President of Europe is a Belgian

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Originally Posted by Navaja

Well, there's only two choices, right-wing or left-wing drivel, now you pretend that people read what you prefer.
There's people in this world capable of making their own analysis and come up with their own opinion.

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There exists something between right- and leftwing drivel. There are news sources that do try to be fair and balanced (and with that I do not mean Fox news) in their analysis.

If a person only reads/hears/sees information of the fox variety I believe him/her NOT capable of making an intellectually sound analysis.

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Originally Posted by sparq

EU has a president, wow. What is coming next - federal EU taxes?

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It is called VAT (value added tax), similar to sales tax in the US.

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Originally Posted by Kees

It is called VAT (value added tax), similar to sales tax in the US.

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Hmmm - not really. VAT is collected by individual EU countries AFAIK. That is similar to sales tax in the US that is collected by states, municipalities etc. There are no federal taxes in the EU indeed, but I am quite sure we will see it one day. :chop:

Btw - I have an EU passport. ;)

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Originally Posted by sparq

EU has a president, wow. What is coming next - federal EU taxes?

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Have you ever read and understood Taxation and Customs Union - Taxation and Customs Union - European Commission - just asking because it's a bit complicated.

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Originally Posted by JMS

Wow!!...Just wow!! Did you really say that Robin?

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Oh, absolutely. As you well know, the last two attempts to approach the subject of running our country differently ended in totalitarian dictatorships (one headed by an Austrian postcard painter, the other by a demi-French roofer), whose side effects include, but aren't limited to, millions of casualties, areas the size of the US run down and impoverished, and Jewish life in Central Europe basically extinct.

You are, of course, entitled to delusions of grandeur and avant-garde, thinking that Joe Random is fully equipped to rule a country, and certainly George W. Bush, and that steroid addled Austrian in CA can be used as examples. Diplomatically put, however, I prefer to be ruled by scientists, rather than cowboys or barbarians. But maybe that's just me.

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Originally Posted by sparq

Hmmm - not really. VAT is collected by individual EU countries AFAIK. That is similar to sales tax in the US that is collected by states, municipalities etc. There are no federal taxes in the EU indeed, but I am quite sure we will see it one day. :chop:

Btw - I have an EU passport. ;)

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If you look at Europe as a federation of countries that will shed a different light on things. Part of the VAT revenue is used to pay for the European institutions mainly in Brussels.

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Originally Posted by BeBerlin

Oh, absolutely. As you well know, the last two attempts to approach the subject of running our country differently ended in totalitarian dictatorships (one headed by an Austrian postcard painter, the other by a demi-French roofer), whose side effects include, but aren't limited to, millions of casualties, areas the size of the US run down and impoverished, and Jewish life in Central Europe basically extinct.

You are, of course, entitled to delusions of grandeur and avant-garde, thinking that Joe Random is fully equipped to rule a country, and certainly George W. Bush, and that steroid addled Austrian in CA can be used as examples. Diplomatically put, however, I prefer to be ruled by scientists, rather than cowboys or barbarians. But maybe that's just me.

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I'm sorry Robin, but I rather thought that politicians are those people we elect to run a country. As far as I am aware the only qualification they require is the ability to get elected. In fact a lot of Joe Randoms. Or are German politicians different? Or are you saying Europe is run by the bureaucrats and the elected politicians have no power?

Perhaps we should return to shaving.

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Originally Posted by Fido

Or are German politicians different?

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Apparently so. Deutscher Bundestag: Grundberufe nach Berufsklassen

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Originally Posted by Fido

Or are you saying Europe is run by the bureaucrats and the elected politicians have no power?

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Not at all. What makes you think that?

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Originally Posted by Fido

Perhaps we should return to shaving.

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Always a viable solution.

Regards,
Robin

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Originally Posted by BeBerlin

Oh, absolutely. As you well know, the last two attempts to approach the subject of running our country differently ended in totalitarian dictatorships (one headed by an Austrian postcard painter, the other by a demi-French roofer), whose side effects include, but aren't limited to, millions of casualties, areas the size of the US run down and impoverished, and Jewish life in Central Europe basically extinct.

You are, of course, entitled to delusions of grandeur and avant-garde, thinking that Joe Random is fully equipped to rule a country, and certainly George W. Bush, and that steroid addled Austrian in CA can be used as examples. Diplomatically put, however, I prefer to be ruled by scientists, rather than cowboys or barbarians. But maybe that's just me.

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You miss my point. Politicians, lawyers. elected officials and anyone in a position to make decisions that will ultimately affect my family, let alone millions of others bear close watching and should not be trusted. The minute you completely trust your government officials is the minute you give up your responsibility for your own life and in that very second you sow the seeds of tyranny.

Note: "Completely" is a key word here.

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Originally Posted by JMS

Note: "Completely" is a key word here.

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Oh, absolutely. I wonder why you introduced it to this discussion, though. You're the first to suggest that anyone should trust anyone else completely.