I look at the EU today and I look at how it runs and I find myself wondering about how much the current shenanigans reflect a pyramid scheme.
The system is created to support German business, flow benefits to French and Spanish farmers as well as support creaking practises in the Netherlands, Luxemburg, Italy, Portugal and others.
Spain seems to have some form of Grandfather rights, probably by dint of voting with France no matter what, so they piggy back on French "rights".
But if you look at it:
The CAP is not negotiable and will be vetoed
The CFP is not negotiable and will be vetoed
Yet,
Everything else is totally negotiable.
Let's look at Ireland. 10 years of benefits and 100 years of misery. Every pyramid scheme gives some benefits and every late entrant has to put in to get something out. It takes time to realise that what you put in keeps on being put in but what you get out drops more and more in value.
Unless, of course, you add more entrants into the scheme.
From 15 to 27 and the committee for enlargement is ridiculously upbeat about more and more countries joining. Why? Because every pyramid scheme needs new entrants for the original partners to keep their place at the top without losing out.
However, unlike Amway who can rely on hundreds of millions if not billions of members, there are only 180 countries in the world.
So what happens when the Pyramid scheme crashes to the ground, as they all do in the end? Normally the founders just pick up their winnings and move on to the next scheme. leaving everyone else in the lurch.
To me this is a slow, yet inevitable process for the EU. The EU spends more money than it can afford. The current financial crisis is only one of many which it must sustain in order to continue. But, eventually, it cannot do anything but fail. It is not the USA, the laws and controls are not there, even more so the accountability.
It will probably not fall in my life time, but it must eventually collapse.
So, given that knowledge, why would the UK, a strong, powerful and independent nation which does not benefit much from the scheme, want to stay along for the ride like a white knuckle rider? Personally I'd step off before the train wreck and let them get on with it.
Then, when the leaders leave with their ill gotten gains, I'd negotiation hard and fast to be a core member of the next scheme.......