The EU has proven itself to be completely economically inept
Err, what? The EU (& Common Market before it) has done wonders for trade and business. That's why many countries want to get into it.
Several member states have had soverign debt crises (but then, the USA almost defaulted), but that has nothing to do with the EU. (More EU intergration might have stopped that)
I don't think any mainstream perspective claims that the crises in the various member states are caused by anything other than their being in the Eurozone, if that is what you are claiming.
Since the problems with having currency union without political integration were widely discussed at the time the union was being set up, I think that the failure to address them qualifies as 'completely economically inept'. Maybe 'completely' is a bit hyperbolic, when compared with the USSR or Zimbabwe, but still.
The great strength of Europe is that is consists of lots of competing small countries, which are capable of cooperating when faced with major threats such as the French or the Turks.
I can see why politicians would want to create a single State to oversee the whole area, but it boggles the mind that the rest of the populace would want to go along with that.
I don't think any mainstream perspective claims that the crises in the various member states are caused by anything other than their being in the Eurozone
Crisis in Ireland was caused by a property bubble, and ridiculus lending from banks causing them to be essentially insolvent. Unconditional guarantee of all Irish bank debts by the Irish Government in Sept 2008 led to the Irish Government being unable to borrow money on the international bond market at a non-crazy rate.
If only there was more EU wide banking regulation.
If the Irish government still had their own currency, they would be able to devalue; their debts would become cheaper, and they wouldn't still be suffering in 2012 for a crisis that happened in 2008.
In addition, the original cause of the ridiculous lending from banks - both in the US and EU - was ridiculously loose monetary policy, as a result of over-large governments trying to stimulate their economies out of the recession of the early 2000's. If banks have more money available to them, they're going to loan it out: that's their business.
If only we had more small and independent countries with their own currencies.
Err, what? The EU (& Common Market before it) has done wonders for trade and business. That's why many countries want to get into it.
Several member states have had soverign debt crises (but then, the USA almost defaulted), but that has nothing to do with the EU. (More EU intergration might have stopped that)