Haha...

[CranesAreFlying]

you don't need a unified eceonomy. you need unified politics and collective outrage. the EU is not going to challenge US power. The only weaknesses the US has are its natural ideological weaknesses. If Europe follows the US's rules of play, it will never succeed. The fucking Euro is beside the point: if you've bought the euro you've already seen the damn bet. In terms of European Unity, what the world needs is democratic collective outrage. Take the UN. What prevents the UN from functioning properly? Large part of it is fucks like the US 1) won't even pay nominal dues, and 2) abide by international law only when it suits them. What Europe can do to influence the world balance of power is to band politically and refuse to tow the US line. DO NOT send the US troops for Iraq. DO NOT vote $ or support UN resolutions aiding the US. This is a critical time for European unity and world democracy. And the world needs Europe to put the US in its place, not for it to join its game. Keep in mind "we" would never return the favor.

sorry for any insensitivities, i'm just an angry americunt.
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"Even I know the solution: love, music, wine and revolution..." (magnetic fields)

Vodamusic.com

[Bev]

The stronger the euro is (no button on my keyboard for it as yet!) then the more investors will speculate in it... leading to an decrease in speculations in other currencies including the $ (have that, shift 4!) thereby increasing the USA's already spectacular slide from surplus to deficit... leaving less funds for bombing, weaopns research and regressive taxation polices... (I'm not saying the UN and stuff mentioned above aren't important too though)
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Scattershot Writing: www.jameseverington.blogspot.com

[CranesAreFlying]

I see your point. bless you really. And don't think all those protests in Europe have fallen on deaf ears. they've influenced public opinion over here greatly, especially giving credibility to leftist opposition in this country, who are usually passed over as being "wacko Marxists" or "Anarchists" by the conservative-dominated press (who are always bitching about the virtually nonexistant "liberal press" ). The protests have not only made the US population think more critically about current foreign policy and the veil of terror, but have also lent credibility to Seattle, etc. It would be impossible for the conservatives to dismiss Howard Dean or Dennis Kucinich as "anarchists".

the 'slide from surplus to deficit' is also making peope think. I think a lot of people were caught off guard when Curious George came out asking for 87 billion dollars like it was a raise in his allowance.
Still, I don't think the euro will affect the situation here much. Your average voters over here (at least 1/3 of which describe themselves as evangelical/born again) aren't going to note the complexities of intenational finance. Photographs in the paper and footage on TV of people all over the world protesting US policy will.

and don't think that the US' last dollar won't go to the Pentagon and the military. Any financial hardship that befalls us will be squarely set on the shoulders of those who can least afford it. That's how democratic we are.
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"Even I know the solution: love, music, wine and revolution..." (magnetic fields)

Vodamusic.com

[Tommy BOO]

euro's are my friends
unfortunately i don't have too many friends left
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"Tommy Boo has played a pivotal role in my life. I've looked up to him since I was a kid and he has inspired every note of music I have ever written. The man is a fucking genius" -BC