France rejects EU - which basically kills unification in Eurpoe. Those crazy French.

 

France Rejects EU

I'm quite surprised – seeing as a major portion of the constitution was drafted by the French. Not good.

The world would be much better served by simply eradicating France from the face of the earth.

My only disapointment with regard to France's no vote is that it means that Blair will shelve his plans for a referendum here; so allowing him and his henchmen to continue with the mistaken belief that the rest of us in Britain would embrace even closer ties with the narrow minded bureaucrats in Brussels.

 

Long live the Pound(£), the foot, the mile and the whole damn imperial weights and measures!

My only disapointment with regard to France's no vote is that it means that Blair will shelve his plans for a referendum here; so allowing him and his henchmen to continue with the mistaken belief that the rest of us in Britain would embrace even closer ties with the narrow minded bureaucrats in Brussels.

 

Long live the Pound(£), the foot, the mile and the whole damn imperial weights and measures!

and long live real ale and Long Live CAMRA!!!!!

He forgot Man U.

 

You're goin to bloddy hell wanker.

The world would be much better served by simply eradicating France from the face of the earth.

 

lol yep, I along with many others agree with this statement.

I'm not surprised at all. The citizens of France haven't bought into the global economy like we have. They voted no to an expansion of powers that would have given greater wealth & power to multi-national corps. Including greater ability to import cheaper labor.

 

It didn't help the EU that Lucas' Revenge of the Sith paints a frightening picture of what could happen when sovereign nations give up their power to a chancellor/president. Without a balance of power & a constitution to insure that balance a chancellor is one step away from an emperor.

I'm not surprised at all.  The citizens of France haven't bought into the global economy like we have.  They voted no to an expansion of powers that would have given greater wealth & power to multi-national corps.  Including greater ability to import cheaper labor. 

 

It didn't help the EU that Lucas' Revenge of the Sith paints a frightening picture of what could happen when sovereign nations give up their power to a chancellor/president.  Without a balance of power & a constitution to insure that balance a chancellor is one step away from an emperor.

I bet those French voted based upon "revenge of the sith".

 

The EU Constitutional Committee was headed by Giscard D'Estaing, former President (a Gaullist). The Constitution really doesn't address a whole heck of a lot. I remember hearing them talk about how it was such a success because they didn't answer any of the "difficult questions" in it.

I'm not surprised at all. They have been projecting this for a while now. I was just surprised that they lost by 10 percentage points.

I'm not surprised at all.  They have been projecting this for a while now.  I was just surprised that they lost by 10 percentage points.

 

I'm surprised it was that close. The EU is due for a big backlash this week in the first dozen states.

I'm surprised it was that close. The EU is due for a big backlash this week in the first dozen states.

It sounds like the Dutch are also going to vote against it....

By a larger margin no less, the No vote is expected to hang out at the 60% mark there.

I'm surprised it was that close. The EU is due for a big backlash this week in the first dozen states.

 

This is one of the main fears we have here in Europe.......the United "States" of Europe, ugh!

We are individual countries; with our own idiosyncrasies, not individual states in a federal Europe. Long may it remain so.

Edited May 31, 200520 yr by DePloderer

I'm not surprised at all.  They have been projecting this for a while now.  I was just surprised that they lost by 10 percentage points.

 

 

The EURO has been taking a real shellacking in the currency markets the last few weeks and this only throws gas on that fire.

 

Its about time the dollar started rallying.

Sad to say, its most likely a short term gain for the Dollar. Which sucks because it keeps me from a European vacation for quite a while.

Sad to say, its most likely a short term gain for the Dollar. Which sucks because it keeps me from a European vacation for quite a while.

 

I was just about to say the samething. As a result of all of the protectionism that the WTO has allowed for other countries in key industries, and ruled against the US, the weak dollar has been our only means of evening the playing field. I wouldn't look for too big of a rally, as I really don't think the Bush team wants a strong dollar right now.

but you'll never hear them say that....

 

Actually, they're happy with the dollar in this range - from what little I understand about currency exchanges. If it were too fall too much, it could cause some serious damage to the economy. Both here and world wide.

 

A lot of economists say we're near the tipping point where the Euro becomes the currency of choice for reserves across the globe - mostly because of our massive debt issues.

but you'll never hear them say that....

 

Actually, they're happy with the dollar in this range - from what little I understand about currency exchanges. If it were too fall too much, it could cause some serious damage to the economy. Both here and world wide.

 

A lot of economists say we're near the tipping point where the Euro becomes the currency of choice for reserves across the globe - mostly because of our massive debt issues.

 

I could have bought that if the EU would have pushed the consititution through. With the history of Europe, it isn't hard to see them desending into factional fighting between the haves and have nots, which would be way worse than the US debt issues. Economically it could be the right choice, but politically, I am going to say not.

I could have bought that if the EU would have pushed the consititution through.  With the history of Europe, it isn't hard to see them desending into factional fighting between the haves and have nots, which would be way worse than the US debt issues.  Economically it could be the right choice, but politically, I am going to say not.

 

But the dirty little secret of the EU Constitution is that it did literally nothing. It just furthered a political integration that wasn't nearly to the level of the economic integration Europe has acheived in the last thirty years.

 

I think that we're seeing a unique model of economic interdependence with political independence, and if I was still into studying that stuff, I might actually find it pretty exciting.

But the dirty little secret of the EU Constitution is that it did literally nothing. It just furthered a political integration that wasn't nearly to the level of the economic integration Europe has acheived in the last thirty years.

 

I think that we're seeing a unique model of economic interdependence with political independence, and if I was still into studying that stuff, I might actually find it pretty exciting.

 

What it would have achieved, and the political landmines surrounding it are two different things. And it is those same politics that will keep countries from dropping the dollar as the currency of choice.

 

The second line I totally agree with. It is a unique period of history we are seeing.

What it would have achieved, and the political landmines surrounding it are two different things.  And it is those same politics that will keep countries from dropping the dollar as the currency of choice.

 

The second line I totally agree with.  It is a unique period of history we are seeing.

 

I disagree, the Euro has a pretty strict set of guidelines and its own Central Bank. In time, the political independence of these states (especially as the newer members become more stable) will be seen as an asset and one state's actions will be less able to shake the currency as a reserve force.

I disagree, the Euro has a pretty strict set of guidelines and its own Central Bank. In time, the political independence of these states (especially as the newer members become more stable) will be seen as an asset and one state's actions will be less able to shake the currency as a reserve force.

 

Those aren't the politics I am referring to. I am looking at it in a much broader sense.

And actually this is something else I hadn't heard before. An Italian government official wants to drop the Euro Currency and go back to the Lira.

 

http://reuters.myway.com/article/20050603/...LY-EURO-DC.html