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11-19-2009, 05:56 PM
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#1
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Beside the sea
oggbashan is offline
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: East of the Greenwich Meridian
Posts: 15,272
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And the first ever European President is... Who?
The leaders of the 27 European Union countries have decided who their new President is: Who?
And their Foreign Secretary (US equivalent Secretary of State) is Baroness Ashton. Who?
Why? Even the Belgians aren't sure who their President is. Now 27 countries are sharing the Belgians' puzzlement.
Are either of them likely to be seen as equals by President Obama or Prime Minister Putin?
Og |
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11-19-2009, 06:41 PM
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#2
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It was something I ate.
Huckleman2000 is offline
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Zemo
Posts: 3,729
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oggbashan
The leaders of the 27 European Union countries have decided who their new President is: Who?
And their Foreign Secretary (US equivalent Secretary of State) is Baroness Ashton. Who?
Why? Even the Belgians aren't sure who their President is. Now 27 countries are sharing the Belgians' puzzlement.
Are either of them likely to be seen as equals by President Obama or Prime Minister Putin?
Og |
The Foreign Sec's name sounds like a limited-edition collectible doll. "Also available: Duchess Penelope!"
__________________
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- Colly's post about the Horsey star system
LOL, thanks Huck. I'm glad that anaolgy went over so well 
The thing is, words hurt, words heal. - English Lady says things that are worth remembering
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11-19-2009, 07:09 PM
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#3
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In Mourning
voluptuary_manque is online now
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: preferably between thighs
Posts: 22,380
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oggbashan
The leaders of the 27 European Union countries have decided who their new President is: Who?
And their Foreign Secretary (US equivalent Secretary of State) is Baroness Ashton. Who?
Why? Even the Belgians aren't sure who their President is. Now 27 countries are sharing the Belgians' puzzlement.
Are either of them likely to be seen as equals by President Obama or Prime Minister Putin?
Og |
The EU has finally shown the world how important it really is. 
__________________
voluptuary_manque'
My stories
Mr. Vanilla Straight Guy--Safe_Bet
Don’t know if I ever told you, but you were the first person I “met” on Lit. You invited me into Molly’s thread and made me feel at home. I really appreciated that. You also prolly know more about the “doings” of our family than just about anybody else on Lit. That’s cuz you care and are appreciated for being you.--posthumous message from Safe_Bet. And I still care and I still love her. Rest in the Light, Suzy.
You poor, deluded bear--glynndah
"Soldiers are citizens of Death's grey land, drawing no dividends from time's tomorrow. They deposit their life blood, their hopes and aspirations into the cauldron of war so that others might draw on that exchange and have lives they could only dream of having."--Siegfried Sassoon
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11-19-2009, 07:21 PM
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#4
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Terminally Innocent.
Handley_Page is offline
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 6,278
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Quote:
Originally Posted by voluptuary_manque
The EU has finally shown the world how important it really is. |
Well, not quite.
It has shown that a definite ego exists in the minds of Merkel & Sarkosy, who really do not want their authority subsumed.
Load of soapsuds!
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If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
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First Story: "Incident at Cemetery Junction"
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11-19-2009, 08:17 PM
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#5
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now with 17% more class
Liar is offline
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: 8th floor
Posts: 21,257
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oggbashan
Are either of them likely to be seen as equals by President Obama or Prime Minister Putin?
Og
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Why should they be? They are not in charge of a big-ass nation. They are the political coordinator for 27 sovereign nations. 27 identities, 27 economies (despite furious attempt to merge them), as many languages or more, and a subcontinent of people who don't really care for an all emcompassing father figure, whoever it might be. |
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11-19-2009, 11:29 PM
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#6
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Deep Fried and Sanctified
Dragonlipz is offline
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Puget Sound
Posts: 1,281
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I was a tad skeptical about the 'consolidation' of the EU rant that was circulating about ten years ago when I visited the continent and 'merry old' on a bi-monthly basis.....it was good energy and great tavern talk...not nearly as good tavern talk as the fun being made of a certain Republican presidential candidate at the time....but a lot of fun, nonetheless......
I mean, my relatives in Italia laughed when they discussed 'joining' the EU....they would have rather vote for Bush, I think.....maybe some of them did....they all liked the Big B.....
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11-19-2009, 11:40 PM
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#7
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Literotica Guru
driphoney is offline
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,897
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As long as "the treaty is vague" as the article says, about the role of the president, he won't be, to answer Ogg's question. The second the EU and the presidency is perceived to have or takes real power, he/she will be the biggest person in the room.
This doesn't qualify for 'pollitical' does it? Cause I don't do political here! |
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11-19-2009, 11:43 PM
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#8
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It's one of those days
TE999 is offline
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Next in line
Posts: 24,547
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I notice the EU President's role isn't clearly defined by the treaty, which lends itself to all sorts of possibilities. 
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I used to be disgusted, now I'm just amused.
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11-19-2009, 11:56 PM
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#9
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Opinionated Old Fart
Weird Harold is offline
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: "No Lost Wages", NV USA
Posts: 20,308
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oggbashan
The leaders of the 27 European Union countries have decided who their new President is: Who?
And their Foreign Secretary (US equivalent Secretary of State) is Baroness Ashton. Who? |
The Foreign Secretary should be "What?" and thenyou could just plug the whole EU government structure into the old Abbot & Costello routine. 
__________________
Answers! I got lots of answers!
(Now if I could just figure out which questions they go to. ) |
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11-20-2009, 12:01 AM
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#10
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overworked and underdrunk
The_Fool is online now
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,301
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Weird Harold
The Foreign Secretary should be "What?" and thenyou could just plug the whole EU government structure into the old Abbot & Costello routine. |
I don't know is on third. |
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11-20-2009, 09:04 AM
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#11
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Literotica Guru
rgraham666 is offline
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 42,690
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She can't be all bad. She has a Dalek in her living room.
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11-20-2009, 10:35 AM
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#12
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Straight to the Heart
3113 is offline
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Pluto
Posts: 9,488
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Quote:
Originally Posted by oggbashan
The leaders of the 27 European Union countries have decided who their new PresAre either of them likely to be seen as equals by President Obama or Prime Minister Putin
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Quote:
Originally Posted by voluptuary_manque
The EU has finally shown the world how important it really is. |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Weird Harold
you could just plug the whole EU government structure into the old Abbot & Costello routine.
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Back in the late 18th century/early 19th century the U.S. government looked pretty much the same to the rest of the world. Hap-hazard, no real unity between the states (they might as well have been different countries--they even had a similar problem with the economies and the value of the money state to state), bickering, confusion, and with a government that most of Europe thought was a joke. It had no power, it had no influence, it had nothing. The president was hardly a match to the King of England or Tsar of Russia. And most of the world laughed at the pathetic new government and thought it wouldn't last a year.
And, in truth, that government was very much a leaky boat that almost sunk on several occasions.
Maybe the EU will end up being nothing but a joke. And its leaders the butt of that joke. It could very well sink. But given the historical example of the nation I live in, I think it would be a little hypocritical of me to say that any other group of "states" trying to create some sort of unity while remaining autonomous can't develop into something that might, in the future, be taken seriously. Even if they do fumble like the keystone cops along the way.
Here's to the new president. I hope that in a year's time, we won't all be asking "Who" they are. We'll know and be glad that they're at the helm of this particular union.
__________________
3113
 
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Why do writers write? Because it isn't there.
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11-20-2009, 11:21 AM
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#13
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In Mourning
voluptuary_manque is online now
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: preferably between thighs
Posts: 22,380
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The difference between the early 19th C. U.S. and the current version can be summed up in one name, Lincoln. He emerged as a near-dictatorial giant of a figure that enhanced the power of his office due to his role as CIC in the Civil War. Since such an event is highly unlikely in Europe, there is only the barest of probabilities that the EU president will ever be more than a figurehead. Opportunity will never knock.
__________________
voluptuary_manque'
My stories
Mr. Vanilla Straight Guy--Safe_Bet
Don’t know if I ever told you, but you were the first person I “met” on Lit. You invited me into Molly’s thread and made me feel at home. I really appreciated that. You also prolly know more about the “doings” of our family than just about anybody else on Lit. That’s cuz you care and are appreciated for being you.--posthumous message from Safe_Bet. And I still care and I still love her. Rest in the Light, Suzy.
You poor, deluded bear--glynndah
"Soldiers are citizens of Death's grey land, drawing no dividends from time's tomorrow. They deposit their life blood, their hopes and aspirations into the cauldron of war so that others might draw on that exchange and have lives they could only dream of having."--Siegfried Sassoon
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