Category Archives: Europe

Europe, Media, Politics, Religion

Croatia Defines Marriage As Man+Woman

The banner proclaims ‘Marriage equals woman plus men, everything else is something different’

Croats voted overwhelmingly in favor of defining marriage in the constitution as a “union of man and woman” on Sunday. Croatia now shares its constitutional definition of marriage with Belarus, Poland, Moldova, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Serbia.

Almost 66 percent of those who voted in the referendum in the new European Union member endorsed the initiative, launched by the Catholic group “In the Name of the Family”, according to preliminary results on Sunday night. Turnout was 37 percent. The vote was not surprising given that 90 percent of Croatia is Roman Catholic.

Current law in Croatia states that marriage is between a man and woman. The point of the constitutional referendum was to insure that no laws would or could change that definition, short of a constitutional amendment which would need a two-thirds vote, 66 percent. Despite the overwhelming majority of the effort to put it in the constitution, the Croatian government was opposed to it but will comply with the referendum. The government will be making laws to grant equal rights to same-sex couples instead of changing or expanding the definition of the word. It is also considering changes to the constitutional referendum process to restrict the ability for the public to start changes to it.

It is instructive to see the liberal bias in the news reporting of the referendum. More than just defining the meaning of the word in the constitution, there are headlines like “Same-sex marriage ban divides Croatia” and “Croatians Vote Against Same-Sex Marriage.” Choosing automatic victim status, in true liberal fashion, Croatians didn’t vote for the normal definition of marriage, they voted against gays. There was no same-sex marriage ban. In Croatia, same-sex marriage isn’t now and never has been legal. And if anything, the referendum united Croatia on what marriage is. It didn’t divide it.

Link: Croats set constitutional bar to same-sex marriage

Economy, Energy, Europe, Obamacare, Politics

Mexico’s Energy Reform, Introduce Private Enterprise

The United States isn’t the only country in the hemisphere suffering from an incoherent energy policy. An effective energy policy is one that gets energy instead of one that won’t use all energy resources available.Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto listens to an attendee at the annual Allen and Co. conference at the Sun Valley

Mexico’s problem . . .

Mexico is the world’s 10th-biggest producer of crude oil, according to OPEC data, yet output has fallen by a quarter since hitting peak production of 3.4 million barrels per day in 2004. The country also is a top oil exporter to the United States but has to import nearly half of its gasoline due to a lack of domestic refining capacity.

Our problem? We haven’t built a new refinery in decades. The government limits the energy industry by restricting access to available resources to the bidding of regulatory agencies and special interests whose goals, although noble, are not ready for prime time nor economically feasible at this time. Not only that, but the oil industry has become deformed as a private enterprise, a result of growing government intervention.

Parallels abound between the role government plays in United States and that of Europe and Mexico. Economically, Europe, and toss Russia into the mix too, is introducing more capitalism, private sector business and ownership, as a way to raise them from the economic malaise that their socialist models have produced. On the energy front, Mexico is looking to change from their total government-controlled and owned energy sector to one that, for the first time, introduces private enterprise into the mix.

The teachable moment here is where we, as a country, are going wrong. Economically, we are trying to go to a place that from experience, Europe is trying to get away from. On the energy front, the political party in power is inclined to nationalizing the energy industry whether by fiat or through regulatory agencies. The opposite to what, from experience, Mexico sees as a solution.

It’s been proven it can be done. They just took the health care industry, sixteen percent of our entire economy. And just like in Mexico, there are challenges to making real reform. We should know why Europe and Mexico envy what we have accomplished under free-market capitalism. Which is why we should resist any changes that take us to a place from which they are running.

Link: Mexico energy reform due this week, debate over contracts

Economy, Europe, Politics

Economic Imbecile Has Company

It doesn’t do any good to know that the U.S. isn’t the only country blessed to have an economic imbecile as its president. France has one too!

French President François Hollande said this during a state visit to Japan . . .

You must understand that the crisis in the eurozone is over.

If only to serve notice that the global economic problem just got more complicated.

via François Hollande: the eurozone crisis is over | World news | The Guardian.

Economy, Europe, Politics

How Much Pain Do You Want? Update 3/23/2013

There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of economists that will tell you that if you want to see where we are headed if we don’t fix our cyprusw2-webfiscal house, all you have to do is look at Greece, Europe, and the EU. Just as many will also tell you that the “fix” for our exploding national debt and debt to GDP ratio will be harder to swallow the longer we wait for this “not immediate” crisis to become immediate.

How hard? Let’s look at what Cyprus is considering for their $7.5 billion EU bailout. They want to dip in to the checking accounts of depositors, charging them a tax on their insured deposits. Can you say “run on banks?”

Cypriot banks are holding $88 billion in deposits, including $49 billion in accounts of more than 100,000 euros. A “huge amount” for a country of 1.1 million people. Many of the biggest depositors are foreigners, including rich Russians, (Russian Mob money). President Putin is not happy about it.

Do you believe something like that could not happen here? Right now, there are ‘tax and spenders’ trying to figure out how they can get away with a “wealth tax.” Others have their eyes on your 401K and other retirement plans. Cyprus has their version. Don’t think for a minute that something like this isn’t on Mr. Fair-Share-Redistribution-of-Wealth-Social-Justice Obama’s mind. Why else would he say we don’t have a spending problem and instead have a revenue (not-enough-taxes) problem?

As part of the EU’s bailout, here’s what Cyprus is considering . . .

Those with under 100,000 Euros in their accounts are slated to receive a 6.6% haircut while those with more than 100,000 Euros in their accounts will be docked 9.9%.

Europeans know that the welfare state they made for themselves has become unsustainable. The fix for them now is causing rioting in the streets. There aren’t too many Americans still alive that remember the run on banks and the depression that followed. But if we’re not careful, if we don’t turn this ship around, we have a good chance of seeing history repeat itself.

Link: The EU Crosses the Rubicon | Cyprus president in desperate bid to prevent run on banks  |  Watch Out: Your 401(k) Is Being Targeted  |   Gartman Warns Cyprus: One Does Not Steal Russian Mafia Money And Get Away With It  |  Cyprus closes in on E.U. bailout, U-turn on levy

2012 Election, Economy, Energy, Europe, Politics

EPA, High Mileage Cars Not Permitted In U.S.

If there are only three or four cars capable of 70 mpg, the gas tax revenue shortfall angle is negligible. But not necessarily a limitation. There’s nothing stopping Washington from coming up with a new tax to replace half the gas tax revenue that would be lost by doubling the gas mileage (presuming every car in the country also doubles their mileage.) Or, just double the existing excise tax. Either way, the working poor will be hit the hardest.

The reason why a Volkswagen that gets 70 miles per gallon can not be sold in the United States is because of government regulation. The real reason is the emission standards as dictated by the EPA and the Obama administration. The penny-pincher on gas emits more ‘pollution’ than what the EPA allows. And the reason for that is the farcical man-made global warming BS coming from what is now known as the environmental movement. Wholly embraced by the Obama administration.

The EPA is one government agency that needs to be reduced to an advisory agency, not a regulatory agency. Congress is our regulatory agency. Or better yet, just eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency and save $8.3 billion a year without them. In ten years time, and without the idiotic baseline budgeting scheme, that represents a saving of $83 billion dollars.

Europe, Immigration, Politics

Ilegal Immigration Threatening France

Whether from ignoring illegal immigration, as is the official position of the Obama administration with their Mexican Dream Act, or by an open border agreement in the EU, the problems remain the same. No assimilation, and overloading of support systems.

A wave of immigrants who began arriving in Italy and southern Europe following the Arab Spring last year has put the  27-year-old zone under unprecedented pressure. French president Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday threatened to wreck the European free travel zone unless there is a new pact to cut down on illegal immigration.

Link: France could quit EU open borders deal because of illegal immigration, warns Sarkozy

Economy, Europe, Politics

Today’s Special, Daniel Hannan At CPAC

Listen to the advice from someone who has been there. Where ‘there’ is the place where President Obama is taking this country. This video shows what this writer, and I’m not alone on this point, was saying about the Obama administration two years ago.

Essentially, they are heading the country southbound in the northbound lane. And instead of advising him to turn around, they’re telling him to speed up. And before too long, this great country will be in the same shape as Greece, Great Britain, Spain, Italy, and the rest of them.

Hon. Daniel Hannan, Member of European Parliament

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U6v0pZ9f6k

Europe, Politics

Finland Elects First Conservative President In Five Decades

President elect Sauli Niinisto will be the first president from the conservative National Coalition Party since 1956, and the first in 30 years from a party other than the center-left Social Democrats.

The 63-year-old took 63 percent of the votes, compared to 37 percent for his rival, Greens candidate Pekka Haavisto, official results showed with 100 percent of ballots counted.

Link: Conservative wins Finland presidential vote

Economy, Europe, Politics

Hungary Bonds Hit Junk Status

The Euro zone is in trouble. Hungary pulled the sale of their public debt in three-year bonds. Could not afford the yields over nine percent. Meanwhile, Standard & Poor’s downgraded Hungary’s bonds to junk status.

‘Too big to fail’ is one thing. Try this, ‘Too big to save.’

The teachable moment here is, unless we turn this ship around, you’re looking at our future by looking at the economic situation in Europe today. Good too for the Brits continued refusal to adopt the ‘solution’ the European Union has in mind. It’s best not to board a ship while it is sinking. Besides, they have their own problems.