No, no at all! It’s actually the points you make so well that set me off on whatever train of thought – perhaps my cynicism is the only difference. I’m more inclined to look for the bad behind statements than the good!

You’re right in that the EU has a more social base, or at least the individual countries involved in the EU have (had…?). I also agree that in twenty years we’re going to blow past the US, but I think it will be in the downward direction!

In Europe the papers call Wim Duisenberg “the father of the euro”. He was head of the european central bank, and the newspapers portray the Euro as a financial too, sharing the same currency will ease trade, and bring prosperity for all. However, the actual “father of the euro” was an American, Robert Mundell, and the intention of the euro is far more political. It’s nothing to do with having one currency, it’s to do with taking the control of money out of the hands of the people (and individual governments) and purely controlled by the EU. With no power to adjust fiscal policy, the only means governments have to affect their economy is to make it more attractive to incoming investment – lower taxes, longer working hours, more pliant and flexible workforce, lower environmental regulations – you know the sort of thing. So we end up with a European-wide “race to the bottom”, every country fighting each other to be cheapest.

As you say, so far we’re doing okay thanks to strong resistance to the european constitution from the French and Dutch, resistance from dock-workers and the like, but it’s almost inevitable that the EU will end up controlled by a central bank and everything and everyone being pawns for wealth creation of the bank. Just like the US.

Thanks for the comments, and sorry for the long post!