To me it looks the EU is an attempt to jury rig a United States of Europe.

Here is how the EU is going about this thing the wrong way:

While the Euro is great as a single overarching currency, it's still not present in all in EU countries to the point where every citizen uses it like the US dollar is used throughout all of the states. We still have this situation where you have some of the member countries using their own currencies but the prices are are basically based on the Euro and you end up with situations where you have "Easter Europ earnings, Western Europe prices".

I would also like to point out the inherent weakness of the EU as far as bankrupcy of its member states and how it affects everyone in the EU. For example, when California went pretty much bankrupt, I don't recall the entire US shaking in its knickers about it. Granted, there are only 27 countries as opposed to 50 states but I'll bet my bottom eurodollar that some of the financial mechanisms concering a centralized financial institution are similar in nature.

Also, you can't overcome centuries of sovereignty overnight.

TLDR: the EU is trying to become like the US and having a bad time at it.

Really ? You like the idea of higher tax rate on rich ?
If he applies this, there won't be any big "entrepreneurs" left in france as they would all flee to switzerland and other tax-free countries. Coz more than 50% of tax rate is ridiculous I think. And then when they'll flee, who'll pay the taxes ? certainly not the uneducated foreigner mother of 10 children that's been using the social system for her own benefit because she doesn't like her own country's system.

Other than that, improving education ? France is one of the most advanced countries in education in the world.. You just have to compare School education in France with their neighbours and with the States.
Nowadays even people with Bac +6, Very high education don't find easily jobs in France, so I really don't think the education is the problem. If there were more educated people, there'll just be more and more unemployement...

The real problem is the lack of opportunities provided to said unemployed masters and doctorate holders, and the admission of lot's of illegal immigrants who are using the system to their own advantage.

It's not a personal political opinion, it's an objective fact sustianed by concreet researches...

Polish currency is weak enough to not be devaluated again :P Also, Donald Tusk is making what he can to join the euro zone.

I thought requirements to join euro currency are high, but it appears Poland is near to meet them? Yes, Polish economy is on edge. When we join euroland, we may collapse even faster (now we are benefitients of the fact our currency is weaker (more buyers)), and drag EU down even further...

Euro zone with weak countries like Poland may only loose...
You know that high taxes for rich in many cases means less jobs for poor?

You have to understand that in economy the rich NEVER pay taxes. Raise taxes = higher prices or closing down the business and move to another country. Simple as that.

Pumping money in economics should look always like this -> lower the taxes.

I don't know about Iceland, but so you make your own opinion about France, it's a heavily indebted (which work as long as investors thrust in the system), moderately taxed country with a relatively poor purchasing power (compared to it's "not imploding neighbours" at least)
Hollande wants to freeze energy prices for the end users, hire 2.5bn € / year of teachers, tax the rich, reduce the age at which people can retire (and start earning state allocation), higher unemployment allocation, with the goal of forcing a reflation.

Me thinking it sounds nice, apart for the fact that there is no money to pay all that with. And taxing the rich sounds just plain stupid when you want them to invest in the economy again.


What we would need to save the European economy would be the few remaining strong economy discussing with each other, rather than thinking of saving their own asses (as it will only work for so long..), but well, guess it will be up to the Swiss and the US to save us.

Requirement to join the euro zone is basically being member of the union and not being the UK. It's mandatory for all countries (but the UK and Denmark) to join, Sweden is actually using a loophole not to.

I see this as fallacy. Fallacy perpetuated by propaganda and empowered by ignorance. Big Box business stifles innovation. Their idea of innovation is to learns new ways to squeeze out increased profit from existing systems. They are not interested in creating new things outside their existing sphere of influence. They don't go out on a limb to create the light bulb. Rather they invest in more cost effective ways to rend fat to candle, or to brew up a new paraffin recipe. Big Business doesn't make the big moves such as going from candlelight to electric light. They are too invested in their own hugeness to re-tool their manufacturing for new systems. Even in tech where we see tons of "new stuff", its all just improvements of the old. Existing paradigms.

I know, what I said above is a generalization. There are exceptions. But truth is, it's been the little guys who drive most true innovation. This is historically correct. The big guys move slow. They must see someone else profiting on something new, before they are willing to re-tool their massive manufacturing. The little guys are free to innovate. They are also quicker to react to social and market change. But we live in a day where the big guys pwn government to their will, resulting in increased market restrictions which are limiting innovation, and weakening our nations economies by putting all our eggs into too few baskets. Small and local businesses are vital to a healthy economy. The big guys are not. People just think they are because they currently pwn our markets.


A quick addition: In the US, the fat cats have been sitting on their money. Doing nothing with it! All those bailouts and stimulus packages and corporate welfare has only resulted in them getting richer and our communities growing poorer. Trickle down comes as a mist if at all. But where local businesses are on the rise, we see increased tax monies for education and public safety etc. We see new businesses developing off others. We see growth in those places where small local businesses are on the rise. We see nothing of the billions of tax dollars diverted to big box pockets.

But they don't have enough money to invent anything.

Then where did the automobile come from? Not from the carriage makers I assure you.

EDIT: I'm just gonna put this here. fast forward to minute 4:20 (or better yet watch all).

http://youtu.be/sTZmyZ8jtw0

So Ford motor company was ok when it was small, but when it has grown, and now benefits on the fact they were pioneers, now they should GTFO from US?

Nobody will be innovative, if they will be treated like this "do your job, but when you will get rich in the process, GTFO"

Why I should invent anything, when making money on it would be double taxed, and I would be treated like the Devil?

If Ford were to have cornered the market as many of our big businesses do today, then yes they should Get The Frack Out. Right now we are still stuck on an inefficient combustion engine. We should be well past this. We would be if not for artificial limits imposed by the anti-competitive practices of the corrupted market. Now it's taking lawmaking to force the issue of transportation innovation. '

I know these things aren't so simple as we can define within casual forum postings. But there is historical truth in the fallacy of trickle down economics. And there is historical proof that big box industries are slow to innovate. Whats worse is the recent history of big business restricting the markets for their own benefit. We have monsanto suing farmers because honey bees carried trademarked genes to their fields. monsanto pollutes the heritage seed stocks of farmers. Then uses the government to sue the farmers out of competition for local food markets. monsanto writes laws to restrict the selling of produce from small farms. etc etc

I agree. Small businesses are always a great motor to economy. If the taxes were anywhere getting lower, politicians should start from lowering the taxes for people who want to start business.

It's good when companies are driven by individuals who treat their companies like their own child (like Ford company once was).

It's bad when companies are driven by dozens of people in board of directors, hundreds of people as shareholders etc. They don't care about anything but increasing their wages.

This scene from wonderful original Wall Street movie describes best what i'm talking about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF_iorX_MAw

As long as the new government (a coalition, possibly until summertime) keeps true to the austerity pledges (and they will), I doubt anyone (except Germany) would give a rat's ass what happens in the Greek elections.

As for Germany, they may not like the fact the Greek far-right nationalist party is now in the Parliament, but they still won't care, as long as the government continues the austerity measures.

I find it hilarious/depressing that as I watch governments fail all around due to their greed/corruption/stupidity, people still believe that more government will save them.

Well that's where I'm at with this. But clearly our tax revenues are not enough to cover basic societal needs. Something needs to change. Big business reaps enormous profit and is unwilling to reinvest. While small business can't survive. But its the small guys getting taxed more. While the big guys have enjoyed massive tax cuts. Things are getting worse not better.

My own business ventures are taxed too prohibitively to be viable. These are one or two man services. We can't even pick up a chainsaw and purchase timber sale to harvest poles for barn building. The farmers are stuck with buying material from big box suppliers. They pay more and all the proceeds are exported out of the community. If we could cut the poles for them, they save money while we make money. Money which we spend locally, for others to then spend locally. That money keeps cycling around, getting taxed and funding our local civil needs while putting money in the pockets of our neighbors.

But the taxes I face, and the restrictions put before me, make it such that I cannot pursue these opportunities. I can't even hire out to eradicate local infestations of the Himalayan Blackberry off peoples land. They can't afford to pay the rate I'd have to charge in order to pay my tax. Blackberry removal is the lowest overhead venture I have. The cost is near all labor. That business should be viable. Instead, my neighbors resort to monsanto chemical alternatives. monsanto, a company receiving tax breaks, subsidies, corporate welfare.


Apologies, I have strayed far from the topic of the new French President. Though I see him as potentially being one of a rising number of leaders taking a stand against the status quo.

Well, they could also work toward the best, 'cause one does not feed from hope.