The Senate as a solution?

One of the indignities of living in DC is that we have no representation in Congress yet states that are barely inhabited such as Rhode Island, Alaska, Wyoming, Vermont, etc. not only have that but also TWO Senators.

Though DC does not have the representation it deserves, one has to applaud the Founding Fathers for designing a legislative body that balances the interests of large and small, rich and poor, states. 

I thought about that design when reading all the stories about the latest turns in the eurozone and Greece in the Sunday Post and Times. One problem plaguing the eurozone is that nations share a currency but not much else. Their budgets, bonds, borrowing and spending - and politics - is each different. Exhibit A is Greece and Germany, with Germany obviously fed up with Greece's spending and politics.

One goal of a united, post-war Europe was to put an end to political rivalries and nationalism.  Another goal is economic; the eurozone is supposed to create one, big, united economy much like the one in the U.S. As you know, in our united states wealthier ones such as California and New York support their poorer brethren like Mississippi and Alabama. Unfortunately, now that the chips are down Germany does not want to eurozone to function like that. Instead of propping up they have decided to force austerity on the poorer nations of Europe. 

In doing so, Berlin has cynically prioritized their banks over their fellow European citizens. Clearly, German-imposed austerity has not worked. 

As the New York Times editorialized today, one way to make the eurozone actually function is to unite European financial markets and economies - not just currencies. The Times goes on to point out that that kind of unity is unlikely since countries such as Greece, Italy, Spain and Ireland do not trust eurozone bureaucrat in Brussels (even though the Greeks would obviously benefit from being as transparent and prudent, etc. as the Germans), and vice-versa.  

That's where the Senate comes in. Though it slows things down, which can be but isn't always a bad thing, I am still a big fan of bicameral legislatures (sorry parliamentary democracies and Nebraska). Perhaps integrating currencies, economies and markets would work better if the existing European parliament was given greater authority AND was complimented by a Senate that functioned exactly as ours did - complete with the filibuster and cloture, and most importantly, every member of the European Senate, no matter how big or small, had 2 seats.  

Countries would be equals financially AND politically. Joining such a union or zone would also force a nation to decide, "Do you care about a union of equals or do you only care about YOUR national interests" -- and in this case German banks.

My Quick Take on the Looming Greek Elections

Unlike the last time they went to the polls, the fate of the world may not be decided by the Greek electorate on January 25th.  The German banks that were repaid by the troika - IMF, European Central Bank, European Commission - that bailed out Greece two years ago are liquid again; since they have gotten their money Germany apparently does not fear a Greek exit from the eurozone if Syriza wins.

Though the leader of that party, Kosta Tsipras, is a loon a vote for Syriza does have some good points, mainly as a vote in opposition to the austerity measures forced on Greece and other eurozone nations like Spain, Ireland and Italy. It's striking to see Europe cling to austerity; their economies are so weak that Greece - GREECE - was one of only 3 eurozone nations that saw economic growth in 2014.

Contrast that with the U.S., where President Obama - with robust Democratic majorities in the House and Senate - went in the other direction and passed a stimulus bill in 2009 that kept our economy above water and paved the way for a robust recovery that is still picking up steam. Republicans wanted to push cuts in spending and emulate the European elites they supposedly despise.

But the German banks were repaid so that's all that matters to the EU.

Also unlike the last elections in 2012, eurozone leaders do not seem that alarmed about Greece possibly leaving the common currency.  Again, their banks have recovered so Greece, which is only 2 percent of the European economy, is back to being a blip on the radar screen.

But having an EU nation drop their common currency seems awfully cynical, politically.  The economic union of Europe was supposed to herald a era of continental cooperation and integration.  Has the EU stopped aspiring to those lofty political and cultural goals?  Seems like it.

While I would love to see an anti-austerity party win the Greek elections, and see an anti-austerity movement pick up steam in Europe, I can't get behind Syriza. It's ironic that they are somewhat anti-American - Syriza has threatened to kick the U.S. Navy out of Crete, opposes sanctions against Putin, etc. - when what Greece really needs is to emulate the U.S. and become a meritocracy, embrace immigrants (which Greece USED to do), and convince the E.U. - from the inside, instead of dropping out of the eurozone - to try an Obama-style stimulus instead of austerity.