It is now some time since the hawks beat Obamacare in the US and then launched a full throttle attack on Europe's social model(s). And society has started its comeback, mostly in Europe and somewhat in the US. The growth of hawkish parties in Germany, the NL and elsewhere has been causing a variety of side effects such as Greece's golden dawn party. Some are in the progressive direction (PODEMOS, SYRIZA, etc).
What will come out of 2015's other elections in the UK, Spain, etc? The upcoming US elections? In any case, fasten your seat belts and hold your passports tight in your hands.
Showing posts with label EU. Show all posts
Showing posts with label EU. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
The tuition issue will probably always haunt Nick Clegg
Paddy Ashdown's 2012 decision to lead on the LibDems' General Election campaign is great but I am afraid that the damage done to the credibility of the LibDems due to the tuition issue will, alas, probably always haunt Nick Clegg.
What did/do the liberals and the Leninists had/have in common?
First realised and posted this analysis, in Greek, in 2004, at the online forum of the Bulls (www.bulls.gr), a then liberal party in Greece.
Their sensitivity against oligopolies and cartels.
For their differences, see my full analysis, as written in 2004 and posted here later:
http://npthinking.blogspot.gr/2012/10/what-do-liberals-and-leninists-have-in.html?spref=fb
Their sensitivity against oligopolies and cartels.
For their differences, see my full analysis, as written in 2004 and posted here later:
http://npthinking.blogspot.gr/2012/10/what-do-liberals-and-leninists-have-in.html?spref=fb
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Agorocracy vs. Democracy
Four years ago (June 2010), I was pointing out how Agorocracy vs. Democracy were fighting it out in EUrope and the world. How the financial system had gone out of bounds compared to other aspects of our lives. Since then, 44 months have passed. The speaker has slimmed down (see video) and so have the budgets of Greece, Spain and other troubled Euro member states.
Cyprus banks got a haircut last year.
But what is the state of the competition between Agorocracy and Democracy today, February 2014?
Cyprus banks got a haircut last year.
But what is the state of the competition between Agorocracy and Democracy today, February 2014?
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Left and Right, but where is the Center?
S&D Group President Hannes Swoboda said:
"Monti as next Italian President could be a good choice. But let first Italians choose between right and left politics.”
My comment:
Left and right politics? Where are the centrist ones, in Europe in general?
Once upon a time I used to think/hope that ELDR/ALDE member parties were close to being centrist. An MEP candidate with The Liberals, an ELDR member new party in Greece, in 1999, I thought I had found the centrist home I had missed since the demise of the EDIK party after the 1977 elections (I was 15 then but my father was a voter of EDIK). I soon found out that although there were centrist people in the party, it was albeit more dominated mostly by libertarians including ones that argued that taxation was theft and admired Thatcher and Ronald Reagan!!! More recently, I have come to realise that the Liberal Democrats in the UK and even more so the Dutch VVD and the German FDP were not really centrist. Although especially in the UK's LibDems there is a definite centrist element that was in my opinion frustrated by the Tories-LibDems coalition.
It is convenient for political party game theory for voters to have to choose between left and right ideologies, agendas and policies. But it is the center that has the natural ability to address real people's needs and problems by choosing the right policies without left vs right dogmas and prejudices. It is no surprise that many voters auto-label themselves as centrist or middle of the road. If credible centrist parties existed, they would break those voters' "left vs right" dilemma.
So the issue remains: Who expresses the centrist POV at EU and at EU member states' level? Or the US.
PS. Of course there is a slight difference between middle of the road and centrism, but in practical terms it's kind of a detail.
"Monti as next Italian President could be a good choice. But let first Italians choose between right and left politics.”
My comment:
Left and right politics? Where are the centrist ones, in Europe in general?
Once upon a time I used to think/hope that ELDR/ALDE member parties were close to being centrist. An MEP candidate with The Liberals, an ELDR member new party in Greece, in 1999, I thought I had found the centrist home I had missed since the demise of the EDIK party after the 1977 elections (I was 15 then but my father was a voter of EDIK). I soon found out that although there were centrist people in the party, it was albeit more dominated mostly by libertarians including ones that argued that taxation was theft and admired Thatcher and Ronald Reagan!!! More recently, I have come to realise that the Liberal Democrats in the UK and even more so the Dutch VVD and the German FDP were not really centrist. Although especially in the UK's LibDems there is a definite centrist element that was in my opinion frustrated by the Tories-LibDems coalition.
It is convenient for political party game theory for voters to have to choose between left and right ideologies, agendas and policies. But it is the center that has the natural ability to address real people's needs and problems by choosing the right policies without left vs right dogmas and prejudices. It is no surprise that many voters auto-label themselves as centrist or middle of the road. If credible centrist parties existed, they would break those voters' "left vs right" dilemma.
So the issue remains: Who expresses the centrist POV at EU and at EU member states' level? Or the US.
PS. Of course there is a slight difference between middle of the road and centrism, but in practical terms it's kind of a detail.
Friday, December 21, 2012
2012 Review: US vs EU models (dreams vs quality of life)
Even in 2012, US and EU systemics point to:
US best to pursue your dreams, EU best for quality of life.
In 2012, quality of life in the EU27 took a further beating and the European Social Model (with its variations) is under threat, with the "excuse" of austerity. As I have pointed out before, various private sector interests are eyeing the "filet" and other parts of the EU27 health "market"/pie, encouraged, inter alia, by the block of the Obamacare public option in the US in the first 2 years of the Obama admin.
The US, in spite of the continuing bureaucratization of US life and economy (to some extent one could label it, Europization), by comparison to EUrope, the US continues to be a better place for one to pursue one's business, tech, entrepreneurial, artistic, sports, etc dreams, and succeed or fail (and wind up even homeless) when doing so (hence the relative absence of safety nets compared to EUrope).
In 2013?
US best to pursue your dreams, EU best for quality of life.
In 2012, quality of life in the EU27 took a further beating and the European Social Model (with its variations) is under threat, with the "excuse" of austerity. As I have pointed out before, various private sector interests are eyeing the "filet" and other parts of the EU27 health "market"/pie, encouraged, inter alia, by the block of the Obamacare public option in the US in the first 2 years of the Obama admin.
The US, in spite of the continuing bureaucratization of US life and economy (to some extent one could label it, Europization), by comparison to EUrope, the US continues to be a better place for one to pursue one's business, tech, entrepreneurial, artistic, sports, etc dreams, and succeed or fail (and wind up even homeless) when doing so (hence the relative absence of safety nets compared to EUrope).
In 2013?
Saturday, December 8, 2012
A serious fundamental flaw of the EU single market
Language inter alia prevents the EU27 from being a single market for advertising. And that is a serious fundamental flaw for a single market and an entity like an EU.
The key to the EU and its single market
The key to the EU single market and the EU in general is making SMEs and people feel at home in "it". Has not happened yet.
And I do not mean just trade of goods or freedom of capital movement.
The Euro was/is an element of a single market and a single "space", not a goal in itself or the tool for bankers and central bankers (and speculators) it became. After all is said and done German/BuBa and their European disciples' philosophy undermined the Euro via the inflation obsessed policy allowed and its impact on the Euro exchange rate and hence its trade balance with the rest of the world. The EU/Euroland is inter alia a victim of China exports more than the US and a more "fortress Europe" Eu or Euroland will not happen (for better or worse) because certain European interests will not allow it.
And I do not mean just trade of goods or freedom of capital movement.
The Euro was/is an element of a single market and a single "space", not a goal in itself or the tool for bankers and central bankers (and speculators) it became. After all is said and done German/BuBa and their European disciples' philosophy undermined the Euro via the inflation obsessed policy allowed and its impact on the Euro exchange rate and hence its trade balance with the rest of the world. The EU/Euroland is inter alia a victim of China exports more than the US and a more "fortress Europe" Eu or Euroland will not happen (for better or worse) because certain European interests will not allow it.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Merkelian logics
Merkel's Euro policies qualify for a saying: It's all German to me (compare with the origin of the original saying).
In other words, "Europe" is not "speaking" German, as Volker Kauder of the CDU hoped/argued/boasted at a CDU conference one year ago.
Note: He meant German (CDU) policies not German per se.
Btw, Merkel today said that she does not rule out another CDU-SPD coalition after next year's elections. With FDP doing the way it is, of course not.
In other words, "Europe" is not "speaking" German, as Volker Kauder of the CDU hoped/argued/boasted at a CDU conference one year ago.
Note: He meant German (CDU) policies not German per se.
Btw, Merkel today said that she does not rule out another CDU-SPD coalition after next year's elections. With FDP doing the way it is, of course not.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
South European systemics
The South Europe life systemics and dynamics need to fit the South, in a way the South was more systemically sound some decades ago than today. Eg Spanish siesta made lost of sense.
Being in Athens is not that different frm being in LON, BRUX etc. Basically alone BUT less cost/day AND much easier to engage with "strangers"
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
For global and EU systemics to work they need more than trade flows. Or less
Here are some systemics and dynamics thoughts (written and tweeted Nov 24, 2012):
What libertarians seem to forget imo is that any group of more than 1 person constitutes a "society" or polis etc. Laws are part of explicit and informal "social contract" between members of a society/group/polis (politics comes from polis). The economy is also a dimension of a social contract when families stopped self producing everything and started trading w/ each other. Intra-polis trade between families created need for prices (even in barter trade) and thus money. But in basic intra-polis/village trade no one was really left "jobless", was mostly specialization benefits.
I am sure economic theories/models (be they of 5000 BCE or 2012 CE) worked much better in 5000 BCE! In a way, extra-polis trade (see eg explorers to "new worlds") disrupted the social/econ contracts/balances of de facto closed societies. Not to mention that lack of competition rules probably had created warlords and other oligarchs inside closed systems/cities/villages.
Why do I say probably? Cos I was not there to see for myself, at 5000 or something BCE. Were you?
Opening up and allowing trade between families in a polis came as part of social and legal contracts/laws/balance. But but inter-polis (ie inter-national) trade/exchanges were not coupled by common laws and a social/econ contract! Were they? No WTO etc.
That is still in 2012 the underpinning element of trade and other inter-state exchanges of all kinds: They fall outside national scopes. Of course so many are in favor of free trade without unification, it sort of allows them to have the cake and eat it too!! Think about it!
Trade between entities not bound together the way a country is bound together is sort of having a cake and eating it too! Sort of "dumping".
That is also part why most economic models/theories have failed. They deal in principle and de facto with closed systems. Look at GATT and the WTO: It regulates basically trade but fails to deal with many other dimensions thus systemically unbalanced. What I am saying is that trade, investment, migration and other flows need to happen within a "system". Is such system compatible with any sub-global/earth sovereignties? In other words is even trade compatible with national sovereignty since separate social contracts?
Can comparative advantage really exist in a league (competition) between 200+ national economies where there is no actual "league"? Does this mean that the world needs to become a federal political entity for "fair" trade to exist? Is it otherwise an "animal farm"? Can national social contracts exist at the same time as free trade exists? Much like libertarians who want to exploit imo the benefits of a society (econ is a social activity) w/o the "costs" of a society ... Or look at how some in the UK want to free-ride Europe and the world w/o any associated social contracts or rules! Pick and choose only!
Thus no wonder that many of the arguments used against the EU are actually prompting localism/separatism in many EU member states!To use absiloute logic, either sovereign states need to become like eg Cuba or North Korea or join together in a federal entity!!
But in any case, imo trade was, back when it started in human history, the first opener for more open systems. But that was thousands of years ago. Not in 2012! The systemics to work need more than trade flows. Or less.
The idea that one can be a sovereign state (city, national, etc) and still engage even in trade with others is imo challenged in this era! It worked in 1200 BCE or 1400 CE or even 1949 (GATT era) etc but not in the systemics and dynamics of 2000s!
Thus it should come as no real surprise that European and US and world systemics and dynamics are out of control in the 2000s and 2012 and that globalization, regionalization (EU, UNASUR, ASEAN), nationalization (UK), localisation/separatist dynamics do co-exist in 2012! Because systemically speaking the system is out of whack! Freedom of trade and investment cannot work systemically for long w/o full system integration.
Note: Available for research and analysis for think tanks, NGOs, civil society orgs, firms, policy makers, media, academia anywhere in world.
What libertarians seem to forget imo is that any group of more than 1 person constitutes a "society" or polis etc. Laws are part of explicit and informal "social contract" between members of a society/group/polis (politics comes from polis). The economy is also a dimension of a social contract when families stopped self producing everything and started trading w/ each other. Intra-polis trade between families created need for prices (even in barter trade) and thus money. But in basic intra-polis/village trade no one was really left "jobless", was mostly specialization benefits.
I am sure economic theories/models (be they of 5000 BCE or 2012 CE) worked much better in 5000 BCE! In a way, extra-polis trade (see eg explorers to "new worlds") disrupted the social/econ contracts/balances of de facto closed societies. Not to mention that lack of competition rules probably had created warlords and other oligarchs inside closed systems/cities/villages.
Why do I say probably? Cos I was not there to see for myself, at 5000 or something BCE. Were you?
Opening up and allowing trade between families in a polis came as part of social and legal contracts/laws/balance. But but inter-polis (ie inter-national) trade/exchanges were not coupled by common laws and a social/econ contract! Were they? No WTO etc.
That is still in 2012 the underpinning element of trade and other inter-state exchanges of all kinds: They fall outside national scopes. Of course so many are in favor of free trade without unification, it sort of allows them to have the cake and eat it too!! Think about it!
Trade between entities not bound together the way a country is bound together is sort of having a cake and eating it too! Sort of "dumping".
That is also part why most economic models/theories have failed. They deal in principle and de facto with closed systems. Look at GATT and the WTO: It regulates basically trade but fails to deal with many other dimensions thus systemically unbalanced. What I am saying is that trade, investment, migration and other flows need to happen within a "system". Is such system compatible with any sub-global/earth sovereignties? In other words is even trade compatible with national sovereignty since separate social contracts?
Can comparative advantage really exist in a league (competition) between 200+ national economies where there is no actual "league"? Does this mean that the world needs to become a federal political entity for "fair" trade to exist? Is it otherwise an "animal farm"? Can national social contracts exist at the same time as free trade exists? Much like libertarians who want to exploit imo the benefits of a society (econ is a social activity) w/o the "costs" of a society ... Or look at how some in the UK want to free-ride Europe and the world w/o any associated social contracts or rules! Pick and choose only!
But in any case, imo trade was, back when it started in human history, the first opener for more open systems. But that was thousands of years ago. Not in 2012! The systemics to work need more than trade flows. Or less.
The idea that one can be a sovereign state (city, national, etc) and still engage even in trade with others is imo challenged in this era! It worked in 1200 BCE or 1400 CE or even 1949 (GATT era) etc but not in the systemics and dynamics of 2000s!
Thus it should come as no real surprise that European and US and world systemics and dynamics are out of control in the 2000s and 2012 and that globalization, regionalization (EU, UNASUR, ASEAN), nationalization (UK), localisation/separatist dynamics do co-exist in 2012! Because systemically speaking the system is out of whack! Freedom of trade and investment cannot work systemically for long w/o full system integration.
Note: Available for research and analysis for think tanks, NGOs, civil society orgs, firms, policy makers, media, academia anywhere in world.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
"Love Europe, Hate EU"? Really?
"Love Europe, Hate EU",, quite a frequent argument by Eurosceptics, especially British ones, is imho opinion analogous to "Love Women, Hate Marriage".
I Love Logic, Hate BS, btw.
Also syllogismically analogous to "Love Free Markets, Hate Competition Law"
In effect, it sort of means that one likes a quaint loose group of countries, some 60-80+ million in population, some less than 1 million, many between 1 and 5 and 5 and 10, operating together at best as a free trade area ie for goods and capital, but keep "Polish plumbers" (remember May-June 2005 in France and NL) and other citizens job seekers of EU member states out, or at best, let's make sure that the rules and the game is run by Britain and that only high fliers or high skilled are let in. That kind of love!
Never mind that the wild spirits of Schumpeter (Unternehmergeist) do not necessarily have formal skills or degrees (and that is what imo US immigration of last few decades has grossly missed, see eg Think Like an Immigrant book on entrepreneurship).
That kind of love. For divide and rule by big European or world powers. A Europe of nation keepers (to paraphrase the British saying)?
CAP this!
So you want to cut CAP? Do not whine then if food shortage hits the world or Europe in the future and your meal is left to market forces!
Does anyone care to recall the 2008 staple food prices crisis? Or have memories become too short in this day and age?
Does anyone care to recall the 2008 staple food prices crisis? Or have memories become too short in this day and age?
Monday, November 19, 2012
The UK EU debate is over! Europhiles were largely a no show!
The UK EU debate is in its 88th minute and the Eurosceptics are ahead 5 nil. It's over. Has been for long.
Eurosceptics have for many years almost unopposed, dominated the British current/public affairs scene on Europe in the UK.
With or without of referendum, the UK has by now effectively "turned" anti-EU. A surprising Yes to EU vote in a ref would not change that, at least until younger, pro-EU Brits become the norm, if ever. The EU26 have a lot to lose from a UK that remains in the EU, eg preventing the rest to move ahead, eg via an IGC. At the late stage, the EU 26 would, alas/I am afraid, be better off with an non-EU UK than more years of UK whining re "Europe" or "Brussels".
I call them as I see them not as I want them to be, UK!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Systemics and Dynamics Live NP Blog, October 31, 2012
Read bottom up to follow the flow:
Evening:
Euro crisis/Troika:
I thought memorandums were supposed to be brief, not as brief as executive summaries, but brief.
There seem to be 2 divergent views re the effect of Sandy on US economy: a) disruption of the recovery b) growth stimulus effect by money spend on the damages, multiplied by a greater than 1.0 factor. As per electoral effects, some think it may prove beneficial for Obama and Dems if seems presidential in his dealing with Sandy effects is deemed effective. Or could backfire. Will it also restore some faith of people in "government" and make collective esprit (eg health care) more popular. Guess we shall see.
Early morning:
EU/Euro/econ/fin crises:
Many admire the Iceland "model" of dealing with it. But they should recall it has a population of 320,000, a total area of 103,000 km2 out there in the Atlantic and a volcano!
More philosophical:
The problem with parents raising their kids with prince/princess aka noble values is that unless they also give them a Principauté, they are in for a rough ride in the "streets" of life.
Philosophical:
Hard times for "princes" and "princesses" (not the real ones, the other ones). Also hard for vagabonds, though. Unless in warmer climates.
Jobs/Career:
For decades now, searching for a job had become a job. In recent years, it has become a career.
Evening:
Euro crisis/Troika:
I thought memorandums were supposed to be brief, not as brief as executive summaries, but brief.
There seem to be 2 divergent views re the effect of Sandy on US economy: a) disruption of the recovery b) growth stimulus effect by money spend on the damages, multiplied by a greater than 1.0 factor. As per electoral effects, some think it may prove beneficial for Obama and Dems if seems presidential in his dealing with Sandy effects is deemed effective. Or could backfire. Will it also restore some faith of people in "government" and make collective esprit (eg health care) more popular. Guess we shall see.
Early morning:
EU/Euro/econ/fin crises:
Many admire the Iceland "model" of dealing with it. But they should recall it has a population of 320,000, a total area of 103,000 km2 out there in the Atlantic and a volcano!
More philosophical:
The problem with parents raising their kids with prince/princess aka noble values is that unless they also give them a Principauté, they are in for a rough ride in the "streets" of life.
Philosophical:
Hard times for "princes" and "princesses" (not the real ones, the other ones). Also hard for vagabonds, though. Unless in warmer climates.
Jobs/Career:
For decades now, searching for a job had become a job. In recent years, it has become a career.
Systemics and Dynamics Live NP Blog, October 30, 2012
Read from the bottom up to follow the flow:
USA:
Time for allegiance between people > Obama to the Rescue | The Big Dog Barks | No Time for Politics? http://t.co/bZw1okwP Nature is showing who is the real boss, and should make lots of people think about human-to-human allegiance and the role of government in the US. May thus help the Dems + Obama
Greece:
Had the Greek gov't in the 1980s established a real unemployment benefits system, like other EU, maybe Greece would be different today.
Econ:
No kidding! RT @ForexLive: Merkel/Lagarde: Global Economic Recovery Remains Uncertain http://t.co/B3yRytd6 Oct 30, 2012
Info, what info?
What unrest(s) in ATH/GRE? Most if not all events have taken place on/near 1 square. Intern media have made it seem wider.
Roesler/FDP:
Roesler "strikes" again re Greece, but will this campaign save his FDP "Empire" in next GER elections? #EuroWars #EmpireStrikesBack
Greece:
Now all Greece needs is a Tea Party. #stoicgeek
Was it a 2-way call? Mobile or landline? Roaming fees? Smartphone or not?
Merkel:
She is a politician too, But that is why she gave GR such a hard time, to make sure, she thought, no one else would ask 4 for same. So she thought,
Banking Union:
The EU or Euro or Euro+ shouldn't be banking on banking union as a facility towards political union. The road is different, political/civil
Labour Market (EU27):
Call me again when the #EU gets a labour market, instead of 27. By that time, there will be no labour, only robots and stepford workers.
For labour market reforms to have a raison-d-'etre, there has to be a labour market, dear Troika! #EU\
News vs Opinion:
Who cares what someone said about anything? That's not news, that's opinions. Cool but not real news, is it?
Sandy left death and damages, some member wants to leave EU, EU squabbles, GR is complicated, etc etc. The news? Oh c'mon, you know the news (EU, UK, US, etc). Same old, same old.
EU27:
If the 27 cannot agree on EU budget, why not make it a federal one with 26, 20, 17 or 10? Anyway, not the budget but the policies that count
Caprica:
NYSE re-opening tomorrow! Sure, finance does not need humans anymore! #Caprica #Sandy Oct 30, 2012
Troika/Greece:
I don't care what Troika says, the Greek competitiveness-growth-employment model has to be based on free lancers, and exporting micros+SMEs
For whom are the labor market reforms many in GR oppose??? Most of the "private sector" was always free lancers and even more so today!
EU Regional Policy:
EU funds diverted the attention of Objective 1 (PIIGS) from EU policies and effects. PIIGS would have been, I know it's a heretic view, better off w/o them
EU?
Let's face it. EEC/EU has not really been a union, more of a FRA-GER-UK thing with associate members the rest
Maybe EU better off w/o GER, FRA, UK, tho. A more real union.
EU and PIGS as family:
Some would even say a family is not real unless there are internal fights. Look at ancient Greeks! lol Oct 30, 2012
Greeks fight each other all the time they r still a family.The best of families do. But they unite when needed
3//3 Or Germans., Dutch, Finns, Slovaks, Austrians et al can move to the PIGS now and enjoy real life! #MoveToTheMed4RealLife
2/3 Of course they can wait 50-100 yrs, global warming will turn Euro core etc into PIGS and PIGS into Sahara
1/3 The truth is that many other EUROpeans envy the PIGS cos of their sun, sea, sand, zest, instead of rain, cold, esp Humidity.
EUROpeans want(ed) a stable currency but not the extra hard EURO-DM it turned out to be (at 1.4, 1.5 times USD etc) Oct 30, 2012
About the UK:
It's complicated: Everything is simple. So simple that it's complicated.
Not quite. "Other" economies had been spoiled by Eurozone's impors from them. RT @MStarDirect: Eurozone's troubles hurting other economies, chiefly E. Europe & Latin America. Latin America also feeling pinch fr ...
My take on Greece:
My main "take" on Greece is that no one's take, including mine, is accurate. That's Greece. Un-takeable. That's my main take on Greece.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Systemics and Dynamics Live NP Blog, October 29, 2012
Please read from the bottom up to follow the flow:
Schauble says EU needs the UK at Oxford:
Or Schauble simply playing "good cop" on the UK to Merkel's "bad cop" on the UK? The reverse roles compared to Greece, that is! lol
Maybe Schauble's call on the UK to stay in EU = sign EU getting unstuck between German exceptionalism and UK Euroscepticism?
So Schauble is playing "bad cop" on Greece and "good cop" on the UK? lol Oct 29, 2012
In reference to Schauble's EU call to the UK today, read my 2005 analysis: Britain and the heart of Europe http://t.co/P4jge3ty
Re UK in Eu read "The EU and the UK in a prisoner's dilemma!" in my: How many countries committed "economic suicide" http://t.co/5ycd7VxB
Or a desperate call for help on how to deal with a feasibly emerging ESP+ITA plus FRA (?) "alliance" in EU/Euro matters? #SchaubleNeedsUK
An admission EU doesnt speak Cauder's German? RT @ReutersWorld Germany's Schaeuble tells skeptical UK "EU needs you" http://t.co/AuqM74tq
Seems to me GER needs UK to debate FRA ideas RT @ReutersWorld: Germany's Schaeuble tells skeptical UK "EU needs you" http://t.co/AuqM74tq
Italy and EU:
When Italy became a country in the 1870s, the North imposed its laws + policies on the South. The effects linger. Lessons for EU - Eurozone?
Capitalism:
Matthew 19:24 and related passages directly contradict Calvinist predeternination. Imho.
On direct vs rep democracy:
So you think the concept of elected reps of the ppl and civil soc orgs with time and staff to KNOW the draft laws can be replaced? By what?
U think direct democracy, IRL or on the Net, is easy? Was it not for slaves work, u think Ancient Athenians wld have enuff time 4 politics?
Greece:
My main "take" on Greece is that no one's take, including mine, is accurate. That's Greece. Un-takeable. That's my main take on Greece.
Centrism:
When will the main parties in the US, UK, etc converge to the center in ideas + policies and compete in their ability to implement them?
On humanity in 2012:
The main disease that is turning so many of us into real zombies is greed. Oct 29, 2012
Does it take Natural disasters or will it take a comet from outer space threat for ppl to realise we all humans and shld stick together?
Why so difficult?
Why is it so difficult for so many to realise the difference between speculative and entrepreneurial risk? Even Sarkozy did!
People in at least The West know the ratrace is ravaging them. Instead of calling it off they want everyone in to suffer like they do? Why
Why is it so difficult for so many Europeans to realise that austerity and crash of GDP does not foster growth?
Why is it so difficult for so many American voters to realise the need for a public option in health insurance?
Why so difficult for many to realise a balance of individualism + collectivism, instead of 1 of the 2, is best? Not simplistic enuff 4 them?
It's ideologies tht focus on the individual or collective instead of balance of the 2 that unbalance the world
I guess Nature is reminding American voters who's the real boss and why allegiance between humans a good thing! Will they get the msg? And vote for the Dems?
Greece:
What is the worse that can happen Nov 16?
Mantra:
Rationalize, Simplify, Economize. A good mantra for 2012?
Sandy:
Who names storms and hurricanes? After ex-GFs? For revenge?
Merkel:
Merkel has been conducting Ein Experiment on 330 million. She leads the way. But remember Das Experiment movie? Did she ever watch it? Oct 29, 2012
Pop Cult:
Walking Nationless: A new TV series coming soon to a European TV station near you! 500,000,000 wandering aimlessly.
Walking Jobless. A horror drama series coming soon! Oh my, the jobless disease that taken over their minds! #media
Centrism:
I am a geek and my audience is people and decision makers (biz, pol) of moderate but progressive/innovative mentality in Europe. US, world.
Libertarianism:
Other than than, no one really bothers me, even libertarians or nationalist or anti-EUers. as long as they are not in my T/L.
Libertarianism is as unrealistic as communism. Only works when one alone on an island. Liberal Democrat: is another thing.
In short: Rand is as irrelevant as Marx. Had enough of libertarians when I ran with a libdem (I thought) party in Euro-1999.
US of E:
My support for a US of Europe is not ideological, it is practical (and constructively critical). Why? I lived in a US (of A) for 5.5 yrs! Oct 29, 2012
EU and the SMEs:
A real EU single market would have led to pan-EU niche markets for SMEs. But not a real single mkt yet, is it? #Marketing
PIGS and EU Animal Farm:
Are we on the verge of experiencing a rise of the PIGS (+FRA) in EU/Euro politics/decision making? Just askin. Reading signs?
Mark his words or not?
Rajoy: Spain, Italy Back Greece Remaining In Euro "one down will be all down.
Systemics:
The biggest "fights" people have are not with other ppl but group-think as well as systemics and dynamics. Much harder than person-on-person. And karate won't do.
From USSR to the EU to ....:
From good bye Lenin to good bye Merkel?
EU:
Athens in the Delos Allaince, Germany in the Eurozone or EU. Compare and contrast!
Memories:
Memories were meant to fade for a reason (from one of my poems)
Schauble says EU needs the UK at Oxford:
Or Schauble simply playing "good cop" on the UK to Merkel's "bad cop" on the UK? The reverse roles compared to Greece, that is! lol
Maybe Schauble's call on the UK to stay in EU = sign EU getting unstuck between German exceptionalism and UK Euroscepticism?
So Schauble is playing "bad cop" on Greece and "good cop" on the UK? lol Oct 29, 2012
In reference to Schauble's EU call to the UK today, read my 2005 analysis: Britain and the heart of Europe http://t.co/P4jge3ty
Re UK in Eu read "The EU and the UK in a prisoner's dilemma!" in my: How many countries committed "economic suicide" http://t.co/5ycd7VxB
Or a desperate call for help on how to deal with a feasibly emerging ESP+ITA plus FRA (?) "alliance" in EU/Euro matters? #SchaubleNeedsUK
An admission EU doesnt speak Cauder's German? RT @ReutersWorld Germany's Schaeuble tells skeptical UK "EU needs you" http://t.co/AuqM74tq
Seems to me GER needs UK to debate FRA ideas RT @ReutersWorld: Germany's Schaeuble tells skeptical UK "EU needs you" http://t.co/AuqM74tq
Italy and EU:
When Italy became a country in the 1870s, the North imposed its laws + policies on the South. The effects linger. Lessons for EU - Eurozone?
Capitalism:
Matthew 19:24 and related passages directly contradict Calvinist predeternination. Imho.
On direct vs rep democracy:
So you think the concept of elected reps of the ppl and civil soc orgs with time and staff to KNOW the draft laws can be replaced? By what?
U think direct democracy, IRL or on the Net, is easy? Was it not for slaves work, u think Ancient Athenians wld have enuff time 4 politics?
Greece:
My main "take" on Greece is that no one's take, including mine, is accurate. That's Greece. Un-takeable. That's my main take on Greece.
Centrism:
When will the main parties in the US, UK, etc converge to the center in ideas + policies and compete in their ability to implement them?
On humanity in 2012:
The main disease that is turning so many of us into real zombies is greed. Oct 29, 2012
Does it take Natural disasters or will it take a comet from outer space threat for ppl to realise we all humans and shld stick together?
Why so difficult?
Why is it so difficult for so many to realise the difference between speculative and entrepreneurial risk? Even Sarkozy did!
People in at least The West know the ratrace is ravaging them. Instead of calling it off they want everyone in to suffer like they do? Why
Why is it so difficult for so many Europeans to realise that austerity and crash of GDP does not foster growth?
Why is it so difficult for so many American voters to realise the need for a public option in health insurance?
Why so difficult for many to realise a balance of individualism + collectivism, instead of 1 of the 2, is best? Not simplistic enuff 4 them?
It's ideologies tht focus on the individual or collective instead of balance of the 2 that unbalance the world
I guess Nature is reminding American voters who's the real boss and why allegiance between humans a good thing! Will they get the msg? And vote for the Dems?
What is the worse that can happen Nov 16?
Mantra:
Rationalize, Simplify, Economize. A good mantra for 2012?
Sandy:
Who names storms and hurricanes? After ex-GFs? For revenge?
Merkel:
Merkel has been conducting Ein Experiment on 330 million. She leads the way. But remember Das Experiment movie? Did she ever watch it? Oct 29, 2012
Pop Cult:
Walking Nationless: A new TV series coming soon to a European TV station near you! 500,000,000 wandering aimlessly.
Walking Jobless. A horror drama series coming soon! Oh my, the jobless disease that taken over their minds! #media
Centrism:
I am a geek and my audience is people and decision makers (biz, pol) of moderate but progressive/innovative mentality in Europe. US, world.
Libertarianism:
Other than than, no one really bothers me, even libertarians or nationalist or anti-EUers. as long as they are not in my T/L.
Libertarianism is as unrealistic as communism. Only works when one alone on an island. Liberal Democrat: is another thing.
In short: Rand is as irrelevant as Marx. Had enough of libertarians when I ran with a libdem (I thought) party in Euro-1999.
US of E:
My support for a US of Europe is not ideological, it is practical (and constructively critical). Why? I lived in a US (of A) for 5.5 yrs! Oct 29, 2012
EU and the SMEs:
A real EU single market would have led to pan-EU niche markets for SMEs. But not a real single mkt yet, is it? #Marketing
PIGS and EU Animal Farm:
Are we on the verge of experiencing a rise of the PIGS (+FRA) in EU/Euro politics/decision making? Just askin. Reading signs?
Mark his words or not?
Rajoy: Spain, Italy Back Greece Remaining In Euro "one down will be all down.
Systemics:
The biggest "fights" people have are not with other ppl but group-think as well as systemics and dynamics. Much harder than person-on-person. And karate won't do.
From USSR to the EU to ....:
From good bye Lenin to good bye Merkel?
EU:
Athens in the Delos Allaince, Germany in the Eurozone or EU. Compare and contrast!
Memories:
Memories were meant to fade for a reason (from one of my poems)
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
On the British EU debate (and on Germany)
In the Telegraph today, Ambrose Evans-Pritchard writes that: "Britain has left the European Union in all but name". Worth a good read.
Here is my take on the subject:
1) Are these self-fulfilling prophecies promoted as fact? But if it happens, it's a great opportunity for a continental EU member to become an English speaking hub of Europe.
2) But is the UK indeed on its way out of the EU? The UK's main philosophical objection to the EU is: Too many laws = no laws. But is the UK that different? The UK's real main problem imo it that it is (still) used to making its own rules/laws and applying them on others too. A trait Germany has picked up, too, in recent years. Both suffer imo from lack of confidence in using logic and western world style syllogistical argumentation to convince others re their POV (point of view).
That absence of syllogistical/argumentation style is imo reflected in the comments by some with respect to the style and content not only of the UK EU debate but also the Scottish UK debate.
3) Imo, British voters need to be asked if the EU27 is a place they feel part of (in many ways) or not.
If they would rather work/live/do business etc in/with the USA, Canada, Australia+NZ instead of Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Amsterdam, etc, then imo, the,UK should leave the EU. It is in effect a psychological, philosophical and strategic question, not a matter of static numbers, eg how many Brits live in the rest of the EU or how many non-British EU citizens live and work in the UK. That line of thinking misses imo the dynamic issue and the essence of the debate.
Here is my take on the subject:
1) Are these self-fulfilling prophecies promoted as fact? But if it happens, it's a great opportunity for a continental EU member to become an English speaking hub of Europe.
2) But is the UK indeed on its way out of the EU? The UK's main philosophical objection to the EU is: Too many laws = no laws. But is the UK that different? The UK's real main problem imo it that it is (still) used to making its own rules/laws and applying them on others too. A trait Germany has picked up, too, in recent years. Both suffer imo from lack of confidence in using logic and western world style syllogistical argumentation to convince others re their POV (point of view).
That absence of syllogistical/argumentation style is imo reflected in the comments by some with respect to the style and content not only of the UK EU debate but also the Scottish UK debate.
3) Imo, British voters need to be asked if the EU27 is a place they feel part of (in many ways) or not.
If they would rather work/live/do business etc in/with the USA, Canada, Australia+NZ instead of Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Amsterdam, etc, then imo, the,UK should leave the EU. It is in effect a psychological, philosophical and strategic question, not a matter of static numbers, eg how many Brits live in the rest of the EU or how many non-British EU citizens live and work in the UK. That line of thinking misses imo the dynamic issue and the essence of the debate.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Time the UK elites stop badmouthing the EU if ...
Reality check: Merkel et al finally realised it was time they stopped badmouthing Greece to the German people. Time the UK elites stop doing the same with the EU/Brussels to the UK voters, if they realise this:
With a Euro in crisis, the UK may be able to market itself on its own merits to world investors (as opposed to as a gate to the EU Single Market until now) but, if the EU/Europlus pull off some kind of political union step forward, then where will that leave a non-EU UK in the world investors' map?
Those who sow wind, reap storms. Merkel realised that. Cameron and Hague know it too. But do they have the long term interest of the UK at heart to try and possibly pay the price of telling the British people the truth re "Europe"? Or maybe they do not have confidence in their ability to influence UK media and public opinion the way Merkel?
More analysis on this topic and strategic implications available upon request.
With a Euro in crisis, the UK may be able to market itself on its own merits to world investors (as opposed to as a gate to the EU Single Market until now) but, if the EU/Europlus pull off some kind of political union step forward, then where will that leave a non-EU UK in the world investors' map?
Those who sow wind, reap storms. Merkel realised that. Cameron and Hague know it too. But do they have the long term interest of the UK at heart to try and possibly pay the price of telling the British people the truth re "Europe"? Or maybe they do not have confidence in their ability to influence UK media and public opinion the way Merkel?
More analysis on this topic and strategic implications available upon request.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
European myths and real fears: Time to face the truth
Applying logic consistently can lead to some very hardcore argumentation in European Affairs. Especially when coupled with humanism.
Here we go (based on thoughts originally posted via my Twitter account, today):
Xenophobia and "paymasterism" are evidence of insecurity due to policy failures by mostly national policy-makers.
E.g. Angela Merkel and Co. blamed Greeks and other South Europeans to cover up for her own policy failures in 2005-2012. Except for very recently.
Plus, the EU has always been used by national politicians as a scapegoat for their failures but not their successes.
So who should be in more fear of losing their jobs and who should lose them? People or policy makers. Desperate policy makers produce even more desperate policies. Not to mention desperate (for ratings hence ad revenue) media.
So, for voters, focusing at national and local level is in a way a natural reaction, whereas the wise reaction is to focus at Euro, EU level and beyond.
Instead of helping the man/woman in streets feel a tad of stability via their policies, policy makers have been doing the opposite.
Note also that 2 months of somewhat positive propaganda by Merkel and friends re Greece seems (see polls in Germany) to have managed to partly counter 2+ years of negative propaganda. Is that scary or good? Or both?
That is the real state of the EU in 2012. It is time we start discussing those things, not only the agenda the mainstream traditional media and social media set.
Example:
People in NW and North Europe are panicking and blaming foreigners because, imho, they know their national exceptionalisms are a hot air result of propaganda - narratives. They are in real fear. Because they feel/know that their economies are way more un-competitive and cruel than anyone would admit. They are scared of losing their accumulated privileges and fear more than South Europeans, because they know their societies are more cruel than in South Europe.
Yes what I am proposing, after roaming around the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands (NL) in the past 5 weeks and lots of talking with people from all walks of life, observing systemics and dynamics and lots of thinking, is that the real reason Dutch, Finns, Germans, Belgians, Brits are reacting the way they are is: they are scared. Even more scared than South Europeans.
Take a good look for example at the "streets" of any UK, NL or Belgian city. People are "bowling alone" (much more than Greeks or Spaniard are "bowling alone") and they know it.
That is I propose the main way to interpret eg the local results in Antwerp.
So whereas Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy need real policies badly, the NL, Belgium, the UK, Germany, Finland need real policies even more badly. And more humanism (and that is a matter/task for society and thought/opinion leaders, not policy makers per se).
On the other hand, imo what Greeks and Spaniards should really worry about is not labour market reforms but of having lost part of their traditional humanism. Because once that is lost, no laws or rules can after all restore that. And liberalism needs humanism in order to work. Every system does, but liberalism (in the European not US sense of the term) does even more (that is of course why Romney and Ryan should not win the elections in the US, the country where the term "bowling alone" was invented).
The Greek and Spanish labour markets are already a "Kaiadas" (see Ancient Sparta) even without labour market reforms, so what worse can reforms do than admit that reality?
Plus Greeks, Spaniards, Portuguese, Italians should look at their national and local "champions" and elites and ask them: What have you done for me lately? In a way they are. In a way.
Being pro-EU doesn't mean being pro European Commission, pro EU Council, etc. It means being pro the common interests of 500,000,000. Because in the world systemics and dynamics of the epoch, mainly at continental and world level can effective solutions be formulated and implemented. But with a systems analysis approach that looks at the forest and at the trees at the same time. These are indeed testing times for policy makers.
The European media and social media should not focus on the symptoms (they do make for good copy, true) but at the diseases. I know it's hard.
Even more analysis on this complex topic and implications for policy makers, the civil society and economic operators at EU, Euro, national and local levels, is available upon request.
Here we go (based on thoughts originally posted via my Twitter account, today):
Xenophobia and "paymasterism" are evidence of insecurity due to policy failures by mostly national policy-makers.
E.g. Angela Merkel and Co. blamed Greeks and other South Europeans to cover up for her own policy failures in 2005-2012. Except for very recently.
Plus, the EU has always been used by national politicians as a scapegoat for their failures but not their successes.
So who should be in more fear of losing their jobs and who should lose them? People or policy makers. Desperate policy makers produce even more desperate policies. Not to mention desperate (for ratings hence ad revenue) media.
So, for voters, focusing at national and local level is in a way a natural reaction, whereas the wise reaction is to focus at Euro, EU level and beyond.
Instead of helping the man/woman in streets feel a tad of stability via their policies, policy makers have been doing the opposite.
Note also that 2 months of somewhat positive propaganda by Merkel and friends re Greece seems (see polls in Germany) to have managed to partly counter 2+ years of negative propaganda. Is that scary or good? Or both?
That is the real state of the EU in 2012. It is time we start discussing those things, not only the agenda the mainstream traditional media and social media set.
Example:
People in NW and North Europe are panicking and blaming foreigners because, imho, they know their national exceptionalisms are a hot air result of propaganda - narratives. They are in real fear. Because they feel/know that their economies are way more un-competitive and cruel than anyone would admit. They are scared of losing their accumulated privileges and fear more than South Europeans, because they know their societies are more cruel than in South Europe.
Yes what I am proposing, after roaming around the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands (NL) in the past 5 weeks and lots of talking with people from all walks of life, observing systemics and dynamics and lots of thinking, is that the real reason Dutch, Finns, Germans, Belgians, Brits are reacting the way they are is: they are scared. Even more scared than South Europeans.
Take a good look for example at the "streets" of any UK, NL or Belgian city. People are "bowling alone" (much more than Greeks or Spaniard are "bowling alone") and they know it.
That is I propose the main way to interpret eg the local results in Antwerp.
So whereas Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy need real policies badly, the NL, Belgium, the UK, Germany, Finland need real policies even more badly. And more humanism (and that is a matter/task for society and thought/opinion leaders, not policy makers per se).
On the other hand, imo what Greeks and Spaniards should really worry about is not labour market reforms but of having lost part of their traditional humanism. Because once that is lost, no laws or rules can after all restore that. And liberalism needs humanism in order to work. Every system does, but liberalism (in the European not US sense of the term) does even more (that is of course why Romney and Ryan should not win the elections in the US, the country where the term "bowling alone" was invented).
The Greek and Spanish labour markets are already a "Kaiadas" (see Ancient Sparta) even without labour market reforms, so what worse can reforms do than admit that reality?
Plus Greeks, Spaniards, Portuguese, Italians should look at their national and local "champions" and elites and ask them: What have you done for me lately? In a way they are. In a way.
Being pro-EU doesn't mean being pro European Commission, pro EU Council, etc. It means being pro the common interests of 500,000,000. Because in the world systemics and dynamics of the epoch, mainly at continental and world level can effective solutions be formulated and implemented. But with a systems analysis approach that looks at the forest and at the trees at the same time. These are indeed testing times for policy makers.
The European media and social media should not focus on the symptoms (they do make for good copy, true) but at the diseases. I know it's hard.
Even more analysis on this complex topic and implications for policy makers, the civil society and economic operators at EU, Euro, national and local levels, is available upon request.
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