Another Email to Uncle Roger

Hi Roger, I hope all are well and that you had a wonderful Christmas.

As for your last email – Some point to ponder.

-          Gun Control. I think it is a problem that can’t be fixed. For one, it would take an amendment to the constitution and you could never get 2/3’s of the states to agree. The current laws don’t stop a person from owning a gun, they just make it burocratically difficult. Instead there will be minor changes, but nothing serious and none of them will make a difference. Let’s not forget that the latest horror happened in a state with some of the tightest gun controls. The guns were stolen from the legal owner (mother). None of the rules they are thinking about enacting would have stopped it from happening. Let’s also not forget that the two biggest mass murders were done with Box knifes (9/11) and Fertilizer (Oklahoma City). I am not saying that there should or should not be total gun control. I am saying that it won’t happen, and if it did, it wouldn’t stop bad things from happening. Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn’t Norway have strict gun controls but they still had that awful killing a couple of years ago. In fact I think the UK will have greater problems in the future with guns as a result of the bleed over from the EU. If a person can own a gun in Poland, can they easily take it to England?  That’s the real issue here, a city, or state can severely restrict guns, but a person can drive an hour and get what they need. It is illegal to take it home, but if you’re planning on mass murder, that fact is not going to stop you. It ends up only penalizing the law abiding people who wanted it for home protection.

-          EU Membership. I find the subject fascinating and have been following it closely. A lot more closely than most Americans. I followed the Irish vote. It seemed they kept having votes until they got the answer they wanted. I was surprised when the UK conservatives didn’t hold a referendum on the matter. I thought they had promised to do so? I bet you guys are glad you still have the Pound and are not part of the Euro. Especially with what is coming for Greece/Portugal/Italy/Spain and others. My opinion. And again, I am on the outside looking in, but I have never fully understood why Great Britain was willing to sacrifice Sovereignty for the right to be part of Europe. It seems to me that England has been fighting for a thousand years to avoid becoming some European despot’s treasure. Instead they got you guys to surrender without a fight. (I know I am over simplifying.) Some nameless Brussels burocrat was able to accomplish what Napolian, Hitler, Louis XIII and the Kaiser were unable too. In my opinion, Great Britain has had more positive impact on the world than any other nation in history, even more than Rome. The U.S. Can never overtake it because the U.S. is just a continuation of the British way of looking at things. Freedom, Property rights, fair play, etc. I fear that you are sacrificing your Britishness to become European, and from my point of view that is a step down. Again I’m not there and don’t know all the ins and outs.

-          The Euro – Will it last? And if it doesn’t can the EU survive? It appears that a lot of European countries have a model of borrowing money to pay for services. We have a saying. Things that can’t last, won’t. At some time the bill comes do. Who’s going to pay for it? There are only three ways to eliminate debut, (Inflation, Growth, Default,). Does Europe cut Greece, Portugal, Spain, loose? Are German Taxpayers going to pay for Greece and if so, what are they going to demand in return. It seems that the only long term solution is break up or more central planning, and central budgeting. But if that is the case then people will no longer be Greek but will be European. I realize this is what a lot of people want, but I don’t think they know what they’re getting. It is going to be Interesting to watch over the next decade. All I know is that they can’t keep doing things half way. Either become one country, Europe. Or don’t. Half measures never work in the long run.

What do you think will happen?