EU Benefits
On a previous post, an anonymous commenter asked pro-EU commenter Gary Elsby to name the benefits we get from EU membership. I am publishing his reply, along with my thoughts on the points. His answers are in Bold. EU Benefits
- Stable economy: Notice that EU members range from sick man of Europe, Italy to overheated Tiger, Ireland. Stable is in the eye of the beholder.
- Stable currency: Stable versus what? When the Euro was launched, it was seen as under valued whereas now it is seen as over valued. The one thing we do know about its value, is that it is "wrong" for just about everyone. One size does not fit all.
- Charter of rights: No doubt he means the Socialist Shopping List of rights that the government will provide to people at someone elses expense.
- Freedom: Because we were all slaves prior to EU entry no doubt.
- Equality: Equality under the law? No I didn't think so.
- Citizens rights: Again, did we used to have no rights?
- Justice: You mean justice for nonces and murderers?
- Single Market: Not this does not mean free trade which is what we really need. The single market is actually a set of rules about what you are and are not allowed to sell.
- Freedom to travel: For those of you too young to remember, there was a barbed wire fence around the country and machine gun toting gestapo until we joined the EEC.
- Identity: None of us knew who we were prior to entry.
- Social Charter: Socialist stupidity that we could have brought into law ourselves had we really wanted to.
- Peace: Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
- Power: EU = Power, you have been smoking something.
- Force: May the force be with you.
- CAP: Immoral, inefficient and incredibly expensive
- Euro: A stupid political project with no real benefits to ordinary people.
- Expansion: If you don't want the menu, why would you get happy about the supersized one?
- Democracy: Again, the young may not remember but Britain was a facist tyranny in the 1960s
- Invitation: Invitation to what, waste our money?
- Change: Our so new labour, change is good change is your friend. Change for the sake of it is stupidity.
- Security: No thanks, we've already got Nato. Forgive me my cynicism but with the exception of our old nemesis France, I don't see anyone substantial with the stomach to fight.
13 comments:
Of course, given the right amount of space, between us we could give a doubly long list of sensible disadvantages.
That would be fun one day.
I was the anonymous poster that asked for a list of benefits that Britain gained from membership of the EU. You have demolished Gary's one word answers far better than I would have been able. I have been cynical about the EU for some years, but have tried to find positive things about it but to no avail. Even those who are EU boosters have not been able to convince me of any gains for the UK. What still puzzles me, is that when there are no obvious benefits for us that all British politicians remain in thrall to the EU, do they put something in the wine at the many 'conferences, that they all attend?
Marcusa
It's a Brussels trick - something about the place convinces leaders that they are "better in than out".
Of course, no-one can leave the EU without everyone else's agreement, so politicians just think that its more hassle than it's worth.
Thank you for dedicating your blog to me. I'm most honoured and not deserving of such an acolade.
Your responses are very flawed though and are possibly representative of the Tory Party as a whole.
£40 per year? Please explain.
The rest is what I expect from those working against the good people of this land. You want out and you won't say why. All I ask is that you explain slowly why you want me to bow down to UKIP and the Tory traitors.
Why do you want me to have less rights tommorrow, than I enjoy today?
We know the Euro works. As you say, Italy is in trouble, so what are they going to do about it? They have removed their Government and still sticking to the rule book. Their usual trick is to devalue and waste British jobs in the process. So what's it all about?
gary
Dear me, Gary must surely be a troll with such luscious bait as this! arguing that the fact that Italy has changed its government is somehow a good derived from the EU?
I would have thought that a year when Italy did /not/ change its government would be the unusual state of affairs...
"...no-one can leave the EU without anyone else's agreement..." Sez who? The Treaty of Rome is a treaty like any other, save that Parliament has delegated powers to make legislation to the Council of Ministers. The treaty can be repealed by Parliament at any time. The loss of sovereignty is leasehold, not freehold.
"The treaty can be repealed by Parliament at any time."
The treaty can be abrogated by the Government at any time (royal prerogative, you know). The European Communities Act--that which implements European law domestically as UK law within the UK--is what Parliament can repeal. Semantic differences, I know, but splitting hairs is what this has boiled down to already.
And yet the much maligned EU constitution clearly states that any member can leave whenever they so wish.
Ho hum.
Gary
And yet the much maligned EU constitution clearly states that any member can leave whenever they so wish.
It also gives the EU an independent legal status and incorporates the charter of fundamental socialist wishes.
Our right to leav as and when we liked always existed anyway.
And what a joy it is to be a part of a Union that has my best interests at heart and reigns supreme against all that is bad in the world.UKIP/BNP/Conservatives.
Joy.
Gary
The European Union gives too much power to the common people.This must be suppressed and opposed at all cost.Collective accountability is not conducive to conservative aims of subject domination.
Must resist at point of self destruction. Must oppress at earliest possible opportunity. Must defeat at once.
I have spoken.
Doom
But Gary,
As you are a socialist, your wishes are based on interfering in other peoples lives, and generally punishing because you are jealous of them.
Why thank you, anticitizenzone.
Thank you for calling me a socialist. I haven't been called that for years.Most people call me a Blairite (freedom, opportunity,education,health, that sort of thing)so it comes as a relief to hear it. Gordon will be so pleased.
I'm not jealous of those in the rich bracket, I've just been puzzled all of these years why you don't want me or my children to attain what you have, or at least to try to.
What possible reason could the ruling classes have in suppressing me? only wish I knew.
Gary
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