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Oh, I certainly don't support the populist parties Tom Send a noteboard - 11/05/2015 01:43:23 AM

I also don't consider them properly "far right" because in the cheap euphemisms of journalism that just means "they remind us of Nazis", which of course isn't fair to the right because the Nazis were just a race/nation-based form of the socializing Left that had a few conservative characteristics because it chose to base its mythology on the unique characteristics of the country (i.e., its traditions).

Having said that, the problem is that when you have even a moderately socialist state (or "social democracy" if you prefer the term), the more foreigners you get coming in to "leech off" the ridiculous level of largesse given out by the state, the higher the level of resentment will build. Throw in the absurdly high level of youth unemployment that almost every EU member-state is seeing and you have a recipe for disaster that the technocrats can't appreciate, understand or properly measure. Populists may or may not survive in power, but they will disrupt the unaccountable way in which the EU is being run, which may ultimately be a good thing.

As for Greece, Italy, Spain and the rest, if you honestly think they're going to have any success with deep structural reforms you clearly have far less concerns about a populist revolution than even I do. No, the hypocrisy of offering generous benefits on early retirement that don't end up being so generous due to relentless currency devaluation is the way they need to continue doing things to avoid offending people. Everyone's used to it and they muddle along with that sort of a system. Either that or a dictator comes in to completely gut the system and build on the ruins of what has come before (and likely a lot of bodies, too).

Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.

ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius

Ummaka qinnassa nīk!

*MySmiley*
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David Cameron whoops ass..... - 08/05/2015 01:33:15 PM 2464 Views
This time you're not talking nonsense. - 08/05/2015 05:36:35 PM 978 Views
The UK election system is as much a mystery as is cricket..... - 08/05/2015 05:44:31 PM 976 Views
It's basically the same system as yours, you do realize? For Congress, anyway. - 08/05/2015 06:32:54 PM 954 Views
The Scots seem quite suicidal - 09/05/2015 04:29:31 AM 892 Views
Yes - but so do the Eurosceptic English. - 09/05/2015 09:27:39 AM 927 Views
The euro can only survive in one form - 09/05/2015 05:39:34 PM 1023 Views
Devaluation isn't exactly what you'd call a long-term solution. - 09/05/2015 08:38:54 PM 906 Views
Oh, I certainly don't support the populist parties - 11/05/2015 01:43:23 AM 761 Views
I agree, "far right" is a misleading label in some ways. - 11/05/2015 09:29:56 PM 951 Views
What fool or fools started the EU? - 09/05/2015 01:37:27 PM 809 Views
Because Europe was doing so well before then, right? - 09/05/2015 07:51:30 PM 923 Views
Re Scotland: - 10/05/2015 09:41:43 PM 893 Views
Yeah, it was tense enough from the outside... - 10/05/2015 10:42:53 PM 946 Views
So what is the SNP going to do if Cameron tells them (rightly) to sod off about another referendum? - 11/05/2015 01:45:16 AM 881 Views
Not the SNP so much as the people. - 11/05/2015 02:00:32 PM 1072 Views
So the mob rules now, does it? - 11/05/2015 06:04:04 PM 918 Views
Significant devolution will happen, that's for sure. - 11/05/2015 09:07:00 PM 871 Views
Why? - 12/05/2015 07:10:31 AM 946 Views
I think that's enough Putin speeches for you for today. *NM* - 12/05/2015 06:37:23 PM 543 Views
I guess you haven't watched braveheart? - 13/05/2015 01:49:30 PM 894 Views
You are a sad sorry little man, and I pity you. *NM* - 15/05/2015 12:03:37 AM 607 Views
The US is made up of 50 nations - 12/05/2015 03:19:25 PM 831 Views
Indeed, but with the same two parties everywhere. - 12/05/2015 06:35:27 PM 883 Views
Wisconsin's drinking age - 13/05/2015 01:09:53 PM 966 Views
Texas has similar laws - 13/05/2015 01:44:29 PM 784 Views
I know. It's really sad that that's the most reasonable law anywhere in the US... - 13/05/2015 06:26:09 PM 943 Views
It's the same in Louisiana. - 14/05/2015 08:23:20 AM 890 Views
The states still can set the drinking age, incidentally. The feds can just withhold some funds. - 13/05/2015 02:55:51 AM 852 Views
They have still gutted the 10th amendment - 13/05/2015 01:47:53 PM 845 Views
I agree they've gutted it. I'm not sure how I feel about it. - 14/05/2015 07:37:22 AM 843 Views
Well your elected senators are not that stellar - 14/05/2015 01:38:37 PM 852 Views
What about open primaries like in California? *NM* - 15/05/2015 07:22:08 PM 442 Views
Texas kind of has open primaries - 18/05/2015 08:34:43 PM 961 Views
Three cheers for foodbanks! *NM* - 12/05/2015 02:51:06 AM 494 Views

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