If Not Now, When?

Charles Crawford has a most interesting blog on Creative Dissonance and how the eurocrats use it to get their way little by little. They get you to agree to one small step that you do not really mind giving up on the basis that you want to be thought of as reasonable by doing so and hope you'll get something in return. This is repeated again and again, step by step and before you know it you find yourself having gone much further than you ever wanted to. You can read his blog here. Knowing this our negotiators should never take the first step and indeed should follow a reverse Creative Dissonance form of negotiation. In other words when asked to agree to a small step on a new issue to adamantly refuse to do so but to hint you might be persuaded to change your mind if the other side will agree to one small step reversing something on another issue which you've been suckered into agreeing by Creative Dissonance. Having got one the small step back on the other issue you then fail to agree to the one small step they want you to take on the first issue. Crawford and others are right about the referendum promised by Cameron. If it is not right to hold one now will the time ever be right? If not now, when - as the old prophet said? With the eurozone still in crisis and Creative Dissonance being practised against Mrs Merkel to make her give up on her resistance to the German taxpayer becoming liable for the profligacy of the periphery countries what kind of future do we have to look forward to having to pay? A pretty bleak one certainly but one where there could be hope if only either the euro is devalued or broken up.