To borrow a few words from Shakespeare’s Hamlet,
To EU, or not to EU, that is the question: Whether ’tis Nobler in the mind to
Suffer the Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune,
Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them…
Note to Britain; you’re either in it or you’re not. In recent weeks German Chancellor Angela Merkel has made a point to remind us that Great Britain is still an important member of the EU. It’s humorous though that it even needs to be said, because if Britain is so invaluable it should be a given — but maybe considering that less than 70 years ago they were doing their damnedest to obliterate each other it is necessary. The irony is palpable. Further examples of why EU members may need Merkel’s reassuring words regarding England include the country’s act of unceremoniously walking away from Euro talks in early December 2011 and more recently stating that they will not put money in to a 150 billion euro IMF plan to support failing European economies. I would pose a question; what would have happened if the US had decided in 1941 to walk away from Britain in their time of need (i.e. the whole obliterate thing)? It took a massive amount of effort to make the Lend – Lease program of 1941 a reality and a success as well as the post-WWII Marshall Plan that put Europe back on its feet. At the time there were many who were opposed to such plans, but today those two initiatives are recognized as decisive turning points in history, which greatly benefited both North America and Europe. To survive the EU must receive universal support. This requires the help from one of its biggest members; Britain. That’s the point of the union isn’t it? Maybe it’s time for Britain to stop picking and choosing which plans work the best for them and start thinking about what is good for the union and in turn the whole global economy: take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them. | Raymond Matt, CFP, CLU, TEP, CHS Visit us at our website: www.csiplan.ca
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