EU and US free-trade talks launched

[Viking]

Wouldn't we have to dissolve our constitution first?

Wait, does the EU even want 50 new members?   

50? You sure Mississippi, Arkansas and Alabama meet the criteria for the Stability and Growth Pact?

They probably beat most European countries.  For instance Arkansas beats France in GDP per capita.  Britain is around there as well.

You don't seem to know what the Stability and Growth Pact is.

[Razgovory]

Not really.  Also, don't care.

[Eddie Teach]

not to mention the 600 ish reliably democratic electoral votes the new "states" would have.

Highly doubtful the Democratic Party would survive the merge intact.

[Razgovory]

No Reds allowed.

[Josquius]

The democrats would be fine, they would be the new right. It would be between the Dems and the Socs.

[Eddie Teach]

The democrats would be fine, they would be the new right. It would be between the Dems and the Socs.

Dems shedding their "progressive" wing and unions while adding some Republicans is not surviving *intact*.

I don't think the repercussions of such a radical change as merging the US and Europe can be predicted very confidently, but the one thing's sure is that the new party alignments will not resemble the current ones.

[Iormlund]

They probably beat most European countries.  For instance Arkansas beats France in GDP per capita.  Britain is around there as well.

Remember though that there are no transfers within the EU except for farm subsidies and limited development funds. No EU military bases, or Medicare, or unemployment, and so on.

[Sheilbh]

What would be the benefit of including agriculture in the deal?

[Admiral Yi]

What would be the benefit of including agriculture in the deal?

Seriously? 

Much cheaper prices for EU consumers, more profit for US farmers.

[Sheilbh]

Seriously? 

Seriously. The laws of both markets would stay the same. I can't see how it would have any significant impact.

[Admiral Yi]

Seriously. The laws of both markets would stay the same. I can't see how it would have any significant impact.

You've lost me.  EU ag tarrifs are on the order of 30-40% (highest in the world IINM).  Reducing these would lower prices for consumers.

[Sheilbh]

First of all that's not true, they're around 18% on average (compared to, I think around 2-3% between US-EU on other goods).

Secondly in areas where US farmers could benefit there's already lower tariffs and the US farmers don't meet EU regulatory standards. They haven't found it worthwhile and I don't imagine that without tariffs it would make enough of a difference for them either.

Even if we got rid of tariffs we wouldn't allow hormone meat, or GM crops, or loosen other standards. I doubt that it would be worthwhile for most US producers to aim for export to the EU even without tariffs and EU producers would still not be able to compete in the US on price.

[Zanza]

What about USDA prime horsemeat though?

[Sheilbh]

What about USDA prime horsemeat though?

At least we could stop blaming the poor Romanians.

[Zanza]

Seriously. The laws of both markets would stay the same. I can't see how it would have any significant impact.

You've lost me.  EU ag tarrifs are on the order of 30-40% (highest in the world IINM).  Reducing these would lower prices for consumers.

You expect market force where there are none. Higher competition of low priced agricultural goods would more likely than not have the consequence of even higher subsidies for the EU farmers.