listermint wrote: » Ok wait hold on, just catching up on this comment So now in order to maintain positive decision making you need 100% results. I guess that puts pains to the brexit argument. I'm not sure you read the stuff you post. Frankly
Bit cynical wrote: » While Brexit will be seen as a disruptive event, in the longer term I don't think it is the case that membership of the EU is literally 100% positive for every citizen in the EU. It is a question of net benefit. Do the benefits outweigh the costs? There's no objective answer to that question; it really depends on your values.
Bit cynical wrote: » Like I said, it was a silly example. But the point remains that safety and money, though perfectly valid, are not the only values that people can hold.
Imreoir2 wrote: » Values such as? You are keeping your statements extremely vague and I suggest the reason is that you can't defend the specifics.
Bit cynical wrote: » However believing that one's own values are the only rational values and therefore everyone else's are insane is itself irrational.But the construction of a metric returns to the question of what your values are.
BonnieSituation wrote: » And should their insane priorities be given equal footing to our more rational ones?
So what metrics would you use to measure the success of the EU?
brickster69 wrote: » I take it that you cannot explain how the EU are doing sector deals with the USA and why the UK cannot do the same.
Bit cynical wrote: » Again, that depends on your values. You or I may regard safety and security to be the highest good but someone else may have different priorities.
Imreoir2 wrote: » Thats a fairly fatous statement, I don't think anyone has suggested creating a thought police to prevent stupid ideas from being held. At the same time, however, it should be expected of the state to work damn hard to prevent such ill-informed blige from causing untold damage to the country as is happening now with Brexit. Not all opinions are equally valid, that a large number of people support a stupid idea does not transform it into a good idea.
Bit cynical wrote: » There you go. But even though this is a silly example (the purple colour not being a requirement of membership), it is their right to hold that view.
Bit cynical wrote: » There you go. But even though this is a silly example, it is their right to hold that view.
Imreoir2 wrote: » Indeed, some people seem happy to trade security and prosperity for a blue passport, bizzare as that may be.
Tropheus wrote: » Johnston and co may be liars, but they're not thick. They know that a no deal Brexit will be an unmitigated disaster that will see them out of power very quickly. Johnston's priority will be to keep himself in No. 10. What's happening now and up to the end of September is nothing more than posturing. I don't accept that no deal is inevitable as some commentators are saying. It still has to get through parliament. Johnston is threatening to bypass parliament but, again, he won't do that as it will see him out of power very quickly. He will be able to turn around and say that he wanted to leave with no deal, but parliament wouldn't let him. This may result in a general election which I can see changing things very much. This has a long way to run yet and sod all will happen on Nov 1 bar a likely extension.
BonnieSituation wrote: » There's no objective answer as to whether the creation of the richest, safest Union in the world is a good idea?
Tropheus wrote: » I don't accept that no deal is inevitable as some commentators are saying. It still has to get through parliament.
Stop moaning ffs wrote: » I admire anyone with your level of devotion but if I could ask, can you outline any benefits or positive outcomes for the average Briton post brexit? Even one?
Varta wrote: » Indeed, that's because he has nothing else in his armoury. I'm certain, however, that he believes that those threats and warnings will be enough to make the EU buckle and that this has always been his plan.
Strazdas wrote: » But according to the UK press today (Sunday Express for example), he is merely going there to thump the table and issue them with warnings / threats.
Varta wrote: » I believe we will see Johnson's plan unfold this week. On Wednesday and Thursday he meets with the two 'real' leaders of the EU. This is where he believes he will get movement from the EU and it has been the plan all along. This is the last minute EU blinking scenario talked about so often. My own belief is that they will give him nothing, but that this is the week when everything crystallises.
fash wrote: » it's no "translation error" nor "EU speech" - it is a legal word. For example, an arbitration happens because of a clause in a contract. There has to be a dividing line between what disputes can be decided by the arbitrator and what cannot. The arbitrator gets to decide most of his limits - called the "competence-competence"
brickster69 wrote: » Is that why the EU are only negotiating a FTA on industrial and mechanical goods with the US at the moment ?
MrMusician18 wrote: » Sectoral trade deals are not permitted under... Wait for it... GATT 24 Oh the irony.
Charles Babbage wrote: » NI would need a seperate VAT territory and would probably need to be in, or effecively in, the EU VAT union. That is OK until GB decides to change their VAT rates or abolish VAT altogether.