Euro Is at $1.05–The Lowest It’s Been in Years
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It sucks as a Europoor. Visiting NY/WA for work when our salary as a senior engineer is like $70k, and the Americans are still complain about paying less than 20% of what we pay for gasoline.
What you want to compare is percentage of annual income spent on gasoline. Some Americans (California) even pay double compared to Germans and triple compared to French.
The rest of the Eurozone will deal with the stuff. We always have. It's not the first crisis.
There was a complete lack of solidarity, which precipitated a humanitarian crisis in countries like Greece.
The idea of the Eurozone as something akin to a nation state is a myth.
You seem to remember things that are arguably untrue, I wonder why. The EU, ECB and IMF spent something like €300 billions for loans at extremely low interest rates (€30,000 for each Greek citizen) to keep Greece afloat and prevent it from going down in the way that Lebanon or other places outside the EU's aegis did more recently. And that despite the fact that Greek officials conspired to lie about debt/GDP numbers to get into the Eurozone, immediately broke Eurozone guidelines about deficits and debts to start fiscal giveaways, and after the crisis broke every promise about raising cash through privatisations.
No, they did it to keep the EU banking system afloat, which was exposed to Greek debt.
They also wanted Greece to remain in the Euro, rather than returning to the drachma and admitting they couldn't square the circle of a shared currency without shared fiscal policy. Greece in the Euro vs Lebanon is a false dichotomy.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/francescoppola/2018/08/31/the-t...
At the time, the German taxpayer rightly said "Why should I help the innocent citizens of Greece, when they can retire before me?"
EU solidarity was not possible, as this would have meant the Germans having some say in cleaning up Greek corruption and/or equalising things like retirement age, in return for fiscal stimulus from the German taxpayer.
Of course this can't happen under the EU, and will arguably never happen. So the only route is austerity.
In the end, for them, poverty and additional difficulties in the lower classes are a good trade-off for silencing political rivals, feeding the military complex and most of all, feeling good about themselves.
As the old saying goes, never let a crisis go to waste.
Most of the euro weakness is of their own making.
At this rate the economy might collapse this time next year when gas shortages really bite combined with the rising interest rates, inflation and unemployment.
The sole hope IMVHO is a series off mass protest asking only one thing: jailing for life in very harsh conditions our actual ruling class stating that we still want to de Democracies, witch is veeeery unlikely.
- we are all European, till the Urals, we understand each others as we have done even during the cold war BETTER that what we do with the so called "anglosphere" (cfr Limes, geopolitical review), we also share similar values;
- they have gazillion of natural resources we need, they are developed enough to harvest them but not enough to surpass us in tech terms, they are surrounded by not-really-friendly powers (China in primis) so we need their resources, they need our tech and support, an equal, balanced and fair partnership;
Our best interest is going out of NATO, form a REAL European Union, with a common fiscal and social system, a French-lead initial nuclear deterrent toward an EU army (due to the still present language differences that makes a real general army not really doable in short time), toward again an anti-fascist Costitution modeled around Italy and Germany ones, offering Russia to apply for EAEU (EuroAsian union) with a pact of mutual and fair partnership.
That's was ALREADY ongoing and that's why USA and UK have crafted Ukrainian coup n. 1 (orange revolution https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-856x.2008.00343.x for instance) the n. 2 (Euromaidan massacres [1]) and have keeping forging nazis in the east, if you do not know just read OFFICIAL docs like: https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/e/7/233896.pdf or famous think tanks from USA like: https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB10014.html and relevant doc https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_briefs/R...
[1] start from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26079957 and https://jacobinmag.com/2022/02/maidan-protests-neo-nazis-rus... observing the famous "F*ck the EU" Nuland's phrase AND who report that
Russia has no respect for basic human rights and democracy. Deep economic/social integration with Russia is very dangerous for western liberal democracies until Russia makes major reforms (would probably take 50+ years).
Is it? We have deep ties with Saudi Arabia. Should those be severed too?
With enough time you could stop trading with china
> With enough time you could stop trading with china
Maybe.. maybe not. If so this would take a lot of time and money.
5000 helmets from Germany with a month of delay were really more of an insult than help to Ukraine.
France is still going around with "do not humiliate Putin". Well, I want to see him on a trial in Hague.
And the idea that Poland will grant Putin any say over our politics is ridiculous.
If I recall correctly they also delivered 2000 NLAWs before the start of the war. Ukrainian soldiers love NLAWs.
OTOH, their PR is shit.
It's quite possible that without German appeasement of Putin this 2022 invasion would have not even happen.
France and Germany blocked Ukraine NATO membership.
Some of German leaders still hope to go to business like usual like Volkswagen CEO.
Germans still keep on saying that nobody could have foreseen this war.
Well, in 2008, 14 years ago, Polish president in Tbilisi during the Russian invasion of Georgia:
> We know very well. Today Georgia, tomorrow Ukraine, the day after tomorrow – the Baltic States and later, perhaps, time will come for my country, Poland.
Germans miscalculated and should suffer for it.
Did you see what they left in their own colonies around the world, what they have done AGAINST Iraqis People, Venezuelan people, Afghans, Chileans etc? The UK and USA ruling class, betraying their own people values, have the bloodiest trails in the entire world history, they even surpass Germans and Spanish inquisition crimes.
Not to talk about actual Polish government who keep acting against their own people, just to name one the anti-abortion laws, the very same USA rulers want on their own land. Not to talk about CIA funded Solidarność crimes.
Are you from some BRICS country?
Russians with Austrians and Prussians have destroyed the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1795. They were forcing russification on us. After we regained independence we had to go trough another war with Soviet Russia in 1919. Fortunately, we stood our ground in 1920. But then we got attacked by Germans on 1st of September 1939 and backstabbed by Soviets on 17th of September.
Both Germans and Soviets proceeded to mass execute Poles. Both were attempting to destroy Poland. Under direct orders of Stalin Soviets mass executed Poles in Katyń Massacre. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Poles were send to Siberia to camps of long death.
My grandmother lived trough the second world war. She still remembers hiding as a small girl from Russian speaking soldiers who were raping children and women indiscriminately.
My grandmother managed to escape Poland before the martial law of 1981. The quality of life in the west was incomparably better than in the communist block.
If CIA was involved with Solidarność I can only be grateful to USA. I'm really grateful to my parents generation who decided to join EU and NATO right after they kicked out communist regime. My grandmother visited Poland for the first time some 6 years after we joined EU. She could not believe how much better life was in Poland at that time.
Today, I work in Belgium, I studied in Netherlands and live in Finland with my Finish girlfriend. I'm welcomed as a friend and equal everywhere. European Union is what Europeans for hundreds of years of unending wars could only dream about.
But Russia is bend on dragging us back. NO!
Italian, living in France, nephew of WWII Partisans who have trained me recognizing propaganda, nazi-fascists and who pay them. At the WWII end CLN Alta Italia (general command of Italian Resistance) knowing very well that so called "allies" are just mostly other nazis have proposed to remain on mountains stating clear "UK back off Italy or we will be at war and you can't sustain two fronts", unfortunately USA with the south Italian mafia's and UK with the north and center fascists manage a well done propaganda convincing most to lay down weapons, however those Partisans know where the country will go and we now know they where really right.
New nazis dress suite&tie and talk in English, against British and Americans people of course, as the old one. They call themselves "world government" (try looking for that and new adolf hitler, now named klaus schwab, will pops up, he is the head of WEF in case you do not know) and have the same criminal plans. They choose a new enemy, instead of Jews the prefer Russians and viruses, while they real enemy is always the same: acculturated peoples who go obviously against them.
For Poland: surely Soviet's have done bad things there, and perhaps you do not know how they grab power in Russia, try looking for history and you'll discover that Lenin made a coup against the Mensheviks, the "real" socialist who have made the October revolution, thanks to Kaiser money in exchange to stop the war against them, the stalin have done the rest thanks to absolute power and UK crown money. However even stalin have choose hitler not the west because hitler have made concrete proposal to Soviets while UK have not sending powerless ambassadors with vague and constantly changed proposals. So Soviet choice was NOT criminal but logical. And I add just to keep going with history that years later France M. Petain, now appointed as a fascist traitor have had done a similarly logical choice: between UK crown criminals and the nazi the latter was better for France and yes, as a Socialist, one with a red flag, nephew of Partisans with a red flag I'm pretty convinced that at that time in France I would have been with Petain.
The above long part only to say how history is written by the winner who do their best to betray memory for their own interests.
Anyway thanks the CIA for having revived religious extremists in Poland that bring back human rights far worse that at Soviet time and made people, comparing the actual global conditions, poorer that under the Soviet.
Not a fan of Mr Macaroon, but thats how diplomacy works. If you spit in someones face and call them names you are closing down avenues of discussion.
If you call putin a 'blood thirsty child killer' at the international level, russia will not talk to you. Because if they did by proxy they are acknowledging your previous statement - imminently putting them at weaker negotiating position.
Just imagine a situation, you have argument with someone - they keep stealing your cookies, you want them to stop - they spit in your face and call you dirty liar, would you keep talking to them or buy laxative cookies?
A man who awards medals to soldiers committing crimes against humanity.
Even Xi seems to be surprised at what is taking place.
How can you trust anything that Putin signs or says?
This man understand strength and strength only.
You can talk softly or harshly, but carry the biggest stick you can afford when talking to Putin.
And do not trust anything.
I think people really do no want to believe how absolutely evil Putin is.
As an example, Putin quoted a song during press conference with Emmanuel Macron in early February about Ukraine:
"Whether you like it or don't like it, bear with it, my beauty."
The full quote from "Sleeping beauty in a coffin" song by Red Mold would be:
> Sleeping beauty in a coffin, I crept up and fucked her. Like it, or dislike it, sleep my beauty.
Putin just casually quotes songs about necrophilia with regard to Ukraine when planning a war.
And then awards soldiers who probably actually did carry out necrophilia in Ukraine.
But throwing diplomatic channel out of the window because of emotions is foolish pandering.
Name-calling putin doesn't change anything, but takes one tool out of your toolbox.
Heads-up, you seem to receive your news from outlets with a rather anti-European misinformation bent...
As for German help: The helmets that Germany delivered were explicitly asked for by UA. So were the field hospital units. So were the 500 Stingers, the 1000 Panzerfaust 3s and the 500+ Strela anti-tank rockets. None of them were perceived as an insult.
> And the idea that Poland will grant Putin any say over our politics is ridiculous
The former prime minster of Poland straight-up said last year that the Polish government is serving Putin's agenda by allying with Putin-funded 'Euroskeptic' parties including Le Pen, Orbán and Salvini. He is quite obviously right in his assessment.
The unelected EU rulers are a disgrace to the people who died or suffered in the wars of the 1900s.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/hearings2019/commissi...
The EU Parliament elections by the direct citizens vote were on 23–26 May 2019.
Her election is really not much different than election of any other prime minister / executive in parliamentary democracies.
The only difference is that the president of the EU Commission is proposed by the member states.
The people have little influence in what is being forced on them. I suspect this will end with some EU member States going their own way, after the people demand it.
> Taking into account the elections to the European Parliament and after having held the appropriate consultations, the European Council, acting by a qualified majority, shall propose to the European Parliament a candidate for President of the Commission. This candidate shall be elected by the European Parliament by a majority of its component members. If he does not obtain the required majority, the European Council, acting by a qualified majority, shall within one month propose a new candidate who shall be elected by the European Parliament following the same procedure.
Article 17(7) Treaty on European Union (TEU)
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CEL...
To be honest, I don't even know what is the legal basis of the whole lead candidate idea. Do you know?
The main political power in EU resides with the member states.
Most of EU countries are parliamentary democracies where executives are not directly elected.
EU Commission is an executive body for the member states with regard to the competences granted to EU by the member states.
EU Commission is confirmed by EU Parliament and can be also dismissed by EU Parliament in vote of no confidence.
USA is a presidential democracy where a lot of power resides with a single person.
Supreme Court Judge in USA is appointed for life and is supposed to be independent from the rest of the power structures.
Granted, the commissioners do not have a lot of power (they have less effective power than the parliament as long as the subject isn't trade and economic competition) but still.
Actually USA oppress Germany as UK oppress Italy right after WWII the war they have helped creating to steal our richness, with a large contribution from our citizens, of course.
Our sole hope as western Europeans is a French Europe with Russia in the EAEU alliance, with that we can rule back the world, without we can just choose who subjugate us first.
If the order of events between this and brexit were reversed, I'm sure the brexit vote would be wildly tilted in favor of remain.
Though huge inflation is still an issue, I just saw price increase stats from US stastistics bureau and you have laughable inflation, here flour is like +100%, chicken +30%, cooking oil +80-100% , cheapest bread +35-40%, etc. I don't even know electricity/gas increase, luckily I use only little bit of gas and I don't drive car, so I will be hit only with electricity bill.
It's all always about the POV :)
that doesn't seem like some downtrend in recent months and especially last 5 weeks steep growth
But I expect inflation to be around 10% at the minimum, official numbers are skewed. Especially on day-to-day needs products. For many that earn less it is a difficult time, especially after long lockdowns. Most small commercial venues are dead and there don't seem to be new ones.
Playing too much nier automata..
Normally I'd not be inviting tourists into this tourist hell (4th most visited city in Europe), but anyone watering down numbers of Ukrainian economic migrants is welcomed, I had to stop going to nearby mall because it's flooded with Ukrainian/Russian speaking people and you have problem to hear Czech or other language.
A very helpful definition of inflation is “the relative value of the US dollar” and forex trends imply the US dollar is gaining purchasing power, which implies its inflation is less severe than elsewhere.
The EU only stands to lose money with a new refugee crisis and increased defence spending.
Some people have a hard time seeing their own currency it a broader light it seems.
By which I mean, all the talk about Ukraine being in Europe seems to imply it's common knowledge that none of Georgia, Abkhazia, Transnistria, Moldova, Ossetia, Chechnya, Ichkeria, Tajikistan, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, to name a few, are in Europe and that's why conflicts in those places were largely ignored in comparison.
What does that mean and who told you so? Do you mean a lot less people died? That cities weren't being blown up? Casualty estimates for the Chechen wars vary wildly, but seem to be in the mid-5 to mid-6 digit range.
>This war is on a scale we haven't seen for decades
Ok, it is very clever to qualify with "for decades", you got me, 2008 seems like yesterday. I can remember before 9/11.