Originally posted by mongu
Keltic, the UK is a net contributor to the EU budget. Ireland is a net beneficiary of it! The situation is 180 degrees.

Spain is like Ireland – it gets more than it puts in, like most of the Mediterranean countries.

Of course these countries are going to be less eurosceptical than the countries that contribute more – Germany and the UK have higher levels of euroscepticism than say, Spain and Ireland.

Yes, that´s obvious, but I didn´t mean that. Spain will be a contributor when the new countries will enter, and the Spanish people love the EU for other reasons. Common people are not really aware of that point. It´s a question of being isolated by Europe, with a ditatorship for years and our desire to be treated as other european countries. I don´t want to reduce that to a question of national egoism with money. What I meant is that……..would all the European economies be as they are without the EU?.

Originally posted by Snapper
We aren’t. What on earth does someone in Cornwall have in comon with someone in Northern Spain, culturally? .

Lots. In fact, Northwest of Spain is a celt society more similar to Scotland, Ireland or Bretagne than the rest of Spain. So as you see Europe is a surprising place…why? Common history which makes culture go around. Of course there are differences….as for example in the North and South of India where there should be internal differences, but seeing from outside, there are lots of points in common. If you tell a Chinese, Europeans are different, they would be amused. I think it´s a question of prespective.

Booming economy. Yes, UK is also a booming economy. Let me ask me a question. Do you think that the UK would have such a booming economy is you hadn´t been on the EU?. Of course that´s due to the country merits…..but out of the EU, had the UK been able to achieve it?. Just a question.

Snapper, we leave you to decide what you want. Do WE force you to stay in the EU?. Neither the Conservative or Labour party is too fond of a referendum, probably they don´t see the EU that bad. Even Mrs Thatcher, who was so opposed, never had the bollocks to bring the country out. We really want the UK to make up their minds. It´s not confortable, hearing the people moaning all the time. I don´t know what you mean with “US”. The UK might be opposed to Euro, but I seriously doubt and I have seen some surveys (sorry Kev35) that only a minority would leave the union. I have lived in London, and honestly the opposition to the EU and euro is not that strong, perhaps they are in contact with other europeans, trade with euro and have a more cosmopolitan approach. I don´t know if the main entreprises of your country would be amussed of leaving the EU, specially after taking into account that most ot trade in your country is made with other European members….What I surprise me more, is that you make the rest of Europe of the rules and laws that the EU accepts. Your country approves all that is applied in your country.
About insularity…..Ireland is also an island and are not euroeskeptics. I hate subsudies. Why to subsidie other countries
…..solidarity, perhaps?. 🙂

I don´t mind americans oppinions, because they offer an external outlook. Too close to the british but in any case interesting. We ourselves talk about the US too often.

Originally posted by mongu
YES!!

Stop supporting the EU. If that means less integration for the next 20 years, well, that is the price we must pay. You shot yourself in the foot by taking the Euro I’m afraid!

I greatly admire most of Europe and integration, if done properly, would be a wonderful thing. But there is too much to loose by doing it badly. In fact, it should be done right or not at all.

Are you begining to understand why I dislike the EU so much?

Great I am starting to see that you don´t dislike the EU that much. We agree, I don´t tell the integration has to be quick. You told it…..I´ve done properly a great thing…..You told it, you told it. So you despise the methods not the objective. As far as euro is concerned….don´t worry sometime shotting oneself in the feet can be a good thing if this is rotten. Read my lips…you´ll get the EURO. 😀

Originally posted by Snapper
“So if Germans are Germans, French are French and British are British…..I am just discovered that there are not europeans in Europe”

Correct – or don’t you wish to have an identity? Don’t you wish to be Spanish? Europe is a concept.
(Oh, and in my previosu post I got you mixed up, thought you were Belgian, not Spanish. Sorry. Will leave it in though, as it is pertinent.)

Don´t worry about the confusion. Europe is a reality not a concept. Geographically, politically and culturally. Just observed from outside the similarities are seem. I am Galician, Spanish, and European. Like the two faces of the same coin. My identity is comprised by many different realities. Our heads are big enough to accept this so called cosmopolitism. Would you find that it would really impoverishing having only Spanish identity icons in my head?.

Originally posted by Snapper
“Snapper I have to agree with you entirely”

Why, pray tell, must we become amalgamated? YOUR COUNTRY (from which my Grandmother came from) has not been in existence for a massive length of time, created by politics – like the EU incidentally. A buffer Zone between France, Holland and Germany. You have how many languages? “is the European culture so shamefull to make you just look to your belly?”

-hey I am Spanish, dear friend. I don´t find amalgamation but enrichment of common, sharing different prespectives, and having a wider prespective. Only amalgamation is produced by force. The EU does nto impose anything which hasn´t been accepted by all the countries-

What European Culture? Which European culture? IT’S A BIG PLACE. Why must Turkey and Switzerland be assimilated? Greece and Denmark? France and on and on and on. Its NOT about that. Anyone with half a brain can see that. Shall we all be the same? Same language, currency, TV, Food, same everything? Great, for a few years we can fly for 10 hours to have a holiday where things are different. Before we amalgamate that. Imperialism by no-one, suffered by all. I return the question – Is European culture so shameful you must redeem it by diluting other cultures?

-European culture is a multiple one, like in your country. Is Scotland amalgamated into the English culture?. Unfortunately, people travel, internet is quite extended, and whatever we like it or not……there´s a kind of amalgamation as you call it. Why is so bad countries to interchange experiences?. Don´t you find great a cultural melting pot?. I don´t know what you refer with Switzerland and Turkey…in fact nobody calls them…..it´s them who should to knock at the door.

“Will you be able to hide the British purity in the globalized world?”

Purity is something Hitler and the KKK believed in. That great Aryan race. Hitler was, of course, tall, blond and blue eyed. so was Goering, Himmler, Goebells…..Heydrich? He looked the part at least, but then thats a typical Jewish trick…..(insert sarcasm smiley).

-With purity I just enclose a hidden question. Why do you think the UK can´t accept aportations of other countries?

“I am affraid there are too many prejudices and probably a lack of common understanding.”

Who’s spouting prejudice? Those of us who want to preserve a long-standing national identity, culture and tradition? I want to sing ‘God Save The Queen’, I want to have a pint in a pub. I want to fly away on holiday and have croissants in a cafe – and pay for that in Francs. So that you can (unless you are a Flemish Belgian) understand clearly, I shall say it in French, a European language:

-And do you think that moaning against the EU you´ll keep the identity. Identity bases on that points?. I have to say, that I feel that tha UK is fearfull to what´s coming from other countries. I think identity should be based on values not on what you mention. I think the UK has changed dramatically, it´s that what you fearfull about. People drinking coffee at Starbucks, eating pasta instead of pudding, having sherry instead of beer, watching american stuff, having croissants, bagels, focaccias instead of sandwitches…………the channel won´t prevent influence from coming in, and it won´t prevent from what I have called a melting point. I love as you call “la differance…I try to look for it everytime you go to your country, Believe….time after time, I am seeing less and less as you call identity. We can´t stop that. Blame your own citizens, not to other countries which don´t want to impose anything.

Vive La Difference.