I think that a political union of Europe is a fine thing, if successful. However, I have serious concerns about the manner in which integration is being executed. I, perhaps due to my own ignorance, am still not clear on the ultimate structure of the EU. Who's in charge? Where does the authority of the rotating president end and the commission begin? How does the EU parliament fit into the structure? What will be the responsibilites of the member states be, and where does their authority end?

My gravest concern is the currency. This was rushed. Political union should always come first. The United States didn't have a single currency until 1863, and that was only temporary to pay for the Civil War. There wasn't a permanent federal currency until the 1880s, I believe. And when that happened, the federal gov't assumed the debt of the states.

I fear that the currency will collapse, and so to will the dream of a unified, peaceful Europe. Scapegoats will be sought in the ashes.