A perfect storm is brewing and it could take Britain out of the European Union.
Yes? And?
Right now it’s hard to see what, or who, will thwart that scenario.
With luck and a fair wind, no one.
Now, I’m alarmed.
Why? Is someone about to die? No? Well, nothing to be alarmed about, then, is there? I mean, the UK leaving a political union run by unelected and unaccountable oligarchs isn’t something to get alarmed about, it is something to celebrate.
To seriously contemplate Brexit is almost a taboo
Nah… I’ve been contemplating it for the past forty years. Hopefully, it will become a reality. If not, I’ll be unhappy about it, but will survive. I’ll just wait for the whole edifice to collapse under its own weight.
Officials in other European states refrain from making open statements: partly for fear of negatively influencing the referendum, but mostly because they are in denial. A friend at the EU commission recently told me that its staff are banned from organising any meetings to discuss the possible effects of Brexit, in case it leaks and EU institutions appear defeatist. This amounts to sticking heads in the sand.
Er, no, this is a UK referendum. Therefore they don’t get a say in the matter, so I don’t expect them to try to influence the outcome – my reaction to it would be similar to the outsiders who have poked their oar in. Fuck off and mind your own business.
Barack Obama is expected to visit the UK in a few weeks to make the case for remain. That is good news, but it’s hard to ignore that he is a lame duck president who recently criticised Europeans for being “free riders” in the global order – which didn’t go down too well among those who worry about the strength of America’s commitment to Europe’s security. Meanwhile, Obama’s entry into the referendum debate has already been slammed by Brexiters as US meddling in national affairs.
Yes, indeed it is. And we react to such overweening arrogance in exactly the manner that US voters did when the Guardian tried to influence a US presidential vote.
But does anyone care?
I do. Very much. Which is why I want Brexit.
They’ve become a parody of themselves.
Should the referendum result be a resounding, “Out!” the entire edifice of the EU will start to crumble. This will discomfort those who have leeched on the European tax-payer for so long, but will be a breath of fresh air to the average European, and Europe will shrug its shoulders and get on with life.
Should the referendum be, “Remain,” the edifice will struggle along, but will eventually implode. Those who are presently being enriched by its largesse will have their own escape plans and will put them in action, so most will skip off with their riches. The average European will be wallowing in a morass for a generation or two, and there will likely be an awful lot of suffering; Europe will never be the same.
Given those two options, have a guess which way I will be voting…
I think we should send Cameron to the States to tell their voters who to elect as President.
It would be interesting to see their hypocritical reaction and it would get the bastard out of the UK for a while…
I hope for an out vote. If it goes the stupid way instead In hope that some serious civil disobedience gets going to hasten the EUSSR’s demise.
“And we react to such overweening arrogance in exactly the manner that US voters did when the Guardian tried to influence a US presidential vote.”
Still possibly my favourite political moment of the modern age… 🙂
Dear Mr Longrider
I ask virtually everyone I meet how they will be voting. Many choose freedom, a few are remainians and most seem not to have thought about it much. I suggest to them that the default is leave and they need convincing arguments to remain (there are none), which they seem to agree with.
The EU is 28 disparate countries shackled together: a 29 legged race going nowhere.
DP