head & mumbling... I have heard it used and always thought it was just a bastardization of Snuff. The people I know that say it are not of Scandinavian extract.

Same here.

I grew up in a very rural,backwoods area in the early 80's.Every kid up there,and I mean absolutly every kid from junior high on up,dipped Coppenhagen.

Always referred to it as "snus" ,although I assumed snoose.

That's a trip,guess you learn something new every day...

In light of the fact that the EU blows?  What needs to be done to save the endangered Europeans?

Quoted: Quoted: The UK needs to leave the EU and join Nafta. I mean our three countries (US, UK, Canada) have more in common than the UK and France. I hope this is a nail in the coffin of the EU. And Denmark needs to revive the Kalmar Union with Sweden and Norway as an econmic and military bloc.  That would be sweet. Finland and Iceland (anc the Baltic States) can join too, if they bring beer.

JeEbuS GOD! It'd be a world-class Wooden Shoe Party!

Quoted: Quoted: My understanding is that the EU is (was ) a response to the US Dollar.  They saw the relationship of the 'States' and the 'Federal' govt when it came to economics and how there was "one currency" thruout the 'nation'. No, the EU started as a peace project in 1957, the Euro came in 1999. Why the different nations joined the EU differs - France looks upon EU as a political project - the European nations combined have more political influence than alone, The former East Block countries joined for economical reasons.

This makes sense-although it seems that any European country's primary attraction to the EU would stem from being a part of the de facto trade union that is the EU... countries can make an end run around GATT and other WTO rules by both restricting imports and engaging in practices that give the most purchasing power to the Euro.