Barack Obama is on record as stating that the United Kingdom should stay in the European Union.
A binding referendum (the result must be actioned by the government) is taking place on June 23rd. We are two days into the official campaign. Obama will visit the UK next week. It would be seen as an incredibly bad mannered thing for him to do if he states his position on the matter when he visits. Though of course in a democracy he is perfectly entitled to express any opinion that he holds.
If a southern state of the USA decides that leaving the union is an option and holds a referendum on the issue I would deem it outrageous for a United Kingdom Prime Minister to visit that state and profer an opinion. It is not a matter for him to comment on.
It is the policy of the three main political UK parties to stay in the EU. The number of MPs who want the UK out is unknown but a significant minority. At the moment the polls suggest that in the referendum the public would vote 50% in and 50% out. The government is bound by the public referendum vote.
Barack Obama is on record as stating that the United Kingdom should stay in the European Union. A binding referendum (the result must be actioned by the government) is taking place on June 23rd. We are two days into the official campaign. Obama will visit the UK next week. It would be seen as an incredibly bad mannered thing for him to do if he states his position on the matter when he visits. Though of course in a democracy he is perfectly entitled to express any opinion that he holds. If a southern state of the USA decides that leaving the union is an option and holds a referendum on the issue I would deem it outrageous for a United Kingdom Prime Minister to visit that state and profer an opinion. It is not a matter for him to comment on. It is the policy of the three main political UK parties to stay in the EU. The number of MPs who want the UK out is unknown but a significant minority. At the moment the polls suggest that in the referendum the public would vote 50% in and 50% out. The government is bound by the public referendum vote.There is no reason a British Prime Minister could not proffer an opinion, especially if the vote in question also affects his country. If The UK pulls out of the EU, it may well have a negative impact on the United States and our relationship with Europe. Britain is a leading ally and trading partner. Why shouldn't Obama express his opinion about it? He is a world leader and what happens in other countries affects the United States. The British people are capable of making up their own minds and will not likely be swayed by Obama's opinion. You see him as having mre more power and influence than he has. Did the Brits think the US was interfering in its governmemt when we entered the Second World War and helped to save them from the Nazis? Perhaos you think we should have kept our opinions to ourselves and our military safe at home. Lois
Barack Obama is on record as stating that the United Kingdom should stay in the European Union.Exactly Krauss, why the heck would he weigh in on that? What are your feelings about being in the EU?
I want out.
I respect the Germans and I have every reason to believe that a substantial majority of the British do. We may have had a couple of tiffs with them in the last hundred years or so but over the fullness of time there is mutual respect. The French bastards are the perpetual enemy. They will never forgive us or you for saving them in World War Two.
But France and Germany effectively control the whole European Union edifice with their founders’ rights. France does not let its citizens get into personal debt, that’s fine. But it employs far too many people working for the state, pays them much more than they are worth, lets them retire very early and gives them mamouth pensions. There is no such thing as a French government with a decent set of genitals. Trim the wages of these people and a couple of hundred people march down a street in Bordeaux, similar events occuring in Paris and Marseille. In response to this the government’s correct fiscal stance collapses in minutes. Thus the French economy is heading for disaster. “Kick the can down the road” is the French perpetual fiscal policy.
Meanwhile a British Prime Minister will give us a tough economic time because that is necessary.
So, when the time to pay fees into the European Union comes around the French say that because they are in a poor financial state they should pay in almost nothing, pointing out that Britain should pay more money in because it is in a better financial state.
It is somewhat annoying that in the last ten years and continuing for quite some time there has been and will continue to be an EU policy of inviting ‘basket case’ countries into the club. These will for generations be net receivers of EU funds. No matter how many ‘basket cases’ come in the founders, Germany and France seem to retain all their founders’ rights and mugs like us have to pay more.
So here is my plan. The EU rules state that it takes 2 years to join and 2 years to leave. We should give our 2 years notice of leaving. During that 2 years some more ‘basket cases’ will be applying to join. So during our 2 years notice of leaving we vote to let in any ‘basket cases’ that apply. It will take them 2 years to get in and by then we will be out.
With Britain out France would have to pay its rightful dues because apart from Germany there’s hardly any other bastard paying in. There would inevitably be serious arguments between Germany and France. Greece would almost certainly fail again, owing Germany an enormous amount. The ‘basket cases’ would be unable to pay anything in and would probably have been given assurances about receiving lots of money.
Britain leaving would be the EU’s ‘coup de grace’.
Lois, we tend to think that when we have a very important decision to make it is a matter for us, similar to a General Election. There is no way that the American President would express a preference for which party should win a General Election. Nor would a British Prime Minister express an opinion of a preferable result of an American Election.
Lois, I’m a bit disappointed that you have brought World War Two into this matter. Britain and its former colonies and friends fought the Nazis beginning in 1939 because that was the correct time to begin.
I want out. Britain leaving would be the EU's 'coup de grace'.Good for you. I don't blame you. I'd want out too. We'll see what happens in the near future....
Barack Obama is on record as stating that the United Kingdom should stay in the European Union.Exactly Krauss, why the heck would he weigh in on that? What are your feelings about being in the EU? He has recently gone on record as stating that Britain should stay in the EU. He will be visiting Britain in the next few days. We are in the period of the official referendum campaign. The latest opinion poll is :- Remain 50% Leave 50% It would be very poor etiquette for him to visit Britain and say anything on the subject. I think that his advisors will ensure that he will not comment on it.
Ha, there are only three days in every two years when I feel European, Ryder Cup!!!
Lois, I hope that we are still pals.
I want out. Britain leaving would be the EU's 'coup de grace'.Good for you. I don't blame you. I'd want out too. We'll see what happens in the near future.... Oh, there has already been foul play. All three of the main political parties want to stay in and the government has sent a leaflet to every household in the country at our expense. (The cost of this comes from our taxes.) This purports to explain the issues but is undoubtedly very much an 'IN' document. There is so much outrage about it that this act may even be counter-productive. I do like the style of the slight back-lash to this. Someone has found out that anyone can post their leaflet to Conservative Party Headquarters and omit to put a stamp on it. Thus the Conservative Party has to pay the postage. They are being sent there one by one, amounting to many thousands. Oh, it makes me feel proud to be British!!!!
Lois, we tend to think that when we have a very important decision to make it is a matter for us, similar to a General Election. There is no way that the American President would express a preference for which party should win a General Election. Nor would a British Prime Minister express an opinion of a preferable result of an American Election. Lois, I'm a bit disappointed that you have brought World War Two into this matter. Britain and its former colonies and friends fought the Nazis beginning in 1939 because that was the correct time to begin.I brought it in because it is germane to the topic--which is whether an American president should express an opinion about another country's vote. (The topic is not whether Britain should pull out of the EU or stay in it.) Incidentally, I am well aware that Britain fought mightily against the Nazis before the US entered the war, but it's incorrect to imply that US forces were not a serious help toward the end. Note, I said the US "helped" not that we "won the war" or anything like that, and it's obvious that we did help. The referendum on pulling out of the EU is nothing like an ordinary election of government officials. I doubt that either an American President or a British Prime Minister would offer a formal opinion on who might be elected to office in either country. But this is not about an election, per se. It is a completely different thing--and the US stands to be negatively impacted by a yes vote. So I think Obama has every right to weigh in on this one question. If Americans were voting for something similar that could negatively impact Britain, I have no doubt that the British Prime Minister would weigh in in a similar manner, and he'd have every right to do so. This has nothing to do with a president "interfering" with another country's election of its government. It is an opinion on one referendum. I doubt that Obama's opinion will sway any British voters on this question. I don't think British voters are so easily pushed around. Perhaps I have a better opinion of them than you have. Cheers, Lois
Lois, I hope that we are still pals.Of course! Pals can disagree and remain pals. Lois
I want out. Britain leaving would be the EU's 'coup de grace'.Good for you. I don't blame you. I'd want out too. We'll see what happens in the near future.... Oh, there has already been foul play. All three of the main political parties want to stay in and the government has sent a leaflet to every household in the country at our expense. (The cost of this comes from our taxes.) This purports to explain the issues but is undoubtedly very much an 'IN' document. There is so much outrage about it that this act may even be counter-productive. I do like the style of the slight back-lash to this. Someone has found out that anyone can post their leaflet to Conservative Party Headquarters and omit to put a stamp on it. Thus the Conservative Party has to pay the postage. They are being sent there one by one, amounting to many thousands. Oh, it makes me feel proud to be British!!!! Interesting sidelight. The US Post Office stopped delivering mail that lacks postage years ago. All such mail is returned to the sender. Perhaps the British Post Office should do the same. In addition, can't anyone refuse a mailing where postage is due? If the Consevative Party is willingly paying the postage, it deserves the flood of postage-due mail it is receiving. I see no downside to the Post 0ffice refusing to deliver mail that has no postage. Meanwhile it fixes a problem for all potential recipients of such mail. Lois
Lois, we tend to think that when we have a very important decision to make it is a matter for us, similar to a General Election. There is no way that the American President would express a preference for which party should win a General Election. Nor would a British Prime Minister express an opinion of a preferable result of an American Election. Lois, I'm a bit disappointed that you have brought World War Two into this matter. Britain and its former colonies and friends fought the Nazis beginning in 1939 because that was the correct time to begin.This is completely different from a general election. Lois
Lois, let’s just have one more go each and then move on from it.
The EU in / out is much more important than a General Election. This decision cannot be altered every five years, it is probably a situation that will not occur again for at least 40 years.
I understand that you feel that the US has got a legitimate peripheral interest in the outcome and thus Obama is a player. This is where you and me differ. It is solely a matter for Britain and Europe with nobody else playing even a publicly vocal part.
Lois, have another go and then we will move on from the Obama strand of this.
I want out. Britain leaving would be the EU's 'coup de grace'.Good for you. I don't blame you. I'd want out too. We'll see what happens in the near future.... Oh, there has already been foul play. All three of the main political parties want to stay in and the government has sent a leaflet to every household in the country at our expense. (The cost of this comes from our taxes.) This purports to explain the issues but is undoubtedly very much an 'IN' document. There is so much outrage about it that this act may even be counter-productive. I do like the style of the slight back-lash to this. Someone has found out that anyone can post their leaflet to Conservative Party Headquarters and omit to put a stamp on it. Thus the Conservative Party has to pay the postage. They are being sent there one by one, amounting to many thousands. Oh, it makes me feel proud to be British!!!! Interesting sidelight. The US Post Office stopped delivering mail that lacks postage years ago. All such mail is returned to the sender. Perhaps the British Post Office should do the same. In addition, can't anyone refuse a mailing where postage is due? If the Consevative Party is willingly paying the postage, it deserves the flood of postage-due mail it is receiving. I see no downside to the Post 0ffice refusing to deliver mail that has no postage. Meanwhile it fixes a problem for all potential recipients of such mail. Lois It may be exactly the same over here. It was a story on the internet so it may be as you say 'bollocks'.
I want out. Britain leaving would be the EU's 'coup de grace'.Good for you. I don't blame you. I'd want out too. We'll see what happens in the near future.... Oh, there has already been foul play. All three of the main political parties want to stay in and the government has sent a leaflet to every household in the country at our expense. (The cost of this comes from our taxes.) This purports to explain the issues but is undoubtedly very much an 'IN' document. There is so much outrage about it that this act may even be counter-productive. I do like the style of the slight back-lash to this. Someone has found out that anyone can post their leaflet to Conservative Party Headquarters and omit to put a stamp on it. Thus the Conservative Party has to pay the postage. They are being sent there one by one, amounting to many thousands. Oh, it makes me feel proud to be British!!!! Interesting sidelight. The US Post Office stopped delivering mail that lacks postage years ago. All such mail is returned to the sender. Perhaps the British Post Office should do the same. In addition, can't anyone refuse a mailing where postage is due? If the Consevative Party is willingly paying the postage, it deserves the flood of postage-due mail it is receiving. I see no downside to the Post 0ffice refusing to deliver mail that has no postage. Meanwhile it fixes a problem for all potential recipients of such mail. Lois It may be exactly the same over here. It was a story on the internet so it may be as you say 'bollocks'. Yes, it sounds made up.