We want a United States of Europe says top EU official - Polidicks

[img]http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02785/euflag_2785022b.jpg[/img] [i]In the run up to the springtime pan-European vote, the EU is gearing up to mount an unprecedented campaign for the hearts and minds of voters[/i] [quote]A campaign for the European Union to become a "United States of Europe" will be the "best weapon against the Eurosceptics", one of Brussels' most senior officials has said. Viviane Reding, vice president of the European Commission and the longest serving Brussels commissioner, has called for "a true political union" to be put on the agenda for EU elections this spring. "We need to build a United States of Europe with the Commission as government and two chambers – the European Parliament and a "Senate" of Member States," she said last night. Mrs Reding's vision, which is shared by many in the European institutions, would transform the EU into superstate relegating national governments and parliaments to a minor political role equivalent to that played by local councils in Britain. Under her plan, the commission would have supremacy over governments and MEPs in the European Parliament would supersede the sovereignty of MPs in the House of Commons.[/quote] [url]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/10559458/We-want-a-United-States-of-Europe-says-top-EU-official.html[/url] I vote yes. I sat it's soon time to merge all the tiny polities of the western tip of Asia to create a strong federal state that ensures human rights, is economically prosperous and vibrant, plus able to permanently end the threat of conflict between the former states here.

Too bad nobody else does.

[QUOTE=Sobotnik;43466325]...plus able to permanently end the threat of conflict between the former states here.[/QUOTE] Can somebody explain how essentially reverse-balkanizing the entirety of Europe of magically end all European conflicts? Renaming two countries that hate each other isn't going to magically make them friends.

Can't wait for United States of Earth coming circa 2076

Honestly I've gotta say you're probably better off not emulating our governing structure. You're inviting an apocalypse of bureaucracy and disproportionate power hoarding the likes of which you've never seen. Superstates just aren't very wieldy or conducive to public accountability.

More like the USSR. The EU should be disbanded.

United States of Europe you say? What is this 1632? (kudos to the first person to get that)

With a German Head chancellor for EU. Making Germany succeed in doing what they tried to do in the 1900's but without war

I don't want a United States of Europe. I can entirely understand having a European Union, and that that is beneficial, how does a superstate help? Surely you just reduce the ability for the countries to specifically adjust for their populations and requirements?

No thank you.

The larger you grow your government, the harder it is to please all parties. The United States itself somehow manages to barely survive this, not sure it'd work so well with Europe.

[QUOTE=ben1066;43466424]I don't want a United States of Europe. I can entirely understand having a European Union, and that that is beneficial, how does a superstate help? Surely you just reduce the ability for the countries to specifically adjust for their populations and requirements?[/QUOTE] We technically already are the USoE.. EU law overrides ever EU nation's laws. Essentially the same as federal law overriding state law in the USA.

I'd imagine that a coalition of separate countries with similar laws and focuses would be better than trying to govern extremely different areas of the world

No we don't.

I'm not sure if this could be a good or bad thing. Since people over there creating laws seem like very sensible people. As long as your lawmakers are in touch with people's demands and not like their pockets filled with paper and coin I don't see much of a train wreck.

[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;43466367]Can somebody explain how essentially reverse-balkanizing the entirety of Europe of magically end all European conflicts? Renaming two countries that hate each other isn't going to magically make them friends.[/QUOTE] France and Germany have historically been very hostile with each other, largely fighting over Elsass-Lothringen. After the end of WW2, the steel and coal community was founded to aid French and German manufacturers so they could trade freely with each other and integrate the economies. This removed the incentive to have a war, since well, you can already get those resources, and clay isn't important anymore. Ever since the end of WW2 when Europe tried that experiment, it's worked so well that it's been the most relatively peaceful period in European history. No member of it has ever been to war with each other since its foundation.

[QUOTE=Binladen34;43466448]The larger you grow your government, the harder it is to please all parties. The United States itself somehow manages to barely survive this, not sure it'd work so well with Europe.[/QUOTE] the US "barely" manages to survive it, simply because you guys have an amazingly stupid group of people who are trying to take your country back to the dark ages due to racism and religious insanity, luckily for you however they're dying out slowly(also literally).

[QUOTE=Sword and Paint;43466450]We technically already are the USoE.. EU law overrides ever EU nation's laws. Essentially the same as federal law overriding state law in the USA.[/QUOTE] Eh okay, but what the EU dictates isn't so wide and also, there are a lot of opt outs, [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opt-outs_in_the_European_Union[/url]

[QUOTE=joshdasmif;43466420]With a German Head chancellor for EU. Making Germany succeed in doing what they tried to do in the 1900's but without war[/QUOTE] But the head of the European Council is Belgian, and the head of the European Commission is Spanish. And even of those only the President of the Council is all that similar to a 'President of Europe'. [editline]8th January 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=Wizards Court;43466559]the US "barely" manages to survive it, simply because you guys have an amazingly stupid group of people who are trying to take your country back to the dark ages due to racism and religious insanity, luckily for you however they're dying out slowly(also literally).[/QUOTE] But it is important to realise there are also nationalists and conservatives in Europe with similar ideas.

[QUOTE=Sobotnik] plus able to permanently end the threat of conflict between the former states here. [/QUOTE] Unless you're talking about the Balkans (which I wouldn't call "former states"), who in the entire modern world thinks that there's any threat of conflict? The closest you can get is Spain complaining about Gibraltar, which has nothing to do with actual conflict. [QUOTE=sloppy_joes;43466367]Can somebody explain how essentially reverse-balkanizing the entirety of Europe of magically end all European conflicts? Renaming two countries that hate each other isn't going to magically make them friends.[/QUOTE] It's about furthering European Integration, making countries less likely to go to war with each other because of strong trade relations etc. (Interdependence). But yes, that kind of thing requires a mutual wish for peace. I would argue that all countries in the EU have already gotten to the point where there's no way in hell they'll go to war.

If this actually happens I'm emigrating.

[QUOTE=Wizards Court;43466559]the US "barely" manages to survive it, simply because you guys have an amazingly stupid group of people who are trying to take your country back to the dark ages due to racism and religious insanity, luckily for you however they're dying out slowly(also literally).[/QUOTE] That honestly isn't the issue, that's more of a symptom. The real issue is that once you make a system powerful and complicated enough, lying to and manipulating people becomes far more lucrative than educating and communicating with them. If you make the political landscape big and intimidating and confusing enough swaying public opinion isn't particularly hard.

As an American that has absolutely no say or opinion on the EU whatsoever, I say hell yeah! v:v:v

A United States of Europe would tear itself apart, and fall into a civil war before it got out of its baby steps. It's happened to the United States of America several times through out its' history, and Europe would be no exception.

[QUOTE=ewitwins;43466682]As an American that has absolutely no say or opinion on the EU whatsoever, I say hell yeah! v:v:v[/QUOTE] As an American that has absolutely no say or opinion on the EU whatsoever, I say hell no! v:v:v

[QUOTE=ViralHatred;43466651]If this actually happens I'm emigrating.[/QUOTE] You don't have to worry. The UK has a couple of opt-outs, and a large portion of the population doesn't want to be a part of the EU in the first place. First and foremost, this would probably affect countries in the Eurozone.

[QUOTE=Mr. Scorpio;43466390]Honestly I've gotta say you're probably better off not emulating our governing structure. You're inviting an apocalypse of bureaucracy and disproportionate power hoarding the likes of which you've never seen. Superstates just aren't very wieldy or conducive to public accountability.[/QUOTE] i doubt it would function that much better than the bureaucratic corrupt mess that most european countries are already.

I surely understand the point from where he is speaking, but I highly doubt it's a possibility at this moment. Even then the magnitude of different languages and cultures would be a huge obstacle which can't be just thrown away lightly. Something like this needs way more time.

[QUOTE=joshdasmif;43466420]With a German Head chancellor for EU. Making Germany succeed in doing what they tried to do in the 1900's but without war[/QUOTE] EU is now the Holy Roman Empire v.2

[QUOTE=Sableye;43466726]i doubt it would function that much better than the bureaucratic corrupt mess that most european countries are already.[/QUOTE] The main issue is taking that same corruption and giving it a shitton more power and clout.