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| the euro- why it sucks; something i wrote, please read'n'comment | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Aug 4 2007, 12:11 PM (963 Views) | |
| Pud | Aug 4 2007, 12:11 PM Post #1 |
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I wish I had something useful to put in this Member Title...
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A controversial title, to say the least! In this post I'de like to explain why I am so negative towards the Euro. And a bit at the end to explain why it is almost certain that England WILL switch to the Euro sometime soon. The reason stated aren't exactly refined, but hell, aren't you tired of hearing 'professional' opinions? Why people like the Euro Let's face it, there are people that like the Euro. Think it's a good idea. And to be truthful, it does have its good points. now the main reason people give (that i don't agree with) is that they like the idea of a european economy working together. That's all I have to say on the positive points, this is anti. Why the Euro Sucks England has worked hard to gain it's economic status, imagine throwing all the work of our industries going into paying for sub-standard farmers in the (not so) poor France! It makes me sick! We would quite literally be throwing away our economic independance to a bunch of fools over in Brussels! -- Ask yourself, what makes England England? Maybe different to you, but I think of the classic pound coin with the Queens head on it. I do hate the idea of England becoming just another one of those European countries. -- Right now here is a main point, people say that we need the Euro to uphold the economic strength of Britain, and if we want to be contenders in the market of the near future, we have to submit to the Euro. To be honest, I can see where people are coming from here. However there are a few things that people fail to see. How is our Great British Pound doing in the harsh market of today? Last I heard, it took to American dollars to make a pound, and rising. Also, one would get 1.60 Euros for one pound. So at the moment, it isn't doing bad, it shows no sign of stopping and I've not seen any forecasts of a fall in the value of the pound in store; it looks like it will just keep on rising! Now yeah, it may fall in the future. But it won't. Primarily because the pound is actually made from valuable metals, so even if the economy falls slightly, which given, it may do, we still have the actual value of the coin to keep it from reaching any critical stage. -- why the Euro sucks part 2 welcome once again to my ravings about the Euro and my reasonings behind why i think it sucks. however this part will concentrate on why i think that England WILL go to the Euro, and soon. The first reason is our new leader, Gordon Brown, he has always been a fan of the Euro and a few years ago he said he had three goals for the Euro to reach before he would let England go for the Euro. I don't know the details of these goals, however i do know that the Euro did pass all three tests. So from the governmental side of things, it looks rather likely. Along with this, when a new leader comes into power people expect change; this could be that change unfortunately. The second main reason is the pressure. With England being a major economic asset to Europe, they just can't wait until we jump on the band wagon and help their currency out. So you're probably thinking something like: 'What power do those fools in Brussels have over us?' And unfortunately the answer is: 'quite a bloody lot'. The one main thing they can do is trade priority. They go to other countries rather than ours to buy goods and say to us: 'well it would be easier to trade with you if you used the Euro. Most of the time this isn't really a big problem. England's main trade partners are: Germany, America and Japan; so when Germany gets arsey, we have the other two to fall back on. However trade priority will still cause big problems. A good example of this would be a raise in price of building materials. At the moment we get almost all of them from countries on the west coast of Europe. These materials are ALWAYS in high demand, so these countries could easily cut us out of their trade route and have plenty of customers. But getting these materials isn't where the problem lies. It's the transportation. At the moment we get the goods directly by boat from the country to one of our east ports. If we were to have to buy these materials elsewhere then there would be big problems in the time, reliability and cost of the transportation of these materials. Now building materials are just one example of this. Europe has a lot of trade to offer and they could make our importation so much harder. Another reason that i believe Europe has considerable power over us are the past examples. I will look at an extremely pertinent case: that of the baby seats for everyone under 135cm. The proposal of this law was met with mass disapproval by the British public, however, the law was still passed. This was solely because of inter-European peer pressure! The reason i chose this example is because it shows that the British government is willing to bend to the EUs requests above the needs of its own population, which is never a good thing for a country. Now these are the main reasons to me, however there are countless arguments for either side. And to be honest, my reasons are rather feeble, centering around the fact that I love being British and i don't want that to change. Benefits Out of the projected benefits, let's look at the ones that will actually benefit England. Maybe, after the imminent fall in our economy's strength, the country may benefit from the rest of Europe's, 'specially if the less developed countries' economies keep improving. However whether the currency will ever be as strong as the Pound is a totally different question, if it happens I may write an article on it. Tourists will also benefit, it will be much easier to travel throughout Europe without having to think about money. And in turn it will save people money with conversion rates and such. This reason sort of resides in the above paragraph, however it is a somewhat important benefit so it gets its own section. Trade, other European countries will be more willing to trade goods with us if they don't have to worry about money. As I said before, it helps to have trade connections close by. I guess it makes us more a part of the 'European family,' but who knows what the perks are for that? Maybe we actually get a chance in the European song contest? So, they are some of the good things that could happen, now it's time to look at the bad. Disadvantages Our economy could very well stoop and never recover, if we keep outsourcing to Europe, then England 'will' be just another one of those European countries. Which sucks. Where tourists could benefit from some extra money, businesses will suffer; quite obviously exchange companies will suffer. Less obviously will be the banks that make profits through currency based investments; and as if to crystallize the pain, it is made so much worse because the Pound is such an important player in todays currency market. This in turn will damage the economic integrity of the countries involved with the pound: Namely, every country in the world. The terribly bleak hypothetical situations are endless. Here's one. England goes for the Euro, and despite doubts about the economic strength of Britain, the Euro has now come to be worth more than the Pound could ever have been. The British people are now starting to warm to the idea of a more Europe-friendly Britain. However, trouble brews. Germany, one of the main economic forces in on the Euro walks out on the currency after an argument with the EU over fast food policy. With the Germans back to their precious DM, the Euro is in squalor, other countries are now threatening to to resign from the Euro regime; as a result of this, the newly mended British economy fails completely. The government indecisive as to what the British Empire should do, the entire country flies into panic from what was once a strong and prosperous nation. This could happen. Things like this cause civil wars. There are thousands of other scenarios ending just as badly as this, maybe it's a bit exaggerated, but think about it. You know it could happen. Now, once again there are loads more benefits and disadvantages, but these are the ones that are the most obvious to me. Now for the final note. Nobody can safely say what will happen if England goes for the Euro, for me it seems bad. I don't pretend to know exactly what will happen, and anyone who does is a fool;. But I think it will happen, and I think that the disadvantages will outweigh the benefits by far. Now for a few questions people have asked me about, Europe, the EU and the Euro. So do you hate Europe? No. I love several European countries, one of my favorite being Germany. I just don't like the EU policy and establishment. So, you are opposed to Europe working together?! No! Europeans working together is brilliant. However it's a big 'screw you' from me to the EU, because it doesn't work! For example, our funding to the EU comes straight from our tax Pounds; the most of it goes toward the sub-standard farming in FRANCE. That's right, that not so poor country that shows England no respect (not that they should with our chavs running round there). Now this I could understand if it was a country that needed the money, that's what the EU is about eh? But not France, they have plenty enough money, and without EU enforcers who knows what the hell they are doing with it? Anyway, while our money goes to places that don't need it, our substantially small amount of funding goes into building a field in Devon somewhere. The plaque saying 'EU funding' probably cost more. There are a million other reasons the EU doesn't work properly. But that is another post, my friends. |
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| Tmcnevanfan | Aug 4 2007, 12:26 PM Post #2 |
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Well I'd hate to have to use the euro, we do need to be different not just another country in europe. I'd have to get used to it, and pound and pence seem to work better with me. They would have to send it to the country which I really doubt would be worth it. |
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| Pud | Aug 4 2007, 12:47 PM Post #3 |
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I wish I had something useful to put in this Member Title...
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One thing to add: That post may have seemed a bit anti-French, that wasn't my intention. Reading it over it seems that way, sorry about that. |
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| Aerialist | Aug 4 2007, 12:55 PM Post #4 |
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England is just one of "those European countries" The american dollar is falling becuase we're in tons of wars that shouldn't be happening. Iraq is damn stupid, why the hell are we in there? |
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| Pud | Aug 4 2007, 01:09 PM Post #5 |
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I wish I had something useful to put in this Member Title...
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It's not just one of those European countries. Or it certainly wouldn't be to America if you got a good ol' blast of trident >.> and no, the dollar is falling because nobody wants to trade with you anymore, which is sorta because of the wars i guess. But mostly because George Dubbya sees america as: 'the super-power of the world'. LOL. Wheras I see it as a nation of great people being run by a tosser. EDIT: Not that Trident should EVER have to be used. |
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| Dyssomnia | Aug 4 2007, 04:54 PM Post #6 |
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I hate to inform you, but to pretty much every regular old person England is 'just another European country' as much as South Korea and Vietnam are 'just another Asian country' to people who don't live there. Also, part of your post fails for saying Brussles is in France. It's in Belgium, go back to world geography. Oh and in the same sort of way, because Brussles is the Commission seat doesn't mean that the EU and the Euro are Belgian entities and currencies - in the same way, NATO is also in Brussles and is most definitely not a Belgian organization. Anyway, more later - gotta go to work. |
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| Machiko | Aug 4 2007, 05:05 PM Post #7 |
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Between Minutes and Miles
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It is true. I do not think of England as some massive country that deserves major respect. Infact I also think of it as just one of those European countries and only really hear about it when it concerns war or the election of a new Prime Minister. Really and truly I think eventually England will need to switch to the Euro otherwise some major problems may occur in the future. The whole point of the Euro is to allow all of Europe to work together easily. Let me put this in perspective. The whole of Europe can fit into my province if I remember correctly at least once. That's right, all of Europe can fit at least once into any Canadian province. This past school year I learned from my Social Studies teacher who is Dutch (speaks English as her primary, Dutch secondary) that Europe is so small it takes her 4 hours to drive to most places she wants to from the Netherlands. Because of the small size it makes no sense to have a bunch of varying currencies. Europe has always been interconnected and has a very long history stretching back with each other. It's almost natural progression for something like the EU to be created and start trying to form a European community. Some countries got a great deal out of accepting the Euro (Italy for example) while some others may have to get a raw deal (England). Isn't that part of working together though with each other? Europe is posed to become the first continent that is also a super country you could say. No longer does it have to be just a bunch of seperate countries lumped together because they're in a general land mass area. The European Union is a great example of what governments and countries should be trying to do. Whether or not everyone will always get the best deal from it is not the point. It helps to further relationships between countries and their countrymen while strengthening the power of Europe and ultimately your precious England. |
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| Pud | Aug 4 2007, 05:15 PM Post #8 |
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I wish I had something useful to put in this Member Title...
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That's easy for you to say when you have your own currency, and no liberalist idiots across a channel trying to run your country. And beyond, it won't work, because the members of the EU that we vote for have no power. -- And I didn't say that brussels was in France, thats just the way the sentence came out... The EU bank is in Brussels is what I meant... |
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| Machiko | Aug 4 2007, 05:32 PM Post #9 |
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Between Minutes and Miles
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Did you just say Canada is not liberal? You may want to re-think your stance. Many consider our Conservative party to be Liberal even so I don't understand at all. And yes, we too have a monkey on our backs: America. We're actually worried about the rise of our dollar becoming near par with the American dollar. Why you might ask? Because then America has no incentive to trade and the tourism industry starts to slump (why visit Canada when you're paying the same thing as you would in America?). |
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| Pud | Aug 4 2007, 06:00 PM Post #10 |
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I wish I had something useful to put in this Member Title...
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why visit England when Europe looks better? I didn't say they weren't liberal, I said Europe were. So why can you state that without looking at the advantages of going to the dollar? There isn't any difference Everyone should leave each other alone about currency, jeez... And you don't live in England do you? You don't know just how much Europe dislike us. We pay the most into the EU, and get the least out. |
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| Machiko | Aug 4 2007, 06:06 PM Post #11 |
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Between Minutes and Miles
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You may get the least out of it because you guys appear to be the least co-operative? |
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| Pud | Aug 4 2007, 06:15 PM Post #12 |
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I wish I had something useful to put in this Member Title...
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But why should we be? They try to force laws that the public are quite simply opposed to through the government. They do not like us, seriously, they really don't, and they have good reason to, with our representatives all drunk chavs... Our funding for the EU comes straight from our tax, which is already high, when most of England doesn't know where it is going. Just stuff like that, I just don't think we're getting anything out of it. EDIT: by anything I mean enough |
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| OcelotJay-ZNR | Aug 4 2007, 06:42 PM Post #13 |
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I am kitteh, hear me purr. =(^_^)=
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Considering that we [Britain] are constantly at odds over Europe, is it any wonder they don't co-operate as much as we'd like? Our own government consists of two factions of pro-Europe and anti-Europe; until we can sort that out I tend to be of the opinion that we shouldn't even be in it - why pay towards something when you reap no benefits? At least, until we have a government that can work effectively with Europe. There's also the slight problem that we generally view America as being more important than Europe, to such a degree that was have this pathetic "special relationship" which has utterly destroyed our credibility. You can't piss and moan when we are the ones who are setting ourselves up for a fall. I'm not saying Europe is perfect - it suffers from poor leadership, arrogance and a lack of co-operation as well as unequal power and poor planning - but we're as much of a problem. We're a tiny island by comparison that expects to have increasingly high benefits while it acts like some spoiled teenager. Poland's been playing up recently and getting more of the limelight but it doesn't detract from our own foolishness that makes us look so absurd to the others. Before we can expect to get much out of Europe we have to become a part of Europe, a real part, not just some place that calls itself a member but doesn't truly attempt to develop relationships and work towards uniting the countries effectively and efficiently. As for the Euro: I wouldn't be at all bothered to see us convert. I honestly hate this culture we have right now where we entirely struggle to even define what British identity is yet we take to battle over silly grounds. The Pound Stirling may be unique to Britain but isn't truly a part of our identity; it doesn't make Britain what it is. The Monarchy is more of a part of British identity than some silly coins (given that coins are often similar in shape with varying embedded images). Our identity crisis evidences itself in this absurd refusal to let go for a coin in favour of something that will make operating in Europe much easier and thus our insecurity and social inferiority manifests itself for all to see. People talk about how adjusting to the Euro would be difficult. Consider this: the system we have now is not the same as we always had. Money in Britain (and across the world) has changed in name, shape, value and even how we measure it. In order for these advances to occur we had to go through uncomfortable periods of change; is the Euro really that different? Personally I think such lines of thought say more about how incompetent Brits must be if we're really unable to achieve what much of Europe has done. Considering Britain is relatively important to the First World, I think it's up to us to prove our worth before we completely isolate ourself.
If our economy is shot to hell the coin itself won't be our saviour; who on Earth is going to buy the thing when it's worth nothing? If the Pound Stirling cheapens, so too does the monetary value of the coin, regardless of its metals. Considering there are billions of the coin, a disastrous economy would make the coin itself worth nothing until (i) we stopped producing them (and thus switched to a new system) and (ii) the coins were reduced to being rare. If the Pound Stirling was worth little to nothing, buying the actual things in bulk would be extremely cheap and easy - and pointless. It couldn't save the entirety of Britain, otherwise many other countries would have restored themselves by doing the same.
And in the past we have had leaders who attempted to completely destroy EU policy and enforce the will of Britain. Even Tony Blair was one of the so-called defenders who did little but antagonise Europe and add to the existing problems. I do like us having a strong leader who won't let us become utterly controlled by Europe but at the same time we have to surrender certain things. We treat Europe as less of a union and more of deal.
Which is our fault, not theirs. It's up to us as a country and a society to ensure we're represented fairly and evenly. Even Britons see Britain as being a pretty poor place so can you expect Europe to see us as anything better? ![]()
Simple: the EU is about co-operation. As I said above, it's not perfect but standing alone won't resolve these issues. Britain has to be seen as a real member that wants to work towards improving the EU. Hitherto, we haven't done much. Yes, we pay heavily towards it but that doesn't entitle us to anything if we refuse to co-operate. |
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| Pud | Aug 4 2007, 06:52 PM Post #14 |
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I wish I had something useful to put in this Member Title...
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Before I start you are a great debater and that was a great argument. Kudos to you. The reason that people seem to think that England has no lineage or defining culture is that it is so widespread, and so little looked at as ours. For example the modern law system was invented by Englad back in the days of the Empire. You are right, I am not against a European establishment, it just needs to be organised and executed better. Unfortunately the situation now is that England is sticking with the wrong friends. I believe that America is in for dark days in the future. And once again, nice argument. |
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| Paleognath | Aug 5 2007, 03:42 PM Post #15 |
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Napoleon '08
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The euro has actually caused lots of economic trouble. In Germany (where my mother's family live) they are having trouble getting everything they need since prices have become so high and often unaffordable. |
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4:58 AM Jul 11
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If the Pound Stirling cheapens, so too does the monetary value of the coin, regardless of its metals. Considering there are billions of the coin, a disastrous economy would make the coin itself worth nothing until (i) we stopped producing them (and thus switched to a new system) and (ii) the coins were reduced to being rare. If the Pound Stirling was worth little to nothing, buying the actual things in bulk would be extremely cheap and easy - and pointless. It couldn't save the entirety of Britain, otherwise many other countries would have restored themselves by doing the same.

4:58 AM Jul 11