New Year's Day 2013: The Day Greater Germany Was Born

New Year's Day 2013, as far as the world's English-speaking press was concerned, was dominated by negotiations over the so-called Fiscal Cliff in the US and the 40th anniversary of Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland joining what was then called the Common Market, and has since morphed into the European Union.

History, however, seems likely to mark 1.1.13 as the day when the Fiscal Compact, or Fiscal Stability Treaty as it is now to be known, came into force - building on the yet-to-be-completely-finalized ESM Treaty, and the still-to-be-agreed arrangements for the approved Financial Transaction Tax.

Together, these three agreements have precipitated what can only be described as "Greater Germany" - a new type of sovereign state, up to now lacking any trace of democracy or citizen consent, or so far, an identifiable individual despot or tyrant at its head. Thus we are denied a discernible hate figure to focus our comments of contempt; however, as befits such a collectivist conspiracy, there is no lack of high-profile placemen and placewomen to bear the blame.

Prime among these figures are EU Commission President Barroso, EU Council President Van Rompuy, EU High Representative Ashton and Economic Affairs Commissioner Rehn, each contributing their own small part to the resulting dark mess that stains and has become putrid upon the palette we can now see represents the EU.

Barroso is the least cautious in his language on the intent behind the plans for this new pan-European tyranny, and it was a mere two days into this new year before he returned to his native Portugal to deliver the following clear threat to assembled ambassadors, a report of which can be read here:

"Power is currently shifting not only between states but also over and above those states.

"The internationalisation of the financial sector, for example, shows that only supranational regulation through the European Union can restore real decision-making power to European citizens. The key is to exchange formal sovereignty for real influence."

Can nobody in national authority see the emptiness in the words regarding power passing above our heads somehow getting closer to the citizens, far beneath these elite figures who luxuriate in perks and excess while people in the outer reaches of the EU starve and the capital cities of the peripheral states are lit by the fires of burning cars and protesters' flares?

What of the Treaty of Windsor of 1386 (democrats everywhere should now demand to know), presumed to be still in force, marking the oldest alliance in the world between England and Portugal. To the shame of British Foreign Secretary William Hague and Prime Minister David Cameron, they have aligned the United Kingdom on the side of Portugal's oppressors. How long before "Greater Germany" succeeds in crushing Great Britain with weak-willed and unseeing leaders such as these?

Martin Cole is a former naval officer and oil executive who has written a book about the non-democratic course of the EU, Millennium Blitzkrieg, as well as a number of politically-themed blogs.