Its really in vogue you know, even the EU are pinching and using it in todays future ideas for funding document. Strong, stable mentioned many times.
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/site...inances_en.pdf
I do feel sorry for the Euros having seen the Italian finance guru Mario Montis reported proposals on making up the UK lost contributions. The idea seems to be that on top of state income tax citizens will pay an EU income tax. So a worked example could look like for the Netherlands if you earn more than 67000 euro annually you pay 52% tax to the Dutch government, then on top another 10% income tax direct to the EU, giving a total income tax rate of 62%.
Another idea, hopefully not borrowed from the way his Italian banks are being run, is to impose an eu % sales tax on top of any state charged VAT or equivalent. Another is electricity bill surcharges or carbon taxes , financial transaction taxes, etc etc it's a frightening list for membership of an expensive club that goes on and on.
Not sure how those will go down EU wide, or how it will affect or crush the european economy and its over taxed citizens, but looks like we had a lucky escape.
No wonder our economy is booming as outside EU investors are flocking to the strong and stable soon to be off shore tax haven of the UK.