Should Britain leave the European Union?

1. 68

   Mazzy Boleroposted 11 years ago

   Should Britain leave the European Union?
   
   President Obama wants Britain to stay in the EU.  Ever larger numbers of the British want out.  Are there better reasons for staying in than for leaving?

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2. 59

   MickSposted 11 years ago

   Yes, it was a mistake from day one.  I would imagine that if the president of the USA wants the UK to remain in the EU, there must be something in it for the USA, we're not here to make our political decisions to suit the USA.

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   1. 68

      Mazzy Boleroposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      If we leave the EU, we probably will be glad of our closeness to the USA. We do a lot of trade with the US.  However, there is that concern that we might be dominated. Now the EU prevents that fully happening but dominates us itself.

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3. 0

   Dan Bristolposted 11 years ago

   As an American, I want to reassure my friends in the UK: Obama is an embarrassment to those of us whose brains fire on all cylinders. If we had our way Benghazi would have been enough to impeach him. My own position is this: You are our friends, you're MY friends. I don't see how it does ANY good for our so-called "leaders" to interfere in your affairs. I'm sure there's something in it for Obama. He does nothing unless there's an angle in it for him. All I can do is tell you that I am dreadfully sorry for him and his behavior, and I still dearly love Britain.

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   1. 68

      Mazzy Boleroposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for your kind comments about Britain. We don't get too many of those these days:)  I don't know as much as you about President Obama, but I suspect he's just looking out for American commercial interests. Our Gov't wants us to stay in, too.

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4. 81

   Wesman Todd Shawposted 11 years ago

   If Obama wants a thing - that is all the clue you need the thing is NOT towards someone's benefit.

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   1. 68

      Mazzy Boleroposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      It may be to the US's benefit as Britain fights their corporate corner in Europe.  Great to fight your friend's corner but not at the cost of your own corner.

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5. 61

   point2makeposted 11 years ago

   Britain has never fully embraced the European Union. While France and Germany play the leading roles Britain keeps to herself in the background, much of the time, and seems to be comfortable there.  Her connection to the EU is important, both economically and politically, but her connection to the US is equally strong and I suspect the Americans like having a "seat" at the EU table. Watch for Britain to push for a more prominent role in the EU in the near future.

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   1. 68

      Mazzy Boleroposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I'm not so sure we're comfortable there any more, if we ever were!  However, it's true that British Euro MPs argue for US interests, even when it's against British public interest, such as arguing for GM foods not to be labeled.

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6. 96

   chef-de-jourposted 11 years ago

   If political plans remain on course we'll have a referendum in two or three years time to decide this question, and it'll be a yes/no decision on the ballot paper.
   
   For me there are two crucial issues in connection with this decision:
   
   1. EU rights with regards to immigration, freedom of movement and employment.
   
   2. The Nature of the France and Germany relationship.
   
   At the moment there are huge problems with the rights and freedom of european citizens to move and live and work where they please. There are no borders now remember.
   For example, if I'm a Brit and I want to up and buy a farm for 30,000euros in Bulgaria (which some are doing!!) I can. No problem. If 100,000 Brits decided to do it all at the same time...potential big problem.
   Same for a Bulgarian. If one wanted to move to Britain that's no problem. If 100,000 want to move in a short space of time...big problem. This is what's been happening!! EU rules allow it.
   The EU has become one enormous social experiment. At present there are massive imbalances between the north and south.
   
   Britain will never join the euro that is a fact. The Euro is in a mess and people are starting to panic. The bubble has burst and what was inside was a little bit rotten.Corruption and inefficient bureaucracy have raised their ugly heads and Germany the economic powerhouse is being far too pushy.
   Such bizarre things we see on t.v. A near bankrupt Greece and Cyprus being told to cut cut cut and tax tax tax by Frau Merckel and her stooges in Berlin and Brussels (little Cyprus has been told to tax even private bank deposits!!), The streets in Greece and Cyprus are full of Mercedes and VW's and BMW's.....the banks full of Russian billionaires' cash taing advantage of the tax breaks..... mmm makes you think?
   
   Just how free is a free market?
   
   Britain will keep its distance. Always has. At the moment we're in the euro tent ****ing out and not outside ****ing in......as that wise US President Johnson's man said one time!!
   
   If the Euro isn't fixed in 3 years and the immigration rules strengthened, I'd probably vote for a British exit of the EU. The only common ground we share with our continental cousins is a wish never to have Europe ripped apart by war again.

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   1. 68

      Mazzy Boleroposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      These are all valid points.  Re the Euro tent, I suspect it's ---- ing down on us either way.  Stealing people's savings will destroy trust in banks, and to save relatively little - in 2011 Brussells "mislaid" 187 BILLION euros.

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7. 63

   CrescentSkiesposted 11 years ago

   Wait didn't the British keep the Pound currency instead of the Euro? If that's the case they had one foot out the door to start with and were the smart ones. Frankly any country that remains in the union are idiots, it seems like all the weaker countries lied about their debt so they could keep borrowing money.

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   1. 68

      Mazzy Boleroposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      The British people never wanted to join the EU in the first place, but the Governments always did.  The Government wanted to join the Euro, but  there was too much public opposition.  Norway stayed out of the EU - maybe they were the smart ones.

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8. 60

   Silverspeederposted 11 years ago

   Yes
   
   The old chestnut about prevention of war in Europe is rubbish, the reason there has been no war in Europe is because a war would serve no purpose to the ruling classes as even they couldn't survive a nuclear war.
   
   The EU is an extension of the European dictatorships of the past.
   
   Out out out.

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   1. 68

      Mazzy Boleroposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with you, and what has happened in Cyprus recently demonstrates it all too well.

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9. 49

   colfax31posted 11 years ago

   As a proud Englishman yes, Great Britain should quit the EU. We do not have common goals with our European neighbours. They seek ever greater ties and union whilst we do not, we signed up to a trading union not a political one. The only people in Britain who seem to want to remain part of the EU are the politicians probably so they can continue to blame all our problems on laws and issue's within the EU. Time to quit the EU and go our own way. I personally think this would help the EU who can then concentrate there efforts on rebuilding the Eurozone rather than wondering what we in Britain will object to next.
   With respect to President Obama it is none of his business and he should concentrate on America's problems rather than telling us what we should be doing. I feel we have more in common with America than Europe and i would rather have closer ties to our American cousin's but President Obama seems to have a problem with Britain and always seem to have an opinion on what we should be doing.

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   1. 68

      Mazzy Boleroposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You are right - the only referendum the public had was on a free-trade union, and even that had already been committed to without public approval.  Norway stayed out of the EU but is in the EEA - European Economic Area. Norway is doing well.

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