3 ms·

Agree. We have entered the "Era of the Bully": don't ask permission, not even forgiveness. Whatever you can do, just do it. Don't care who you hurt. The only pr

Agree. We have entered the "Era of the Bully": don't ask permission, not even forgiveness. Whatever you can do, just do it. Don't care who you hurt. The only principle guiding you should be "to maximize your own benefit", assuming that the other players are doing the same. In the EU, we had left this behind long ago, compromising between us in order to get some minimal standards for granted. This will work very well for those strong enough to fight the fight - and the UK could very well be one of the winners of this new period. But this will be at the expense of hurting the rest. That's why the EU should be extremely careful about what role the UK is going to play in the near future. We should recognize and punish any hostile act for what it is, for example the already official threat of creating a tax heaven in our backyard.

up_so_floating 10y ago
Have we really ever left the "Era of the Bully"? Do you think China or Russia care about "hurting" others through their actions? You will be competing with them. Can you punish them as effectively as you can "punish" Britain?
- gonvaled 10y ago
  > Have we really ever left the "Era of the Bully"? We had left it. In the EU. > Do you think China or Russia care about "hurting" others through their actions? You will be competing with them We are competing with China and Russia. To do that we need to be strong. That's one of the reasons why EU membership is important. Thanks for pointing that out. > Can you punish them as effectively as you can "punish" Britain? We are not punishing Britain. Britain is leaving the EU. Any deal we get is a new deal. Nothing can be taken for granted, by the EU or by the UK. If the UK does not get access to the EU market, it is because it is a) either not in the interest of the UK to accept compromises offered by the EU b) or not in the interest of the EU to accept what the UK is proposing

up_so_floating 10y ago

Have we really ever left the "Era of the Bully"? Do you think China or Russia care about "hurting" others through their actions? You will be competing with them. Can you punish them as effectively as you can "punish" Britain?

gonvaled 10y ago
> Have we really ever left the "Era of the Bully"? We had left it. In the EU. > Do you think China or Russia care about "hurting" others through their actions? You will be competing with them We are competing with China and Russia. To do that we need to be strong. That's one of the reasons why EU membership is important. Thanks for pointing that out. > Can you punish them as effectively as you can "punish" Britain? We are not punishing Britain. Britain is leaving the EU. Any deal we get is a new deal. Nothing can be taken for granted, by the EU or by the UK. If the UK does not get access to the EU market, it is because it is a) either not in the interest of the UK to accept compromises offered by the EU b) or not in the interest of the EU to accept what the UK is proposing