The Urgent Need for EU Expansion: A Strategic Imperative for Survival

[RayC]

1 hour ago, nauseus said:

 

Well you first mentioned these elusive uplands just a few posts ago. Being assertive and headstrong does not necessarily result in good leadership. 

 

Divisions in the UK have steadily grown, especially over the last 30 years. Some of these divisions are partly due to the EU, its "pillars" and politics but many grew after a string of dishonest governments. 

 

Blaming Brexit for causing these divisions is just riduculous. Brexit was a result of existing divisions. 

 

Not being open and honest a good thing? No. That just creates divisions.

 

No matter how hard you try, you won't be able to pin the use of 'sunny uplands' on me within the context of Brexit. I'm not sure who got there first, but any one of Leadsom, Gove or Rees-Moog are among the front runners.

 

Your second paragraph certainly has more than a ring of truth about it, but imo the divisions were neither as visible nor as manifest pre-2016 as they are now.

 

I did not blame Brexit for these divisions. What I said was that the referendum brought them to the fore. Pre 2016, I would contend that following a general election, irrespective of who won, there was a general acceptable by all of 1) the result and 2) nothing much will change. That wasn't the case following the referendum. Some remainers refused to accept the result, and that many Brexiters expected radical change. Neither party got what they wanted and imo, as a result, the divisions within UK society have became more stark and visible. In short, we are more polarised than ever.

 

I agree that openness and honesty are normally good things but, occasionally, things are better off being unsaid and untested.

[AndreasHG]

11 hours ago, gearbox said:

All countries joined EU for self interest.

Human beings are also perfectly capable of putting aside their own self-interest for the greater common good. For example, this is the reason why we pay taxes.

 

Only sociopaths are exclusively motivated by their own self-interest.

 

And when a nation is dominated by sociopaths, its fate is to be isolated from the international community, to which it would otherwise belong.

 

[nauseus]

19 hours ago, RayC said:

I agree that openness and honesty are normally good things but, occasionally, things are better off being unsaid and untested.

 

Especially on all matters EU, I suppose? 

[RayC]

6 hours ago, nauseus said:

 

Especially on all matters EU, I suppose? 

 

I wouldn't say ALL matters.

[KhunLA]

Sooner or later you run out of other people's money.   They need more countries that can afford to be taxes to death ... good luck with that.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 9/14/2024 at 12:31 AM, nauseus said:

Divisions in the UK have steadily grown, especially over the last 30 years. Some of these divisions are partly due to the EU, its "pillars" and politics but many grew after a string of dishonest governments. 

Successive governments of all hues in all countries have been busily fomenting hatred between their citizens to ensure them a continued presence at the trough. It's a lesson learned ( I believe ) from the Romans- divide and rule- still works today. 

If they didn't have things like illegal immigration to distract, they would have had to invent something, like man made climate change or multiple genders etc..... oh wait.