Will Gives his Expert Analysis of the EU sans UK from NJ

Brexit makes the EU stronger, no? The Brits wrung some serious concessions out of Brussels when they joined, payment rebates and the like, its own currency, and they've been a royal pain in the arse ever since. 

The EU had no center of gravity as France and Germany (Jupiter and Saturn if you will) competed for the dominant position with Britain circling like a rogue star. With Britain gone that leaves Pierre and Fritz to have at it. Macron thinks he runs things or that he is at least co-equals with Frau Merkle. After a century and a half Paris still doesn't get how Europe works with Germany united.

As far as Portugal, Italy, Greece, Spain (PIGS), well, 'Wer ist dein Papa!'

There's also the matter of the Eastern Europeans, Hungary and Poland especially, who've been sniping at Brussels over mass migration for half a decade now. They like the economic benefits but not the EU edicts. 

But the EU could always get new members. Scotland wants to leave Britain (Freedom!). Yeah, sure. We recall one of the SNP Independence campaign posters: Free tuition, free prescriptions, no nukes. Was this really about a free Scotland? Since they want to join the EU, probably not. When Americans think of Scots they think of warriors and industrialists, iron willed Calvinist pioneers shooting up red coats and taming the wilderness. Those are the Scots that came to America and Canada. Modern Scotland is a nation full of train-spotters; a bunch of welfare lay-abouts with the most incompetent independence movement this side of Quebec. They should leave and join.

We've rambled on about our mother's ancestral homeland, a proud descendent of the Orangemen she was. Our grandfather, from whom we get our middle name (Thompson) always told her to wear Orange on St. Patrick's Day. And so we do...and so we do.