Wednesday, March 29, 2017

And the Brits go "Buh-Bye"

Britain's "get stuffed, Euros" letter.

I expect that the Euros will take a negotiating stance of "fuck you, don't let the screen door hit you in the arse." The Brits are not the only country whose citizens are contemplating leaving the EU, so it's in the interest of the EU to make this as tough for the Brits as possible.

No single market. No special deal on trade. No "soft border" between Ireland and Northern Ireland. The EU should offer the same sort of "deep and special partnership" to The Brits that is currently enjoyed by Brazil.

British hospitals are being hit by a double blow. First, nurses from EU countries are not every interested in working there. Second, the Brits have switched from offering scholarships for nursing students to offering loans, which resulted in a lot less interest in that career. That won't be helped if British expats (mainly retirees) move back home.

Prime Minister May's letter could be viewed as a veiled threat to not cooperate on security or anti-terrorism matters if the deal isn't to her liking. I suspect that the Euros will be inclined to call her on that.

Meanwhile, the Scots are rethinking their 2014 decision to stay in the UK. Northern Ireland may mull over leaving the UK.

Shit's going to get interesting.

8 comments:

  1. Fun note, it takes 27 other countries voting yes, most requiring their equivalent to Congress to vote yes to do so. Of even one votes no, you can't leave (yet). Meanwhile, the U.K. Is excluded from all decisions henceforth.

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  2. All ties are severed after two years unless the parties agree to an extension. The game of Risk played economically.

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  3. So the EU should threaten its members with a bludgeon instead of working out differences?
    Are any member countries unhappy with the proposed firearms restrictions?

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  4. And now some of those Brits are wondering about Russian fuckery. Don't know what I think about this yet, but we'll likely soon see.

    http://www.businessinsider.com/labour-mp-ben-bradshaw-suspicious-russian-interference-brexit-2017-2


    -Doug in Oakland

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  5. "So the EU should threaten its members with a bludgeon instead of working out differences?"

    The UK has already committed to leaving, they aren't going to stay because the EU tries to work out their differences. At this point the EU is negotiating to get the best deal for their own citizens and is unconcerned about whether the UK gets a good deal or a terrible one. In fact from the perspective of the EU, they would like to see the UK get the worst posasible deal so that others who might leave will think twice.

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  6. P.S. Europeans don't tend to fetishize firearms like Americans, so I doubt firearms restrictions are seen as a big deal.

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  7. Linus Obvious, we are aware of Brexit; the figurative bludgeon is for other wavering EU members.

    The USA has other freedoms many Europeans do not fetishize. However, there are firearm-owning Europeans who are not happy with EU laws restricting the more limited freedoms they enjoy.

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  8. Linus, where in this post did I mention firearms? As far as I can see, I did not.

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