Belgian Waffle
From the desk of The Brussels Journal on Fri, 2007-09-14 17:07
A quote from the editorial of The Washington Times, 14 September 2007
If tiny Belgium splits in two, the European Union has a signal warning at its doorstep: Unresponsive government’s fissures eventually turn into major breaches and perhaps even bring about the state’s destruction. […] Taxation and underrepresentation are the essential watchwords. Capitalistic and Dutch-speaking Wallonia [sic -- this should be Flanders, (tbj)] generates about 70 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). With the top income-tax rate at 50 percent and the nation’s public outlays constituting a staggering 46 percent of GDP, it is not hard to see who benefits from tax-and-spend Eurosocialism and who is hurt by it. […]
It is Belgium’s business whether it chooses to split in two, and certainly any observer who sympathizes with the right to self-determination would see Flanders’ point. It seemingly cannot escape from the harmful policies of its central government. […] Let us hope for the European Union’s sake that Brussels’ E.U. leaders learn the right lessons here. Sooner or later, the will of the people must be respected. A government which aims to herd people for its own selfish purposes, or for the purposes of an overempowered minority, risks eventual destruction.
@ spraynasal
Submitted by Geraldo on Sun, 2007-09-16 18:32.
(All nationalisms are kind of outdated in today's world..But we can forgive it because too much realism is very boring )
Showing your true colors.
The politicians who brought muslims in did that to breack old european nation and cale rule a set of dismantled nations as an autoritarian elite.
Nationalisms are outdated or you are outdated?
@traveller
Submitted by spraynasal on Sat, 2007-09-15 20:29.
What's the population of this "Flemish" territory of Rhode? 65% french-speaking!
and the population of Brussels is 85% French-speaking....
Keep dreaming about keeping Brussels in Flanders, and we will keep going nowhere together....Flemish and walloons, at the same time bound and opposed around Brussels...Anyway, I don't expect to convince you to come to terms with reality.
There are now 45 years that this rabid linguistic border surrounding Brussels like a Bantustan makes you dream that you don't "surrender" territory, but doesn't prevent you from having more and more french-speaking majorities around Brussels...Not because one culture is better than the other but simply because Brussels is a big city and everywhere in the world big cities are expanding...And Flemish people are still selling their lands at the best price and moving away, and then complaining that they lose grip on Brussels...Flemish nationalism is romanticism, not really in grip with reality.
(All nationalisms are kind of outdated in today's world..But we can forgive it because too much realism is very boring )
@ spraynasal
Submitted by traveller on Sun, 2007-09-16 17:27.
Dear,
You forget why the Brussels middle class moves to Flanders.
Because of the rampant criminal and unlivable environment of the european capital.
Thus they move to Flanders because it's nice, quiet and peacefull. And on the strength of their fantastic success in Brussels they want to repeat the same performance on flemish territory!!! In your dreams!!! Get rid of your gangsterpoliticians and your social theft society and start getting active normal citizens and maybe, just maybe you will succeed in Brussels on your own, but don't corrupt Flanders, enough is enough.
Funny mistake, but I must
Submitted by spraynasal on Fri, 2007-09-14 23:25.
Funny mistake, but I must disagree with the view that french-speaking belgians are an overempowered minority. As for Flanders self determination, I see it difficult as long as Flemish cling to Brussels as their capital and keep insisting on an absurd separation between Brussels and Wallonia, geographically speaking. Let Brussels and Wallonia joined together and the two independence would be easy. But Flemish don't want this.
@ spraynasal
Submitted by traveller on Sat, 2007-09-15 18:16.
Sorry, but the idea of surrendering territory to Wallonia is unpalatable to Flemish people, they didn't do anything else during their whole history and ALWAYS to french speaking dictators.
As far as Brussels is concerned, my personal view is to leave them ignored and to let them suffocate in their corruption. I give them ONE year and they come begging to Flanders.
Their ethnic composition, connected with their demographic situation and economic reality is just plain disastrous and frankly impossible to solve without drastic measures. Those drastic measures are impossible to impose while cuddling and paying them, which the flemish do today. One year in their corrupted swamp alone and the cries for help will be very loud. Then you can impose the draconic measures needed.
"Taxation and
Submitted by Amsterdamsky on Fri, 2007-09-14 19:51.
"Taxation and underrepresentation are the essential watchwords."
If you join Holland this will be more like taxation and no representation.
Belgian Waffle
Submitted by traveller on Fri, 2007-09-14 18:52.
Please Paul, tell me it isn't true.
They replaced Flanders by Wallonia in their text. Please, please tell me it isn't true.