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  • QMRifM6TqLt
    05.09.2015 12:20
    Let me preface my ctnmemos by saying that I am an American who has been living in Europe (Germany) for the last 6 years.I don't know when Rob was last in Europe, but they no longer have the slightest idea how to run a railroad. Every year, the prices go up and the service goes down. The current motto of the Deutsche Bahn appears to be you can't get there from here and the now former head of the DB declared that only a fool would take the train when he could fly. Connections and service between the major population centers are still good, but the commuter stretches are suffering arterial bleeding in terms of stops and trains. And the cars (except on the big expensive lines between the major cities) are unupholstered, un-air conditioned, loud and uncomfortable. 20 years ago, I frequently took the train from San Diego to LA and back. Gimme Amtrak any time.The power networks are showing similar strains. Just before Christmas an ice storm crippled most of North Rhine-Westphalia because the towers were all over 60 years old. They have no clue how to go about maintaining the networks they have. (Terry Pratchett fans should be thinking of Going Postal here.) Yeah, they got the cell phone network right. The three different systems here in Germany interact quite well (though it's a lot cheaper calling within one than between; also true of the land lines). And they came up with the novel concept that you shouldn't have to pay when somebody calls you. Still, Germany has been unable to implement a simple automated toll system for trucks. As for Galileo, we'll have to wait and see. They got one satellite in orbit. Who knows how well it will actually work.Now (our) DB is right that Europe does have ideas to offer and there are things they do right. We ignore them at our peril (as they do with the US. Believe me, most European politicians are just as disapproving of the US as Americans are of Europeans).But Accession is not one of the things they do right. The recent introduction of new states to the EU has launched a massive reconsideration of the whole process and a lot of people are concerned. The Eurocrats in Brussels have no problems with everything, but the national governments are not happy. Most are worried that the recent acceptance of several Eastern European countries will either cause economic problems similar to those caused by German reunification or result in a massive job drain to the cheaper new countries. Many are very worried about the probable introduction of Bulgaria, Romania, and the less stable bits of the former Yugoslavia, to say nothing of Turkey's desire to join.Meanwhile, the core of the EU is showing signs of cracks in the foundation. The rejection of the new European constitution in France and the Netherlands is just the most visible symptom. It is becoming increasingly obvious that the one-size-fits-all economic policies may be helping out the smaller countries, but they are screwing the economies of the big countries that have traditionally formed the backbone of the European economy. Italy is seriously considering dropping the Euro, while Denmark, Sweden, and the UK refuse to use it in the first place. In Brussels, they can't figure how to balance power between the big and small countries (hint: the US came up with a workable solution over 200 years ago). Up to now, the average person in the street has paid little attention to the government in Brussels, being too isolated from it to take it seriously. But every new edict raises eyebrows and turns some major portion of the economy on its head. The farmers near where I live are wondering how they are going to make a living after the recent rules changes, and in Sweden they have declared that new rules can only be interpreted to mean that every cow must have a mattress in its stall. People are starting to take notice that there is no accountability in Brussels and they are expressing extreme satisfaction when their governments simply roll over and accept the next edict. They are demanding accountability from the national governments and, hopefully, they will begin to demand it of Brussels as well.Right now, the EU is a shaky equilibrium. The accession of more countries without making some serious changes will result in its collapse back to the looser EEC form (at best) or complete disintegration (potentially at worst). But that is exactly the road they appear to be on.So, yeah, the Euros can do some things right, largely based on a greater focus on community (a bit too great for this American's taste, not enough sense of the individual), but Accession ain't one of em. Brin, you're crazy! ;)
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