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The ECB is far from independent; as seen by the fact that Duisenburg successor can be any nationality as long as they're French.
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The ECB will rotate Frenchman, German, someone else,Frenchman,German and so onSpace is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind- bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space.
Douglas Adams (Influential author)Comment
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Talking of Duisenburg's successor, why isn't he being paraded around the media and have a high profile? Because he's on trial. Do we really want to hand our power to set our interest rates over to this organisation?
As for selecting the best people to do the job, see the quote from the Prime Minister of Luxembourg on the appointment; "If Trichet is not in a position to get the job, another Frenchman will be nominated".
Merit obviously has no place on the continent.Visit the Vote UK Discussion Forum!Comment
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No they dish jobs on a which ex prime minister needs the job most and will do what we want him to do.
Oh and why does Luxembourg ahve any say whatsoeverSpace is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind- bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space.
Douglas Adams (Influential author)Comment
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Iain, that's a funny thing to say. The ECB governors are political appointees, just as the equivalent positions everywhere. The important thing is that they are independent in exercising their position once appointed - and they usually suffer a severe Becket syndrome that moment. Former BB President Tietmayer is an excellent example for that.
And of course, merry ol' England is known as a bastion of meritocracy, especially in politics.“Now we declare… that the law-making power or the first and real effective source of law is the people or the body of citizens or the prevailing part of the people according to its election or its will expressed in general convention by vote, commanding or deciding that something be done or omitted in regard to human civil acts under penalty or temporal punishment….” (Marsilius of Padua, „Defensor Pacis“, AD 1324)Comment
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I assume he's just being used as a mouthpiece. One would assume he would know what was going on...Oh and why does Luxembourg have any say whatsoeverVisit the Vote UK Discussion Forum!Comment
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Do you really believe that? Why would France be so desperate to ensure that the ECB President is French if it was not in their interest?The ECB governors are political appointees, just as the equivalent positions everywhere. The important thing is that they are independent in exercising their position once appointedVisit the Vote UK Discussion Forum!Comment
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Well it might not be known for it(steryotypes are just too much fun to dismiss if the facts disagree) but we are getting better all the time.Originally posted by HershOstropoler
And of course, merry ol' England is known as a bastion of meritocracy, especially in politics.
The current government(and im no supporter) is meritocraticSpace is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind- bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the chemist's, but that's just peanuts to space.
Douglas Adams (Influential author)Comment
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"Why would France be so desperate to ensure that the ECB President is French if it was not in their interest?"
Supposed Prestige. The french political elite does a lot of stupid things for that.
"The current government(and im no supporter) is meritocratic"
Every government is recruited by negative selection.“Now we declare… that the law-making power or the first and real effective source of law is the people or the body of citizens or the prevailing part of the people according to its election or its will expressed in general convention by vote, commanding or deciding that something be done or omitted in regard to human civil acts under penalty or temporal punishment….” (Marsilius of Padua, „Defensor Pacis“, AD 1324)Comment
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It is worth remembering that the various EU institutions are basically a carve up. The various member countries each basically get to nominate for a number of posts. The French and Germans decide most and the smaller countries get a few each.
The UK doesn't really get its fair share - mainly because we don't play the system very well due to a historic reluctance to make deals with those sneaky unreliable europeans.
[disclaimer] national stereotyping, not my personal view [/disclaimer]Never give an AI an even break.Comment
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If you ask any country, it never gets its fair share of anything. Moot point.“Now we declare… that the law-making power or the first and real effective source of law is the people or the body of citizens or the prevailing part of the people according to its election or its will expressed in general convention by vote, commanding or deciding that something be done or omitted in regard to human civil acts under penalty or temporal punishment….” (Marsilius of Padua, „Defensor Pacis“, AD 1324)Comment
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Moot point indeed, my comment was more on the point that the UK government apparatus must overcome its perception that europe is the enemy if we are ever to successfully operate as a european country.Never give an AI an even break.Comment
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"its perception that europe is the enemy"
True, especially when other governments have fund out a long time ago that europe is the perfect scapegoat.“Now we declare… that the law-making power or the first and real effective source of law is the people or the body of citizens or the prevailing part of the people according to its election or its will expressed in general convention by vote, commanding or deciding that something be done or omitted in regard to human civil acts under penalty or temporal punishment….” (Marsilius of Padua, „Defensor Pacis“, AD 1324)Comment
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Can someone explain to me why America is able to cope with a single interest rate but Europe apparently can't?
The US can't cope with it sometimes. There have been long periods of dreadful geographic dissonance. You could make the case that the Southeast had the short end of the stick for 130 years until about 1995.I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891Comment
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It appears that the UK government will now argue about this for a few weeks before agreeing with Gordon Brown.
Never give an AI an even break.Comment
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