Why would I want to join the EU? Sombody explain please

[HoreTore]

Unlike you EU-members, I have to listen to a an EU-debate that has no end. It usually consists of some west side punk screaming "our trade will collapse if we don't!!!" and a farmer yelling back "you're not getting my money you punk!". As I side with the farmer, I'm wondering: could anyone here come up with any good reason for me to support the EU? As far as I can see, the "benefits" are:

- Security experts who think it's a good idea to burn data for millions of people onto DVD's, then lose them.
- Idiotic politicians. I have enough of them here, why would I want more of them, with less chance to get rid of them?
- Market liberalism, EU style. Seems like a combination of all the bad aspects of all the ideologies. I did like the microsoft fine though.
- Polish presidents.
- "Amending treaties".
- More bureaucracy. I'm always amazed to see market liberals support the enormous bureaucracy of the EU. Am I missing something?
- Idiotic bureaucracy. If you have a committee to decide the bend of a banana or the proper glass to serve beer in, you have too much time on your hands.
- Tony Blair as president.


And probably a few more too. So, could anyone explain why I would want to support the EU?

[Fragony]

It's either that or misery poverty desperation and possibly nuclair holocaust, at least that is what they told me.

[Rodion Romanovich]

Why would I want to join the EU? Sombody explain please

Because if you think it would be funny to see your own money burnt up or flushed down the toilet, it seems so much cooler to give it to champagne and Pacific cruises to fat, rich men in the different EU member countries.

[Adrian II]

Unlike you EU-members, I have to listen to a an EU-debate that has no end. It usually consists of some west side punk screaming "our trade will collapse if we don't!!!" and a farmer yelling back "you're not getting my money you punk!". As I side with the farmer, I'm wondering: could anyone here come up with any good reason for me to support the EU? As far as I can see, the "benefits" are:

- Security experts who think it's a good idea to burn data for millions of people onto DVD's, then lose them.
- Idiotic politicians. I have enough of them here, why would I want more of them, with less chance to get rid of them?
- Market liberalism, EU style. Seems like a combination of all the bad aspects of all the ideologies. I did like the microsoft fine though.
- Polish presidents.
- "Amending treaties".
- More bureaucracy. I'm always amazed to see market liberals support the enormous bureaucracy of the EU. Am I missing something?
- Idiotic bureaucracy. If you have a committee to decide the bend of a banana or the proper glass to serve beer in, you have too much time on your hands.
- Tony Blair as president.


And probably a few more too. So, could anyone explain why I would want to support the EU?

I'd rather have a committee deciding about the shape of beer glasses than the Norwegian state monopoly on alcohol itself. Particularly if the first was a lame joke and the second was very real. As for privacy, Norway is in the 'systemic failure to uphold safeguards' category (PI).

Anyway, why should we want you as members? As it is, Norwegians pay for their right of entry to the common market and they have to comply with all EU standards, but they don't have a say in any of them. Which is fine by me. We have enough yelling farmers already.

When Norwegian voters rejected membership of the EU in 1994, Norway opted instead to join the European Economic Area. The EEA gives it access to the EU's internal market and its "four freedoms": freedom of movement for goods, services, people and capital. But this comes at a price. The Norwegians are obliged to accept every single piece of internal-market legislation, and they have no vote on these laws. Norway had to restructure its entire natural-gas industry to satisfy the EU's competition authorities. All European environmental and social legislation has also had to be adopted, including those irksome EU regulations on working-time and parental leave that drive British right-wingers to distraction. Norway even makes a sizeable contribution to the EU budget--as large as that made by a comparable-sized EU member, such as Denmark.

The Economist, October 7, 2004

[HoreTore]

As for privacy, Norway is in the 'systemic failure to uphold safeguards' category

I know. And I sincerely doubt that bringing in more control freaks is the solution to that problem.

As far as I can see, joining the EU means reinforcing everything I hate in this country, and taking away the things I do like, like the few monopolies and state controlled areas we have left.

As for the state monopoly on alcohol; I actually love it. The stores have an extremely good selection of whisky, and if they don't have it, they'll order it and have it in a few days... If the monopoly is lifted, I fear a future where I'm forced to drink cheap vodka because it's impossible to find anything else without traveling across the country... And they have a good selection of local beer, a thing you can't find in any other store/bar here(the big companies force them out). The price I can live with, I only drink islay scotch so it's going to be expensive anyway

[Zim]

Do you really think ending a state monopoly on alcohol would have that serious of an effect? I live in America, and in a small economically depressed town, and I've never been forced drink Vodka from a plastic jug due to the lack of anything better.

It would be nice if someone could force concert venues to have decent beer, though...

I know. And I sincerely doubt that bringing in more control freaks is the solution to that problem.

As far as I can see, joining the EU means reinforcing everything I hate in this country, and taking away the things I do like, like the few monopolies and state controlled areas we have left.

As for the state monopoly on alcohol; I actually love it. The stores have an extremely good selection of whisky, and if they don't have it, they'll order it and have it in a few days... If the monopoly is lifted, I fear a future where I'm forced to drink cheap vodka because it's impossible to find anything else without traveling across the country... And they have a good selection of local beer, a thing you can't find in any other store/bar here(the big companies force them out). The price I can live with, I only drink islay scotch so it's going to be expensive anyway

[Kagemusha]

Like Adrian II said. Just keep out and obey, you Norse.We are happy to get your money without you having anything to say on anything.

[Pannonian]

Because the addition of Norway will mean Scandinavia has a less suggestive shape on the Euro?

[JR-]

Unlike you EU-members, I have to listen to a an EU-debate that has no end. It usually consists of some west side punk screaming "our trade will collapse if we don't!!!" and a farmer yelling back "you're not getting my money you punk!". As I side with the farmer, I'm wondering: could anyone here come up with any good reason for me to support the EU? As far as I can see, the "benefits" are:

- Security experts who think it's a good idea to burn data for millions of people onto DVD's, then lose them.
- Idiotic politicians. I have enough of them here, why would I want more of them, with less chance to get rid of them?
- Market liberalism, EU style. Seems like a combination of all the bad aspects of all the ideologies. I did like the microsoft fine though.
- Polish presidents.
- "Amending treaties".
- More bureaucracy. I'm always amazed to see market liberals support the enormous bureaucracy of the EU. Am I missing something?
- Idiotic bureaucracy. If you have a committee to decide the bend of a banana or the proper glass to serve beer in, you have too much time on your hands.
- Tony Blair as president.


And probably a few more too. So, could anyone explain why I would want to support the EU?

you are correct, there is no good reason for Norway to join the EU, congratulations on living in an ace country.

the federalised EU in the 2090's has a very good chance of being a bigger and nastier version of the balkans in the 1990's.

[doc_bean]

could anyone here come up with any good reason for me to support the EU?

Not me !

[KrooK]

HoreTore- if you don't like - don't join. Maybe we don't need Norwegian malcontents :)
I can say from polish perspective - Poland earned much more than it lost.
And without polish workers you would still live into Igloo :)

[HoreTore]

And without polish workers you would still live into Igloo :)

Bah. we only use you because you're available. If you decide to quit, we'll simply turn to another poor eastern bloc/3rd world country Those aren't in short supply, you know...

[Fragony]

Is it just me or did this euro-discussion spark some norwegian populism

[HoreTore]

Every once in a while it's my turn, Frag

[Ice]

Bah. we only use you because you're available. If you decide to quit, we'll simply turn to another poor eastern bloc/3rd world country Those aren't in short supply, you know...

ouch

[Zim]

Actually, Poland would have been a member of the Second World while under the Soviet sphere of influence and, insofar as these distinctions really matter any more (and they really don't with the collapse of the Soviet Union) a member of the Democratic First World now.


Even Wikipedia agrees!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_World

"Many "Second World" countries are now considered part of the "First World". These countries include Russia, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic."

Bah. we only use you because you're available. If you decide to quit, we'll simply turn to another poor eastern bloc/3rd world country Those aren't in short supply, you know...

[HoreTore]

Actually, Poland would have been a member of the Second World while under the Soviet sphere of influence and, insofar as these distinctions really matter any more (and they really don't with the collapse of the Soviet Union) a member of the Democratic First World now.

As far as wages are concerned, they're most definitely not.