Cold war 2.0

[Virtual ghost]

 

[Virtual ghost]

 

[Virtual ghost]

While I agree that immigration puts a strain on housing (and on schools, at least here in Germany) I still think you are clinging on to some form of conspiracy thinking that this is about importing cheap labor. Sadly most of these newly arrived people have too little formal education to be much use on the job market. It'll take loads of money and time to help them get the language skills and the formal education necessary.

The main conflict, at least over here, is mostly about culture clashes. That and crime rates - even though studies have shown that while migrants are more likely to be or become criminal (which correlates with poverty and low education) they paradoxically don't increase the overall crime rate of society (probably because the natives simultaneously keep getting more and more peaceful and lawabiding).

There are parts of the union where basically all immigration are guest workers doing the worst of the jobs. Since such countries aren't accepting large scale immigration on humanitarian basis. In other words these guest workers simply can't be anything other than cheap labor. Plus they tend to work for bigger or foreign companies (for what is in general minimum wage). The problem is that if this goes too far that this can have negative impacts on labor market and wages/benefits. What can work since those workers aren't used to too high standard. Immigration problems aren't the same everywhere. Especially since immigration paradigms aren't the same everywhere.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Trump eyes Europe’s biggest nuclear power plant. Problem: It’s occupied by Russia.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Russia's Medvedev compares Germany's Merz to Nazi Goebbels

Istanbul mayor arrest was to stop presidency bid: opposition

 

[Virtual ghost]

Japan hosts China, South Korea foreign ministers

The foundations of existing world order are shaking.



Turkey's Erdogan says he 'won't give in' amid protests

Musk’s X suspends opposition accounts in Turkey amid civil unrest

US bans ex-Argentine president over graft allegations

EU eyes Ukrainian storage fix to Slovakia gas spat

How Nigel Farage could smash open Britain’s electoral system

 

[Virtual ghost]

 

[Red Herring]

 

[Virtual ghost]

The above is a long long overdue.
US simply has way too many isolationist elements and private interest groups that you can be 100% certain that any deal will be fully implemented. A few well placed lawsuits and everything gets paralyzed for good. Not to mention the government shutdowns that only they are doing. I have never experienced one of those and I probably never will. Plus the country seem to be falling apart from within: debts, infrastructure, evidently bad healthcare, 24/7 drama .... etc.


Therefore all in all Europe has to make fully independent defense system on it's own. If we have to spend 1 or 2 percent of GDP extra on defense and all of that goes into our own production and research we will be better of in the long run. After all such spending shouldn't really disrupt our way of life, while not doing it actually could.

The time of very big changes is evidently ahead.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Italy’s Starlink talks at ‘standstill’ amid Musk outrage, minister says

I suppose we can add this one into the mix.
From what I understand European version is actively under construction at this point. So maybe it is better to wait for that one.

 

[Virtual ghost]

 

[Virtual ghost]

Turkey lurches toward outright autocracy as Erdoğan’s main rival is jailed

China reportedly mulling participation in Ukraine peacekeeping mission

Canadian PM Mark Carney announces April 28 election

 

[SensEye]

Therefore all in all Europe has to make fully independent defense system on it's own. If we have to spend 1 or 2 percent of GDP extra on defense and all of that goes into our own production and research we will be better of in the long run. After all such spending shouldn't really disrupt our way of life, while not doing it actually could.

Can Europe do this cooperatively? If they can't it's going to cost quite a bit more than 1-2% of GDP. I see Germany may be looking to spend 3.5% of it's GDP, which one article mentioned could add up to 600 billion euros ($652 billion) over 10 years. The US annual defense budget is more than that ($850 billion in 2025 I think).

Now all of the EU combined could add up to US like numbers I suppose, but I am skeptical in such a critical area as national defense each country won't want to go it's own way. But in a NATO like alliance that would probably keep the crazies like Russia at bay (to be honest the EU or even NATO without the US could do this today if they really had to).

It certainly is a change as you mention and not a good one. Billions of dollars going into military stuff (instead of useful stuff for citizens) for no real reason outside of a crazy Russian leader and now a crazy US leader. I was perfectly fine with the status quo of the last 50 years or so personally.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Can Europe do this cooperatively? If they can't it's going to cost quite a bit more than 1-2% of GDP. I see Germany may be looking to spend 3.5% of it's GDP, which one article mentioned could add up to 600 billion euros ($652 billion) over 10 years. The US annual defense budget is more than that ($850 billion in 2025 I think).

Now all of the EU combined could add up to US like numbers I suppose, but I am skeptical in such a critical area as national defense each country won't want to go it's own way. But in a NATO like alliance that would probably keep the crazies like Russia at bay (to be honest the EU or even NATO without the US could do this today if they really had to).

It certainly is a change as you mention and not a good one. Billions of dollars going into military stuff (instead of useful stuff for citizens) for no real reason outside of a crazy Russian leader and now a crazy US leader. I was perfectly fine with the status quo of the last 50 years or so personally.

I said it will have to spend 1-2% of GDP extra on defense. What means that this should add upon the current 2%. Some member states spend more than that, some less. But the average at this point should be at 2%. My point was simply that this wouldn't change European way of life on it's own. What means that this is doable.


Also you are kinda thinking about Europe more as it was some 30 years ago (and that Europe is gone). Today most of the continent is covered by EU and all those countries are basically just member states. Sure, there will be some smaller black sheep like Orban but that shouldn't really mess up the so called "coalition of the willing". The main reason why this will probably work is simply because the general consensus is that if this isn't done we are done as "civilization". There are too many hostile powers, too many trade wars and too many of various radicals that you can just pretend that nothing is going on (especially at the east of the continent). On the other hand EU with it's satellites has more than double of US population, and about 4 time more than Russia. Therefore if there is political will this can be done.

Actually this could have been done long time ago but there was no real political will for that. Especailly since various decoupling would be messy. However now when all of that is happening on it's own the main barrier that existed for decades is gone. In other words now defense assets will be made much more on the continent (and not many Euopeans will have probem with that). In other words when shit fullly hits you don't want to have production scattered across the world. What was kinda the case until this point. So reality is mostly the opposite of what you are suggesting. This is contraction, not the expansion of the supply chain.

The things is that all of this seems as some sort of destiny. This is what EU was meant to become when it was designed in post WW2 years and that is why the odds of success are fairly high.

 

[Virtual ghost]

A little bit more on absurdity of the world we are living in (these used to be "unthinkable stuff").

But just as I said: this is a divorce and now EU plans to take the kids with it (since the US is no longer a man that EU married decades ago).
I am afraid that in the end it may be that simple.

 

[The Cat]

I am afraid that in the end it may be that simple.

Nothing is simple anymore. I fear this is gonna be the kind of war of the roses divorce where the parents kill the children rather than let them go. And really these days...where is there left to go? If things go as pear shaped as we're all worried. Everyone is downwind to Damnation these days.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Nothing is simple anymore. I fear this is gonna be the kind of war of the roses divorce where the parents kill the children rather than let them go. And really these days...where is there left to go? If things go as pear shaped as we're all worried. Everyone is downwind to Damnation these days.

Not really, as I said before to people on this forum: Just because there is the end of the world in your country that doesn't mean that everywhere is like that. I will continue to have access to affordable healthcare since all relevant parties agree about that, my public debt is still going down (and it is far from being "in the red"), the EU is growing up faster than ever, Ukraine seems to be holding no matter what .... etc. In other words there are far darker eras in my life than the current one. Although I am mentally trained/prepared that things are in the air. Because I live like that my entire life and genuine political stability was never a thing in my life. For example I am currently using my 4th currency despite living in the same place my entire life. Therefore I have to say that this all depends on how you look at it.

 

[Virtual ghost]

One more take on the issue.

 

[Red Herring]

Not really, as I said before to people on this forum: Just because there is the end of the world in your country that doesn't mean that everywhere is like that. I will continue to have access to affordable healthcare since all relevant parties agree about that, my public debt is still going down (and it is far from being "in the red"), the EU is growing up faster than ever, Ukraine seems to be holding no matter what .... etc. In other words there are far darker eras in my life than the current one. Although I am mentally trained/prepared that things are in the air. Because I live like that my entire life and genuine political stability was never a thing in my life. For example I am currently using my 4th currency despite living in the same place my entire life. Therefore I have to say that this all depends on how you look at it.

By contrast, my mother was born shortly after the war. She is now in her late 70s and has personally known nothing but ever increasing civil freedom and relative prosperity as well as peace and safety all her life. I am in my mid-40s and am the second generation to not know anything else. My young children, so far, are the third generation.

 

[SensEye]

Count me in the percent of Canadians that does not want Canada to join the EU. I'm fine with a free trade agreement of some sort, but I certainly don't need European politics (which are generally irrelevant on this side of the pond) interfering with my life.

Canadians just need to chill and let Trump spew his bullshit for a while. I'm a long way from taking him serious on this issue. It's just more of the crap he puts out to get a rise out of people.

Alas, the general populace is stupid and incapable of clear thinking. So my fellow citizens are running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Until the US Army starts assembling on our southern border this is all just a game.

Not to mention the Liberal party has revitalized it's chances in the election. It's the exact same bunch of losers who everybody hated a few months ago, just with a different loser at the top. Yet in a knee jerk reaction to Trump, everybody likes them now. Sad.