Is Britain about to leave the EU?

[Chukchi Husky]

This isn't just failing to appreciate the gravity of the Troubles, though, it's a fundamental failure to understand the course of Anglo-Irish relations since at least the 1880s. These guys don't even seem to have any inkling as to how or why Ireland became an independent country, but they fancy that they're in a position to rule on whether it should continue as such? That's some serious Dunning-Kruger stuff.


Based on what I've heard of these guys, I'm going to guess it involves feeding your first-born to the minotaur.

To tell you the truth, they are unsure why the American colonies wanted to revolt against the British empire, even after trying to explain it to them.

One of their ideas for a tax system is to replace all taxes with an increased value added tax, so that you're only taxed on what you buy and not what you earn.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

Are those people evil millionaires or just completely clueless ?

 

[Chukchi Husky]

One of them has a job that's just above the living wage. Two of them are unemployed although one of those two did have a part time job that only lasted for the Christmas season.

 

[Arakhor]

TF, you managed to quote my post whilst actually quoting Chukchi's text.

 

[Takhisis]

All I know is that things in Northern Ireland and Scotland are getting uglier.
The snap elections in NI recently have made Sinn Féin gain enough votes to reject coalition government with the Unionists.
All English parties (including Labour) have sent their English leaders up north to the local party conferences to tell them they're right to tell the Scots to do as England says because that's democracy™. Which, understandably, doesn't sit too well with the kilt-wearers.

To tell you the truth, they are unsure why the American colonies wanted to revolt against the British empire, even after trying to explain it to them.

One of their ideas for a tax system is to replace all taxes with an increased value added tax, so that you're only taxed on what you buy and not what you earn.

Might as well have a poll tax imposed on them.

 

[innonimatu]

Are those people evil millionaires or just completely clueless ?

There is a reason people are clueless. Politics has been dumbed down, in-depth discussion of real issues is not carried out on mainstream media, the larger political parties in the left have abdicated of putting forth agendas that depart from the "centrist (neoliberal) consensus that we live in the best possible world. Those people that do feel let down by "the system" want alternatives. If the left fails to put forth any, the "right" has not. They may be dumb, they may be self-defeating for the pool that embrace them (flat taxes and so on, policies that will further benefit the wealthy) but they are the only alternatives there disillusioned people are given.

I had hoped for more from Corbyn in the UK, I must say. He's smart, and he truly has different ideas (different from the blairite Labour), but he has become afraid of pushing them. The media attacks, the attacks within the party from the red Tories, fear of splitting the party, all have worn him down. He should have gone "to hell with you, leave", and rebuilt the party with a long-term strategy an speaking the truth to the people. He didn't. The blairites with the full support of all the UK's mainstream media seem to have defeated even if they failed to outright oust him.

 

[FriendlyFire]

Good Job PUTIN.
Now the Germans are re-militerizing and likely to trigger a arms race in Europe. Maybe we can stuff the genie back into its bottle
First Russia needs to unannex Crimea, Un-sanction Russia and US to keep more military forces in Germany. Because the last thing we need is a German Military superpower

Caught between Trump and Russia, Germans begin to ratchet up their military might

With the Trump administration pressing allies to shoulder more of their own defense and fears of Russian aggression, Germans, who have largely rejected militarism since the Nazi horror, are debating a military buildup in a manner rarely seen since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...16b4bcc6644_story.html?utm_term=.53a5bc13e4e0

 

[Commodore]

Now the Germans are re-militerizing

Well it's about damn time. Germany is seen as one of the leading powers in Europe, so it's about time they got a military to match that role. France has been doing it for years now.

 

[FriendlyFire]

Well it's about damn time. Germany is seen as one of the leading powers in Europe, so it's about time they got a military to match that role. France has been doing it for years now.

And when the Liberal government in Germany is elected out of power for a Nationalist one ?
Some small re-militerising isnt too bad, provides some economic stimulus but were talking about a new arms races in Europe by Germany. You know the people that keep starting WorldWars !
And its coming at a time when Trump in the white house, GOP control are about to unshackle wall street again.

 

[Commodore]

And when the Liberal government in Germany is elected out of power for a Nationalist one ?

The survivors won't have to worry about overpopulation for a while. There's a silver lining to every cloud.

 

[Kyriakos]

Well it's about damn time. Germany is seen as one of the leading powers in Europe, so it's about time they got a military to match that role. France has been doing it for years now.

I wonder why they haven't been allowed to. Oh, wait

Not that it will matter, unless some tech renders nuclear missiles useless.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

And when the Liberal government in Germany is elected out of power for a Nationalist one ?
Some small re-militerising isnt too bad, provides some economic stimulus but were talking about a new arms races in Europe by Germany. You know the people that keep starting WorldWars !
And its coming at a time when Trump in the white house, GOP control are about to unshackle wall street again.

Oh, sod off with your hysteria. France and the UK are as much to blame for WW1 as Germany, and they -together with Spain- have been the top exporters of human suffering for two centuries. Should they and their former slaving genocidal colonies (especially the big one) not be allowed to have militaries ?

I wonder why they haven't been allowed to. Oh, wait

Not that it will matter, unless some tech renders nuclear missiles useless.

Great. The compulsive Greece basher and the Greek compulsive Germany basher agree on something.

Germany "has been allowed to" have an army since the fifties, the governments just always had other priorities. Now that Russia has become more aggressive and the USA has lost its mind, increased military spending is only reasonable.
There's not going to be an arms race "in Europe". Regardless of what some people seem to wish, the EU is here to stay and there's no risk of direct military confrontation. Russia is already significantly weaker than the combined militaries of the EU, and the USA are already in a perpetual arms race with the rest of the world.

 

[Kyriakos]

Oh come on, don't drag me through the mud, GS :/ I thought we were friends.

 

[Commodore]

Russia is already significantly weaker than the combined militaries of the EU,

I've tried to explain this before, but no one seems to want to listen. They all want to believe that Hollywood/video game myth that Russia is a sleeping superpower just waiting to awaken and destroy the West.

 

[Kyriakos]

I've tried to explain this before, but no one seems to want to listen. They all want to believe that Hollywood/video game myth that Russia is a sleeping superpower just waiting to awaken and destroy the West.

 

[Arakhor]

Oh come on, don't drag me through the mud, GS :/ I thought we were friends.

Friends don't let friends nationality-bash.

 

[Kyriakos]

Friends don't let friends nationality-bash.

;_;

 

[W|M]

Oh, sod off with your hysteria. France and the UK are as much to blame for WW1 as Germany, and they -together with Spain- have been the top exporters of human suffering for two centuries. Should they and their former slaving genocidal colonies (especially the big one) not be allowed to have militaries ?

They should not be allowed to have militaries

Also Germany started WW2

 

[Thorgalaeg]

In Spain military expending is at historical lows now. We have some nice toys like Eurofighters, advanced Leo 2s, AEGIS vessels and even an aircraft carrier (kind of), but the size of the army is ever shrinking. I live in a very militarized zone and the place is all filled with empty military installations falling apart from 20 years ago. Some increase in military budget wouldnt be too bad. I doubt people would support it though.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

They should not be allowed to have militaries

Yeah, well, that's a ban that can only be enforced by somebody with a military. And this somebody would certainly abuse the power discrepancy.
So, yeah...

Also Germany started WW2

Yes. That was 70 years ago and almot all the people from that time have died off. The war and the holocaust should never be forgotten and that legacy should be a factor in foreign policy to a point, but Germany today is a mostly normal country with a strong pacifist streak. Fear of a stronger German military is just paranoia.