Daniel Hannan's Warning From Across the Pond
The next time somebody tells you that European socialism is great because the Europeans themselves are happy with it, please refer them to Daniel Hannan. Hannan is no stranger to the European Union, he is in fact a Member of the European Parliament, and yet, if you can believe this, he is a great champion of American-style conservativism. In fact (Peter, Rob, etc.), he would be a terrific guest contributor at Ricochet.
NRO has a great interview with Daniel. I knew Daniel slightly years ago when I spent a couple years studying in England. Even then, he was articulate, razor sharp, and an admirer of American conservatism. He recently got into trouble with David Cameron's "Conservative" Party for publicly warning Americans that Britain's National Health was not a system to which we should aspire.
Daniel has a new book out; it's called The New Road to Serfdom: A Letter of Warning to America. One quotation from the NRO interview gives you a sense of Hannan's perspective:
Europe is doing all the things that an American liberal would like to do at home: raising taxes, penalizing the use of carbon, cutting military spending, engorging the welfare state, surrendering national sovereignty. . . . In 1970, Western Europe accounted for 36 percent of the world’s GDP. Today, it’s 25 percent; in 2020 it will be 15 percent. Over the same period, the U.S. share of world GDP has remained, and is forecast to remain, stable at around 26 percent. As my American friends say, go figure
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Re: Daniel Hannan's Warning From Across the Pond
Daniel Hannan is an international treasure. You can get a firsthand sense for his eloquence and courage from the clip below: He is speaking directly to former UK PM Gordon Brown when he visited the European Parliament in March 2009. For context, think of the trouble Joe Wilson got into just for saying "You lie!" to President Obama.
Jul '10
Re: Daniel Hannan's Warning From Across the Pond
George Savage: Daniel Hannan is an international treasure. You can get a firsthand sense for his eloquence and courage from the clip below: He is speaking directly to former UK PM Gordon Brown when he visited the European Parliament in March 2009. For context, think of the trouble Joe Wilson got into just for saying "You lie!" to President Obama. · Oct 10 at 6:54pm
George, when I first saw that, I thought, "Why, why...that's just mean-spirited hate-speech...and I'm lovin' it!"
Can you find the clip where he told the Belgian President of the EU Parliament that he looked like a frumpy bank-clerk or something?
Jun '10
Re: Daniel Hannan's Warning From Across the Pond
I discovered Hannan when he was on the Glenn Beck show recently:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbSVkfr-K5o
May '10
Re: Daniel Hannan's Warning From Across the Pond
I've been following Hannan for about a year now. I wholeheartedly agree that he should be a Ricochet contributor. He's consistently brilliant.
Hannan has a daily column here.
Re: Daniel Hannan's Warning From Across the Pond
Just so's you know, folks, one week from this very day I'll be recording an episode of Uncommon Knowledge with Mr. Hannan.
Whom I will not permit out of the studio without first importuning him to join us right here on Ricochet.
May '10
Re: Daniel Hannan's Warning From Across the Pond
Kenneth
Can you find the clip where he told the Belgian President of the EU Parliament that he looked like a frumpy bank-clerk or something? · Oct 10 at 7:04pm
That was Nigel Farage, the UKIP prez, here's the clip.
Jul '10
Re: Daniel Hannan's Warning From Across the Pond
Joe S.
Kenneth
Can you find the clip where he told the Belgian President of the EU Parliament that he looked like a frumpy bank-clerk or something? · Oct 10 at 7:04pm
That was Nigel Farage, the UKIP prez, here's the clip. · Oct 10 at 9:14pm
Thanks Joe, for the correction and the clip.
Boy, my man-crushes are multiplying exponentially....Daniel Hannan, Mitch Daniels, Chris Christie and now Nigel Farage.
And to think that before I discovered my, um, other side, the love of my life was Lady Thatcher: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ6TgaPJcR0
Aug '10
Re: Daniel Hannan's Warning From Across the Pond
Peter Robinson: Just so's you know, folks, one week from this very day I'll be recording an episode of Uncommon Knowledge with Mr. Hannan.
Whom I will not permit out of the studio without first importuning him to join us right here on Ricochet. · Oct 10 at 8:01pm
Huzzah!
Jul '10
Re: Daniel Hannan's Warning From Across the Pond
Peter Robinson: Just so's you know, folks, one week from this very day I'll be recording an episode of Uncommon Knowledge with Mr. Hannan.
Whom I will not permit out of the studio without first importuning him to join us right here on Ricochet. · Oct 10 at 8:01pm
Peter:
"Daniel, we'd be honored to have you join us as a Contributor on our Ricochet website."
Hannan:
"Um, well, actually, Peter, I'm complimented, but I've...I've, um, taken a look at your website and I'm, um, not sure that it's something I can allow myself to be associated with..."
Peter
"I'm dismayed to hear you say that, Daniel. May I know why?"
Hannan:
"Well, Peter, as you know, I tend to be candid and outspoken, but even by my standards, certain of your, um, Contributors seem to make a habit of crossing the line of civility."
Peter:
"Are you thinking of anyone in particular, Daniel?"
Hannan:
"Well...well...there's that fellow who rather goes on too graphically about, um, Japanese toilets and, um, hoses."
May '10
Re: Daniel Hannan's Warning From Across the Pond
If one must be represented in the European Parliament (a nest of thieves, vagabonds and mountebanks), it is at least a pleasure represented by, amongst others, Mr Hannan (South Eastern England has a list of representatives voted for by party).
Edited on Oct 11, 2010 at 2:40amSep '10
Re: Daniel Hannan's Warning From Across the Pond
Peter Robinson: Just so's you know, folks, one week from this very day I'll be recording an episode of Uncommon Knowledge with Mr. Hannan.
Whom I will not permit out of the studio without first importuning him to join us right here on Ricochet. · Oct 10 at 8:01pm
I can certainly picture an updated commemorative DVD cover called Animal House of Commons, subtitled Is There a Doctor in the House?, but we'd need a Sir Geoffrey Loftus to deadpan when Duncan Warring goes off the rails.
Re: Daniel Hannan's Warning From Across the Pond
What delightful news to awake to here on the East Coast! My fellow Ricochet folks share my love of Hannan AND he's going to be on Uncommon Knowledge. Happy Columbus Day, indeed!
Re: Daniel Hannan's Warning From Across the Pond
Peter Robinson: Just so's you know, folks, one week from this very day I'll be recording an episode of Uncommon Knowledge with Mr. Hannan.
Whom I will not permit out of the studio without first importuning him to join us right here on Ricochet. · Oct 10 at 8:01pm
That is great news - thanks Peter! And when he pretends not to remember me from 20 years ago, don't believe him.
May '10
Re: Daniel Hannan's Warning From Across the Pond
One of the more impressive aspects of that speech to Gordon Brown is that he didn't pause for the applause. He wasn't just showboating.
I'd like to know what, if anything, he believes Britain's return to state engorgement after Thatcher tells us about America's future. Does he see hope for a lasting turnaround?
Does he believe we are in danger of losing freedoms of speech via laws regarding "homophobia", Islam and such?
Also, how might the relationship between America and European nations, chiefly his own country, change in the next decade or two?
Sep '10
Re: Daniel Hannan's Warning From Across the Pond
One of the more impressive aspects of that speech to Gordon Brown is that he didn't pause for the applause. He wasn't just showboating
That was as impressive a verbal thrashing as I think I've ever seen in private or in public. The Prime Minister reminded me of Wile E Coyote after the anvil drops on his head.