There is an endless stream of commentators who are so utterly clueless that it’s a struggle keeping up. In fact, I cannot keep up. The best I can do is occasionally highlight the most serious offenders.
Today, I point my finger at Financial Times writer Philip Stephens.
Stephens says Now Angela Merkel Wears the West’s Mantle.
I have no problem with that title. In fact, it’s highly accurate. My objection is his accompanying rant.
Stephens concludes with “Europeans have struggled for some time to uphold their values against authoritarians without and populists within. The danger now comes from across the Atlantic. It falls to Ms Merkel to speak for what during the past seven decades we have known as the west.”
I pinged him with this email…
Populists have risen up because jackasses try to force values down everyone’s throats. Good Lord, how can you not see it? Look at Merkel and her idiotic welcome of refugees when much of Europe, especially the youth cannot find a job.
Now Sarkozy wants a “Marshall plan for Africa”. Where the hell is a Marshall plan for Greece?
Ticks and Fleas
It takes all 27 EU nations to agree that it’s a good idea to take a tick off a dog. Then it takes five years to agree how to do it. When the time comes to remove the tick, the dog is dead.
Ironically, Stephens writes mindless rants in praise of the person most responsible for the rise of populism in Europe: Angela Merkel.
Here’s a hint Mr. Stephens: Merkel is part of the problem, not the solution.
Trump and Brexit are a result of central planning foolishness and failures. Unfortunately the problem is not fixable. The EU and the Eurozone are structurally and fatally flawed.
It’s sad really, at least about the EU. If the EU just stuck with genuine free trade, even free movement within the EU, things would be OK.
Instead, the EU let France have its way with inane agricultural tariffs, over-regulated nearly everything, then requited every nation to agree to every damn thing. To top things off, Merkel welcomed economic refugees when Greece is a basket case and youth unemployment nears 50% in multiple countries.
Agreement to major changes is impossible, yet the flaws are obvious.
Jean-Claude Juncker wants an army but other nations don’t, Germany does not want a transfer union but Greece and Spain do want transfer unions, Juncker wants a single corporate tax structure that Hungary and Ireland want no part of, etc. etc. A single nation can block tariffs on Russia. The list is endless.
Time to Start Over
The EU is a Toothless Tiger, Totally Dysfunctional Until it Disintegrates Into Oblivion.
It’s time to start over with a realistic vision of what the EU is all about. Merkel is nothing but a roadblock.
Mike “Mish” Shedlock
