America vs EU?

[C95J]

I've seen this before, it makes me chuckle a bit as well.

 

[Nikokvaj]

My father owns a farming company that grows Roses among other things, its been a family company for over 50 years. If we join the EU then shops will just start importing foreign Roses/products for slightly less money, and then his company as well as all of the similar companies in the country are fucked.

Well has your father ever heard of the word EXPORT. You know, the opposite of import. He could make something from that.
And imported products would not rule the market. Because we have grown accustomed to our own nations produce, and as it is now, most of our product is better than anything that other countries make.

And I'm going to drop this word again, EXPORT!!! Farmers and Fishermen and all around produce workers would be able to export. Many people in the nearest European countries will admit that Icelandic milk, cheese and butter is quite fucking delicious. And us tapping that market could help us out a lot in the long run.

Just to back you up:


Iceland is in the European Economic Area, and so while it can freely trade with the EU, it has to adopt all EU legislation related to the EU single market, except with regards to agriculture and fisheries.

But basically, joining the EU would give Iceland more political power because, with Iceland being represented on the EU council, and with Icelanders in the Commission and Parliament, Iceland will have a say on legislation which effects Iceland. Otherwise, Iceland is virtually a satellite state because it has no say on EU legislation.

Plus, considering how shaken up the Icelandic currency was after the banking crisis, joining the Eurozone might be a better idea.

Don't really know how much political influence they could get though, with Germany and Great Britain basicly running the whole thing. You get seats based on your population number you know.

This isn't entirely true, what you are referring to is the European Parliament, which functions much like the US House of Representatives.

But, like with the US, the EU also has a "Senate", the Council of the EU, which also has to ratify any treaty. This is made up of 27 seats (one per country) and passes laws by either unanimous consent or majority consent.

So, much like with the US, there are measures guaranteeing the sovereignty of smaller states.

Truer words were never spoken, but Icelands 317.000 citizens wouldn't give them much influence outside the Council. Sweden has 9 million citizens and we got like 20 seats. It aint looking good for Iceland...

Well this is true, but as long as Iceland's needs aren't entirely unique, they shouldn't feel left out, since both the Council and the Commission are one country - one vote.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ordinary_legislative_procedure.svg

As this beautiful little flowchart (Wikipedia, I know) shows, all it takes is for four countries to turn down a treaty, and it goes back to the drawing board.

 

[MrTub]

USA has also the highest annual murder rate in the world with about 11,000 deaths. In comparison, the 2nd highest annual murder rate is Germany, with 60 to 80. This alone is reason enough to never set foot in that hell hole.

Two out of three of those countries has a higher suicide rate than the U.S. The third is a mere 2 spots behind. I wonder what that says about those countries? Hum...

Can you please link your source?

 

[JaymesFogarty]

What a good response! I still don't understand how Americans can find the English, (sophisticated, obviously) accent in any way amusing. Does it show a lack of confidence in yourself, to find a well-pronounced speaker amusing?

It's not so much amusing as it is interesting. We are surrounded by American accents in every day life, TV, etc. so hearing something different sounds cool and somewhat amusing. We're just not use to your accents.

OT:Why is the single country of the US being compared to the continent of Europe? Really. And it's not like we don't know how this will end. Europeans will tell us how we're all fat, rude, arrogant, gun obsessed losers who can't spell, have a horrible accent, and live in a war zone, and Americans wil attempt to defend themselves while probably offending several countries and proving to a certain degree that they are very patriotic. Comments about how stupid this all is will be made.

One thing I always wonder about is how no one ever seems to comment on how we all have different cultures. Things and actions that are acceptible in one country are repulsive in anouther. We all also have completly different governments. Shouldn't that make fairly judging countries against one anouther harder and basically useless? Not that it matters, since it's more interesting to just bash each other.

I can understand that. Stephen Fry is certainly something interesting, after listening to American accents pretty much exclusively for your life. Also, just so you know, North America is a continent, is it not? The US itself is a Republic.
Interesting poll: Apparently, less than 8% of Americans have even left the state they grew up in. I'm not sure were I read that from, but I'm definitely sure as to the accuracy of it. You people mostly live rather closeted lives, although all the Americans I know have obviously been to the UK at least once.

 

[Giest4life]

France also gave your precious "constitution." Ever heard of a little book called The Spirit of Laws ?

Nope. You expect me to have considering I went through US schooling which is more about making sure everyone feels special and passes instead of trying to at least get people to use real words and proper grammer?

US eductation is non-existent. But what rulers would want their citizens to know their rights? If they know their rights, how can they take them away?

Having studying through two forms of educations systems: the Matriculation (British) and the American High School, I can assure you that they each have their equal share of idiots.

 

[Nikokvaj]

joining the EU would give Iceland more political power because, with Iceland being represented on the EU council, and with Icelanders in the Commission and Parliament, Iceland will have a say on legislation which effects Iceland.

LOL!

Have you any idea how much power Iceland would have when it comes to decision making within the EU?

1% out of hundred.

No, that isn't even a fake statistic. Google it if you want to.

1 out of 27 to be precise, which isn't bad. Besides, it's not like the situation for the Icelandic economy is unique, I'm sure you could find plenty of countries in the EU with a very similar economy. Finland, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands are also small but relatively export heavy countries with a welfare state similar to that of Iceland, surely they could agree on a lot of things, forming a voting base powerful enough to stop any procedures that would be against their interest.

 

[Giest4life]

France also gave your precious "constitution." Ever heard of a little book called The Spirit of Laws ?

Shame France didn't follow it's own advice and develop a lasting system of Laws.

It's neither a shame nor is it any surprise.
Did Athens follow the advice of Socrates?

 

[Dr. Whiggs]

USA has also the highest annual murder rate in the world with about 11,000 deaths. In comparison, the 2nd highest annual murder rate is Germany, with 60 to 80. This alone is reason enough to never set foot in that hell hole.

Two out of three of those countries has a higher suicide rate than the U.S. The third is a mere 2 spots behind. I wonder what that says about those countries? Hum...

Can you please link your source?

Wakka wakka!

 

[Shycte]

joining the EU would give Iceland more political power because, with Iceland being represented on the EU council, and with Icelanders in the Commission and Parliament, Iceland will have a say on legislation which effects Iceland.

LOL!

Have you any idea how much power Iceland would have when it comes to decision making within the EU?

1% out of hundred.

No, that isn't even a fake statistic. Google it if you want to.

EDIT: Actually, it is possible that it might be slightly higher, something like 1-5% out of hundred, but it would still make our voice in the EU laughably irelevant.

Just have to point out that % actully meants "fraction out of hundred", so the % mark is enough really.

Other then that, be reminded that the Coucil has one seat per state.

 

[Angryman101]

USA has also the highest annual murder rate in the world with about 11,000 deaths. In comparison, the 2nd highest annual murder rate is Germany, with 60 to 80. This alone is reason enough to never set foot in that hell hole.

Two out of three of those countries has a higher suicide rate than the U.S. The third is a mere 2 spots behind. I wonder what that says about those countries? Hum...

Can you please link your source?

Google it, guy.

 

[Nikokvaj]

As this beautiful little flowchart (Wikipedia, I know) shows, all it takes is for four countries to turn down a treaty, and it goes back to the drawing board.

A new EU legislation that will come into effect soon will grant Germany, France and possibly 1 or 2 other countries that I don't remember a automatic 51% decision making power when making all new EU laws. Basically the smaller members will soon be at the mercy of what the larger more powerful members want to do.

So your point is moot.

Well I don't know where you heard this, but according to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legislature_of_the_European_Union any treaty has to be ratified by both the Council and the Parliament

 

[AWAR]

Nope. The idiotic people here in Iceland don't want to join the EU. They're afraid that all our national business will go down the drain.

Maybe I didn't pay much attention when learning about this...

I know they submitted an application to join the EU and I know the EU acknowledged it.

Maybe they're not out of talks yet.

The government wants in. And joining the EU would greatly help us in our economic shit. But around 10-25% of the people here don't want Iceland to join the EU because of how uneducated about the situation they are.

I could write a long ass speech about this. But I have better things to do at the moment.

Err... How is joining the EU a great idea exactly? According to you it "will help you in your economic shit". Can you be a little be more precise?

 

[MrTub]

USA has also the highest annual murder rate in the world with about 11,000 deaths. In comparison, the 2nd highest annual murder rate is Germany, with 60 to 80. This alone is reason enough to never set foot in that hell hole.

Two out of three of those countries has a higher suicide rate than the U.S. The third is a mere 2 spots behind. I wonder what that says about those countries? Hum...

Can you please link your source?

Wakka wakka!

Thank you for linking your source, but how do you know that Angryman used that source? and that list isn't really fair imo since the data from USA was done during 2005 but sweden&denmark was 2006 and Finlands data was from 2007.

 

[Internet Kraken]

I like how the very first image in this thread mocked people who pointlessly argue over the status of their country on the internet. Which is exactly what almost everyone in this thread is doing.

 

[Shycte]

Great. This is turning into a VS. thread.

Can we get some mods to remove this thread, already?

Nope. The idiotic people here in Iceland don't want to join the EU. They're afraid that all our national business will go down the drain.

Maybe I didn't pay much attention when learning about this...

I know they submitted an application to join the EU and I know the EU acknowledged it.

Maybe they're not out of talks yet.

The government wants in. And joining the EU would greatly help us in our economic shit. But around 10-25% of the people here don't want Iceland to join the EU because of how uneducated about the situation they are.

I could write a long ass speech about this. But I have better things to do at the moment.

Err... How is joining the EU a great idea exactly? According to you it "will help you in your economic shit". Can you be a little be more precise?

It more or less about being a part of the community. There is new powers growing and one would be foolish to stay outside in the rain once the party starts if you know what I mean.

As I see it, there are some errors that needs to be fixed, but other than that it could work great.

 

[Nikokvaj]

Nope. The idiotic people here in Iceland don't want to join the EU. They're afraid that all our national business will go down the drain.

Maybe I didn't pay much attention when learning about this...

I know they submitted an application to join the EU and I know the EU acknowledged it.

Maybe they're not out of talks yet.

The government wants in. And joining the EU would greatly help us in our economic shit. But around 10-25% of the people here don't want Iceland to join the EU because of how uneducated about the situation they are.

I could write a long ass speech about this. But I have better things to do at the moment.

Err... How is joining the EU a great idea exactly? According to you it "will help you in your economic shit". Can you be a little be more precise?

Joining the common currency would make Iceland less vulnerable to a recession, and having influence in the Council and Parliament would give Iceland a say in matters that affect them an equal lot whether they are in the EU or not.