Is Britain about to leave the EU?

[rah]

I'm selfish, so hoping the vote is stay.
(my 401k account will probably take a beating if they exit)

 

[Kyriakos]

The saddest part of it is that many people blame the EU for huge banking abuses, and want to like so the UK can protect its workers from such, when it's actually the UK which protected teeth and nails banks, and the EU which helped with worker conditions.

That is outside of any reality. Here, for example, more than 95% of the 'aid' (read LOAN, which is why we still are in huge recession) went to BANKS, most of them PRIVATE too.

(edit, ehm, let's see what happens with the vote in a day..)

 

[EnglishEdward]

Modern Germany has a strongly pacifist culture and a rather weak military.

The former stems from the latter.

But times have changed.

And the latter may change.

 

[EnglishEdward]

It was about 37% of the people who voted. Which works out as less than 25% of eligible voters. Of course, not everyone in the country is eligible to vote, so in the end, the truth is that less than 20% of the population of the UK voted for the current ruling party. Democracy my arse.

Well now it is not 37%, 25% or 20% of us who may vote for the EU commissioners.

 

[AdrienIer]

The former stems from the latter.




And the latter may change.

Lol. And the brexiters dare call the in "project fear" ? Irrational fear is what motivates the brexiters

 

[EnglishEdward]

It was about 37% of the people who voted. Which works out as less than 25% of eligible voters. Of course, not everyone in the country is eligible to vote, so in the end, the truth is that less than 20% of the population of the UK voted for the current ruling party. Democracy my arse.

The candidates with the most votes won which is indeed representative democracy.

It is not direct democracy, but that is a separate topic.

And we can vote again in another five years, or perhaps less; if government collapses.

 

[EnglishEdward]

Lol. And the brexiters dare call the in "project fear" ? Irrational fear is what motivates the brexiters

And does the item below spring from my imagination?

http://www.defensenews.com/story/de...crease-military-bundeswehr-cold-war/84245594/

 

[Phrossack]

The former stems from the latter.




And the latter may change.

That's not actually true. In the 1980's, West Germany alone had a far larger and more powerful military than all of Germany today, yet even then the military was very unpopular with much of the population. Germany's military is small and weak today partly because (until recently) the lack of serious perceived threats, and partly because, unlike in the US, military spending is still unpopular.

For comparison, France has a significantly smaller population and GDP but spends significantly more on its military than Germany. France has an aircraft carrier, a nuclear arsenal, an unusually good capacity for overseas deployments, and a habit of militarily intervening whenever French interests are threatened in Africa. Germany has no carriers, no nuclear weapons, and only gets militarily involved in NATO deployments with great reluctance and numerous caveats. This is, in large part, due to culture.

Have you actually tried to learn about German history and society after 1945?

 

[AdrienIer]

"Ministry expects to fill 7000 new military positions". Wow 7k more troops. A 4% increase. I'm terrified.

To get back to their cold war numbers they need a 400% increase

 

[EnglishEdward]

Draws the complete wrong lesson from the Napoleonic Wars, too. Britain joined Europe to win them.

You miss the point, creating a large powerful state dominated by one ethnicity is a recipe for disaster. It provides too powerful a tool for a charismatic leader to be trusted
with. In this respect the Remain campaign's "Stronger-In" is an ominous slogan.

 

[Wastl]

And does the item below spring from my imagination?

http://www.defensenews.com/story/de...crease-military-bundeswehr-cold-war/84245594/

Seriously?
That's supposed to be your argument?

Germany has cut its troops down to a pathetic level over the last few decades. So far down in fact, that other NATO-countries have complained about Germany not having enough. Equipment-levels were down to such a low extend that units had to beg from other units around the country just so they could hold a decent sized training, because some brainiac had decided that the army would do just fine with everyone having just 70% of the necessary equipment (and that does already include equipment in maintenance, which means the actual count is far lower).

Now Germany adds a tiny amount of troops back again, still way below any sane level for a country of such a size and population, and you dare to suggest that this is a sign of Germany rearming again?

What a bunch of nonsense.

You miss the point, creating a large powerful state dominated by one ethnicity is a recipe for disaster. It provides too powerful a tool for a charismatic leader to be trusted
with. In this respect the Remain campaign's "Stronger-In" is an ominous slogan.

Good thing then that the EU doesn't fit the bill for such a state, isn't it?
"Dominated by one ethnicity", seriously, where do you get all that drivel from?

 

[GoodSarmatian]

You miss the point, creating a large powerful state dominated by one ethnicity is a recipe for disaster. It provides too powerful a tool for a charismatic leader to be trusted
with. In this respect the Remain campaign's "Stronger-In" is an ominous slogan.

Since when is the EU dominated by one ethnicity ?

 

[EnglishEdward]

What a bunch of nonsense.

No, it is factual evidence that the Germany has a weak military, is changing.

Do you know what the definition of a moderate German is?

 

[AlmostCivilized]

German history and society after 1945?

Ah, we do discuss this among ourselves. We comprehend very well that the space formerly known as Germany is now occupied by the EU peoples of Beer-and-Sausages.

They also sell us cars, and their shops sponsor our sports teams

 

[EnglishEdward]

Since when is the EU dominated by one ethnicity ?

It is pretty clear to most of us who is really calling the shots over the Euro,
Greek debt, immigration; and it is not David Cameron or President Hollande.

 

[AdrienIer]

Wait I thought the power in the EU was held by an undemocratic EU comission ? Composed of people of all nationality BTW. Or were the brexiters lying all this time ?

 

[AlmostCivilized]

Wait .. were the brexiters lying all this time ?

I am not always serious but on "Brexiters" I am. The bottom line is that most UK voters are not tuned-into EU politics, they don't partake in rallies, and they don't show up at organised debates.

Significant numbers of UK voters immigrated from Commonwealth countries such as Hong Kong (before 1997), India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Kenya, etc. These people have strong connections to regions outside the EU through their family businesses, properties, etc., and most voters in these groups that I have listened to are voting to Leave the bloc. The ones I have listened to are very well educated (MBA, PhD, etc.), extremely well paid, and clearly rooted in the UK. I was shocked when I discovered their reasoning because it is not the same wavelength as the leading Leave campaigners prominent in the media. If the EU bloc has made itself irrelevant to these British voters then it can only blame itself.

More generally, I was out and about today, and the unifying slogan resonating from Brexiters in general seemed to be "take back control".

 

[GinandTonic]

Oh god, on behalf of the Brits I'ld like to apologise to the rest of the EU.

 

[AdrienIer]

BTW there has been a recent major issue where Merkel did not get what she wanted. After the Greek referundum on their debt she wanted to drop Greece and not lend them any more money. But the combined pressure of Hollande, Tusk and Tzipras made her agree to the crappy deal they eventually signed

 

[rah]

John Oliver certainly had an opinion on this.