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Forget Iran. If you’re a European (and all the beautiful people are, whether they’re French or merely aspire to be) you have no time for such things. You’re much more concerned about the problem of the Polish plumber.

Cheaper and more productive labor coming west from New Europe has had Old Europe paralyzed for years. (The thought of working for a living is heresy in France, where the national religion is the vacation.) Now the taxing powers-that-be among the EUnuchs have another way to deal with it. Some of the new members of the EU -- Poland, the Czech Republic and Cyprus (at least the Greek half) -- have been allowed to charge a reduced VAT on five “labor-intensive” tasks including things such as home repair. The EU-mandated VAT is 15%. Now the EU insists that the errant three impose the higher tax and they are refusing. According to the Financial Times, this may spur legal action by the EU to compel the errant three to raise their taxes. 

Sovereignty anyone? And this is the power of the EUnuchs without their misbegotten constitution. 

Unfortunately, with or without the euro or the EU constitution, the Brits are working hard to surrender what they inherited from Lionheart, the Iron Duke and Sir Winston. As the WSJ pointed out today, the Brits are spending millions to nag their own citizens. Are they all Europeans now? Ask David Cameron. You may get an answer, or you may not.

topics:
Taxes, Religion, Constitution, Iran