NationStates Jolt Archive

They are. A lot of Americans think they are not for some reason. Here's some proof:

England would be on EU's side becouse Bush has angered them so badly that they have forgotten the long lasted alliance.
(Implies that Britain is not already in the EU.)
and the UK would never join the EU. Mainly because its run by france.
(Directly states it!)

They are. A lot of Americans think they are not for some reason. Here's some proof:


(Implies that Britain is not already in the EU.)

(Directly states it!)
Cause the UK follows them around like a stray poodle. And their names are alot alike UK, US.

I don’t know some of it is the physical separation … some people just see the eu as the mainland

Also some of it has to do with all the fighting and the reluctance that England has shown joining the eu

Don’t know :)

lol

Do Americans not think that a country can be allied to the US and be a part of the EU as well? Someone better tell the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Denmark, Italy, etc. etc.

I don’t know some of it is the physical separation … some people just see the eu as the mainland

Also some of it has to do with all the fighting and the reluctance that England has shown joining the eu

Don’t know :)

Reluctance?

You have the EU confused with the Euro.

Don't generalize. There are plenty of people who know the UK is int he EU.

We do, however, applaud their decision to keep their own currency. ;)

It may be because the EU stands up to the U.S. and the UK doesn't. It could also be the whole euro thing; the pound being what it is, I can understand British reluctance to switch. I am well aware that the UK is in the EU but also understand that they consider themselves separate on some levels. Could be the geographic separation; after all, look what a geographic separation from Europe did to the U.S.

We are in the European Union. We just aren't in the European Monetory Union... yet.

The UK is very much part of the EU, it has also always been close to the US. Id go for the EU as the more important relationship at this point in time.

We do, however, applaud their decision to keep their own currency. ;)
Although I think many use the wrong reasons to justify keeping it.

Reluctance?

You have the EU confused with the Euro.

really? remember Thatcher? She called it the empire of europe. We also formed the Europian free trade area.

We were forced to join it because our economy kept crashing.

really? remember Thatcher? She called it the empire of europe. We also formed the Europian free trade area.

We were forced to join it because our economy kept crashing.
EFTA is dead.

EFTA is dead.

even so, we were a founding member.

We do, however, applaud their decision to keep their own currency. ;)
I don't. Their stupid protectionism is holding back trade and ease of business.

I don't. Their stupid protectionism is holding back trade and ease of business.
But the Pound is British, it is part of our national identity, and you cannot get rid of our nation identity. Otherwise God knows what might happen.

THIS IS SARCASM!!!!

We do, however, applaud their decision to keep their own currency. ;)


except of course, the enivitable unemployment, the recession in our manufacturing industry and of course the fact that it is much harder to trade in a more unified climate.

Yep, I love what we did :rolleyes:

If the conditions are right then I have no problem with ditching the pound.

Things have been going downhill since we gave up the groat :(

even so, we were a founding member.
It's still as dead as disco.

Not to rant or complain - it doesn't really bother me anyway - but it always got me why Americans call the United Kingdom 'England'. We haven't actually been 'England' for almost 300 years. It's only part of the United Kingdom. 'Tis a bit like us calling the US 'the Confederate States'.

It's because the UK is still on the Pound, and hasn't switched to the Euro (and for good reason, too. The Pound is stronger than the Euro). People think that any member of the EU has to use the Euro. Anyone who dosen't must not be in it, they reason.

Not to rant or complain - it doesn't really bother me anyway - but it always got me why Americans call the United Kingdom 'England'. We haven't actually been 'England' for almost 300 years. It's only part of the United Kingdom. 'Tis a bit like us calling the US 'the Confederate States'.
It's not just the Americans, I do it as well. It's just easier. And let's face, England is the most important part of the UK, it's like calling the US' citizens Americans, I guess

Not to rant or complain - it doesn't really bother me anyway - but it always got me why Americans call the United Kingdom 'England'. We haven't actually been 'England' for almost 300 years. It's only part of the United Kingdom. 'Tis a bit like us calling the US 'the Confederate States'.

Or "New York". We have the tendency to call you "England" because that is the region of the UK most familar to us. You'll never find an American who in referring to the United Kingdom as a whole says "Wales", "Scotland", or "Northern Ireland". England is just the area that we think of the most. No insult is intended.

even so, we were a founding member.

No we weren't. We joined in 1973, some time after it was formed.
The founding members were Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

I think that the americans talk about the Europa Union, that his strongest members is germany and france that is against USA, and UK that her opinions much closer to USA, had less power at the EU.

Uhm, it might be partially explained by... well, I know Britons who didn't know they're in the EU until I told them. Of course had to tell them to check their facts..

Don't generalize. There are plenty of people who know the UK is int he EU.

And I'm one of those people that know that they are part of the EU

We do, however, applaud their decision to keep their own currency. ;)

Here here!!!!

No we weren't. We joined in 1973, some time after it was formed.
The founding members were Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
He was talking about EFTA dude.......

I think that the americans talk about the Europa Union, that his strongest members is germany and france that is against USA, and UK that her opinions much closer to USA, had less power at the EU.

Germany and France are its strongest members?

Sorry dude, but Britain is stronger than France and Germany has not been strong since the end of WWII!

Uhm, it might be partially explained by... well, I know Britons who didn't know they're in the EU until I told them. Of course had to tell them to check their facts..
So true. In 1997 I had several arguments with Brits who couldn't believe UK is a member in EU.

Germany and France are its strongest members?

Sorry dude, but Britain is stronger than France and Germany has not been strong since the end of WWII!
LOLLOLLOLlollotiloo
Welcome to reality mate.

Calling Britain England would be like calling Canadians Americans to those of us not living in England! It does get very very annoying! Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales or all devolved from the rest of the UK and have their own governments... so I suppose its conceivable the only bit of the UK left will be England! Certainly in Scotlands case its quite possible that it will break off from the UK and become a full proper country in its own right.

Germany and France are its strongest members?

Sorry dude, but Britain is stronger than France and Germany has not been strong since the end of WWII!

What? Germany is far by the economically strongest nation in the EU. I agree, maybe not politically, that might fall to France or the UK. But thats why these nations are called 'the Big 3'

I think calling the US "America" is just as wrong as calling UK England.


hmmm maybe it's (people say england) because the language is called English, not British...or..could I say I'm bad in United Kingdomian?

What? Germany is far by the economically strongest nation in the EU. I agree, maybe not politically, that might fall to France or the UK. But thats why these nations are called 'the Big 3'

Sorry, I was thinking in military terms. I always do that. Your right on the economics aspects but even the German economy is slowing down!

I think calling the US "America" is just as wrong as calling UK England.

It is accurate because we are called the United States of America so America can be an accurate term!

I think calling the US "America" is just as wrong as calling UK England.


hmmm maybe it's (people say england) because the language is called English, not British...or..could I say I'm bad in United Kingdomian?

But then as the States speak English should we then be referring to there as England?

Sorry, I was thinking in military terms. I always do that. Your right on the economics aspects but even the German economy is slowing down!
That's true. France is the second biggest and German is 3rd (military terms).
Could someone explain to me why UK spends so much on military?

It is accurate because we are called the United States of America so America can be an accurate term!
But then one can never know if you are talking about one country in America or about the whole continent.

ok of course you usually understand it immediately, I mean that the word America has more meanings.

That's true. France is the second biggest and German is 3rd (military terms).
Could someone explain to me why UK spends so much on military?
A lot of it is Trident and other nuclear technologies(About eight billion pounds a year), we also spend a lot(though not enough) on the RAF and Royal Navy , since we are an Island our army is small compared to France or Germany.

Sooner or later the power of the UK, France and Germany within the EU will be inconsequential. As more countries join and more issues are voted on (without the nations having a veto) the power of each individual nation is reduced. And just to give my opinion on the thread question - perhaps its because we have a prime minister who seems to do whatever Bush tells him too!

But then as the States speak English should we then be referring to there as England?
Just wondering. Don't take it too seriously. I do realise we don't call Brasil Portugal or Argentina Spain, or better yet, Castellano

Sooner or later the power of the UK, France and Germany within the EU will be inconsequential. As more countries join and more issues are voted on (without the nations having a veto) the power of each individual nation is reduced. And just to give my opinion on the thread question - perhaps its because we have a prime minister who seems to do whatever Bush tells him too!

Actually, Blair tries to do everything the EU says. Britain is one of the few countries that follow EU regulations to the letter. Others, France in particular, tend to ignore a lot of the rules they're supposed to follow

As i understand it the German Economy slipped from 3rd in the world to 4th in the world over the last 13 years... but then they did finance the reconstruction of an entire 2nd world nation (DDR) to 1st world nation (unified Germany).

As an alternative to joining the Euro, why doesn't Britain join the US Dollar? We get to keep preferential trade agreements with Europe, and we also get more preferential trade with America.

Actually, Blair tries to do everything the EU says. Britain is one of the few countries that follow EU regulations to the letter. Others, France in particular, tend to ignore a lot of the rules they're supposed to follow


A case in point would be the rules governing fiscal responsibility and the eurozone. There was the opportunity to level large fines to France and Germany for public overspending (I think) but they got a slap on the wrists.

Compare and contrast to the European central banks response to the pleas from the UK on Black Wednesday. I'd like to support the introduction of the Euro in the UK, but with the way the central bank have acted in the past makes me think it might be a better idea to keep well away.

Actually, Blair tries to do everything the EU says. Britain is one of the few countries that follow EU regulations to the letter. Others, France in particular, tend to ignore a lot of the rules they're supposed to follow

Why am I not surprised that France ignores alot of the rules whereas Britian tries to follow them to the letter?

The only "rule" that i remember France breaking (along with Germany and Portugal :p ) was the grownth and stability pact, and that was because they were unable to cut their deficit. Which is something they did because they are inconsequencial, not because they wanted to.

It's true that France and Germany haven't been behaving very well and it's annoying. But there are some things relating to EU Brits don't like to talk about. Like why they pay so much less to EU than other (paying) countries? UK actually pays less than Sweden or Finland. UK also gets less money from the union, but the difference isn't big enough to explain this. I know it's because of some really old agreement but the reasons are not valid anymore.

I can't find any recent stats. So the Sweden/Finland point might not be true anymore, that was based on 1995 stats.

As an alternative to joining the Euro, why doesn't Britain join the US Dollar? We get to keep preferential trade agreements with Europe, and we also get more preferential trade with America.

Why? the dollar is even lower than the Euro compared to the pound, almost 2 dollars to the pound now. Besides we are part of the continent of Europe and id much rather be an EU state than a US one

Why? the dollar is even lower than the Euro compared to the pound, almost 2 dollars to the pound now. Besides we are part of the continent of Europe and id much rather be an EU state than a US one

Last time I checked the atlas, Britain was an Island and not attached to the Continent of Europe. However, it is part of the European Region but it is not part of the European Continent.

Here's one chart (2001) from a Finnish site

Germany -6953
Holland -2257
France -2035
Italia -1978
Sweden -973
Belgia -630
Austria -536
Denmark -229
Finland -150
Luxemburg -144

UK +708
Ireland +1203
Portugal +1794
Greece +4513
Spain +8280

(How much they have "lost" or gained in million €)
http://www.kaapeli.fi/seppanen/jutut/nettomaksut.htm

Last time I checked the atlas, Britain was an Island and not attached to the Continent of Europe. However, it is part of the European Region but it is not part of the European Continent.

It is part of the same continent, as in we are the same land mass, the two were connected by a land bridge up untill the last ice age. The two are on the same continental plate.

Here's one chart (2001) from a Finnish site
Germany -6953

I always thought that we - the Federal Republic of Germany pay to much into the EU. If we would cut that to zero (I mean the total number not the saldo) that would also decrease our deficit below the 3% barrier.
But well - the overspending into the EU seems to be the price for not having to pay reparations.
So, that seems to be the "new european system".
But now the Federal Republic is itself in economic problems. So it would actually be time to ask for a pay discount as Britain did during the 1980s.
No cent more for Bruxelles.
Limit the budget of the EU!

But now the Federal Republic is itself in economic problems. So it would actually be time to ask for a pay discount as Britain did during the 1980s.
No cent more for Bruxelles.
Limit the budget of the EU!
Seconded!
And cut the artificial agricultural aid (base, financing).

Wow, nobodies given the real reason. It's because we Yanks have a fair ammount of respect and admiration for the Brits, while what we usually see of the EU is one of their pompous blowhards making a fool of themself. Not to suggest that the Brits cannot produce pompous blowhards, but they don't take them seriously like the EU does. When you look at how the EU misfunctions and all the silliness associated with the way the ministries are staffed, and the debates about the locations of offices, it is hard for us as outsiders to take the EU seriously. Thus we cannot actually accept that the Brits, who we like and respect, are part of the EU, which we look upon as an amusing entertainment.

But the Pound is British, it is part of our national identity, and you cannot get rid of our nation identity. Otherwise God knows what might happen.

THIS IS SARCASM!!!!
Damn right. ;)