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Erica Ambler wrote:

However, Merkel's recklessness is endangering everyone else in Europe as well. The only positive in this mess is that it led indirectly to Brexit.

Wish there was an option two. I know Trump doesn't like her (and vice versa)

Erica Ambler wrote:

Germany's past crimes are of such magnitude they're unforgivable, which makes it hard for me not to feel the country's disappearance would be a positive thing.

That's a bit harsh.

bitchcraft wrote:

Salomé wrote:

Define like?
but I don't really identify ideologically with her.

That's what I meant.

But do you think she's the best choice for Germany right now?

Well what I meant was more that she is perceived as a bleeding heart liberal in the Anglosphere when she is actually a conservative politician.
Hence why she voted against gay marriage, for instance. I would never vote for her were I german, since I lean liberal on social issues.

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So you believe Yugoslavia would still be a country to this day if not for Germany?

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Erica Ambler wrote:

Salomé wrote:

So you believe Yugoslavia would still be a country to this day if not for Germany?

The best writing gig I ever had was way back in 1989, when I pointed out to some suit at a monthly magazine that there were 12 EEC members and 12 issues a year. I spent 1990 profiling Europe with full expenses and the real freedom people only had before the mobile phone and internet.

One of the outfits I visited was Jugotron. It was immediately apparent that Yugoslavia was an entirely artificial construct headed for civil war (hmmm - it reminds me of something) so, no, Germany didn't cause the breakup. However, when Berlin broke ranks with the other EEC members and recognised Croatia and Slovenia just to demonstrate its born-again power it dramatically accelerated the disintegration and led to the deaths of thousands. Thank God for US air power.

And that's the only bit of my potted history you question?  

No, but it's the one I chose to engage you in.

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Allowing Germany to remain a state after 1945 was obviously a huge mistake. But hey, they had a big wall and David Hasselhoff went and sang on it and stuff so I guess they had it pretty tough too.

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I'm not sure that Angela Merkel was humiliated in these latest elections. If anything, after so many years of CDU rule, the fact that no other party was able to break their hegemony was a failure on their part. Especially with the supposedly unpopular decision to let in so many refugees. Frankly, failure to defeat a nearly 13-year incumbent coming off a term in which she took one of the most controversial decisions in her country's recent history is a bit pathetic on behalf of the other German parties, especially the SPD.

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It doesn't really explain the fact that my own country is very pro-EU.
Unless you want to argue that all Belgians are devout Catholics. Which is an amusing notion.

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Erica Ambler wrote:

Salomé wrote:

It doesn't really explain the fact that my own country is very pro-EU.

Might that have something to do with Belgium finding itself driving the greatest gravy train the world has ever seen?

Please explain.

Erica Ambler wrote:

Fascinating article in The Washington Post on religion and the EU. The more religious you are the more likely you are to support the EU. Unless you're a protestant of course:

Quote :

Protestants saw the nation state as very important for guaranteeing their liberty. For people in the Nordic states and the United Kingdom, the continent was the source of instability and of hegemony, and that’s part of why they developed a strong commitment to the nation and to national sovereignty — this was really the main vehicle for defence against, first, expanding Catholic control in the 16th and 17th centuries, and then, later on, Napoleon and Hitler.

Romans, Nazis, papists, useless idiots, lend me your ears.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/01/12/protestants-dont-like-the-european-union-compared-to-catholics-this-is-why/?utm_term=.ece86136f23e

Sceptical-of-religion-but-raised-Protestant Remain voter here. I'm terribly confused.

https://twitter.com/catalannews/status/977233149599117312

The biggest current indictment you can make against the E.U. is that they have let these quasi-fascist tactics by the Spanish government stand without any consequences or even a half-hearted condemnation from the European Commission.

Also, it's now clear that Puigdemont made a grave tactical error by leaving Belgium.

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The ROI didn't even decriminalise homosexuality until 1993 ... in more recent years they've voted for same-sex marriage, introduced proper pub opening hours on Good Friday and now voted for the repeal of their anti-abortion amendment.

At the risk of over-simplifying, the collapse of the Catholic Church's authority as moral arbiters in the Republic in the wake of the child-abuse scandal is fascinating.

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Well ... I could get the train to Dublin for that. In another example of progression in the Republic, they have lapdancing clubs now.

But yes, I strongly agree with you ... unfortunately, my homeland keeps voting the conservatively Christian DUP into power.

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