tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626863533608813994.post3583448068301349619..comments2020-01-03T17:49:06.804-08:00Comments on AmericanTechnocrat: Menloferryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05067318911671319926noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626863533608813994.post-74931675340489392822016-04-30T10:43:18.532-07:002016-04-30T10:43:18.532-07:00No, entry into the US has been highly beneficial f...No, entry into the US has been highly beneficial for Texas. But Texas was entering a country with two major differences from the EU: first, the US already had a firmly unified government, due to our Constitution; and second, all the state governments shared the same political/economic philosophy, which laid the groundwork for the enormous economic growth of the 19th century. <br /><br />The EU has neither: it has disunity, with 28 governments, each with its own interest and priorities, and it has vastly differing philosophies, from the laissez-faire philosophy of the UK to the dirigiste philosophy of France to the clientelism of Greece and Italy. And instead of showing a will to move towards a common philosophy (which might arguably enable economic growth), the 28 nations talk as if more "unity" ie transfers of sovereignty to Brussels, and free trade--the hackneyed idea of a common market--will solve problems, when the economic record shows it has not. I support a certain amount of free trade, but as the hedge fund managers quoted in today's Daily Express say (link below, and the guy on CNBC is absolutely right), that can be achieved by a proactive government outside the EU. <br /><br />The real tragedy is that the Leave campaign has so few ideas and proposals about what they would do once outside the EU. I have looked and can find nobody talking about what they will do with the 8 billion pounds a year Britain will save by leaving. Why not start a venture fund to fund growth industries in Britain? Why not talk about how much agricultural prices will fall outside the EU, and food will become cheaper, and policies to keep food prices down? <br /><br />Recalling the literature of the 1920s, Lloyd George, John Maynard Keynes, and others had more good ideas in a few days' newspaper clippings than any of the parties have now in a year. Perhaps reforming the two-party system is even more important than leaving or remaining in the world's leading organization of economic dunces. For you. For poor Greece, leaving is the number one priority. Every year they stay, their productivity falls further behind Germany, deflation continues and unemployment rises. It is Chinese water torture and I cannot understand why they don't see it, and why Tsipras doesn't see it. The public is just ignorant, but Tsipras has no excuse. <br /><br />Apologies for such a long reply. Best, Jeff<br /><br />http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/665850/Brexit-boost-CEOs-back-campaign-leave-EU-referendum<br />Menloferryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05067318911671319926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3626863533608813994.post-35657705289860694472016-04-28T16:29:02.102-07:002016-04-28T16:29:02.102-07:00The invitation you hypothesize for Canada was made...The invitation you hypothesize for Canada was made to Texas in 1845. It was accepted enthusiastically, even though, as you point out, an arguably greater sacrifice of sovereignty was involved than that required of EU members. The culture of Texas seems to me to have survived annexation pretty well, but doubtless membership of the Union distracts Texans from focusing on Texan problems. Texans suffer at the hands of Washington lobbyists at least as pernicious as those of Brussels, and experience other disadvantages of US statehood comparable to those experienced by their EU counterparts. So would you like to see a Texit as well as Brexit? Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14253564600234144480noreply@blogger.com