[inquest]

Free trade zones can't last very long without there being powerful calls for some type of superintending authority, especially in Europe. When I start seeing the French and German governements openly calling for a reduction in the Eurocrats' power (or bettey yet, defying their edicts), then I might start changing my mind about this. So far, the political will in these governments goes in the opposite direction, and there's no sign of that changing.

[CasearianDaoist]

Actually, I think Europe is one of the few places it can work.

with out that superintending power" the East will balance Germany. France is going to have problems no matter what. Your vision of a superstate will not work in Europe.

The wild card there is the EUro. In this you are quite right, you cannot have a currency without political institutions. They may have to ditch it.

But there where some good things about the EU before they went completely bananas.

I should not say that for the real impetus behind all of this was not commerce, of course, but this bizarre simulation of the USA as vehicle for power from the Eurocrats.

There are good Europeans - we must not confuse them with their governments. The conservative movements over there need our support, no matter how immature those movements are. The media and the political classes in the EU suppresses them. Remember how scandalous it was to be a Conservative 30 years ago?

[Sonny M]

Free trade zones can't last very long without there being powerful calls for some type of superintending authority, especially in Europe.

There version of a "Free Trade Zone" is actually based on the United States.

Which is part of the reason they are in a rush to dump soverignty, so they can be states in a Union like us, but they have totally screwed up.