[rayiner]

> It's disappointing to me that some people defend racists and xenophobes against being called racists and xenophobes. This is what they are, and it's completely appropriate to call them that, and worse.

In your opinion, is it racist or xenophobic for people in Britain to believe that the laws that govern them should maximize the prosperity of people in Britain, and not that of anyone else?

[tremon]

But the laws that govern them have maximized the prosperity of people in Britain, just not them. So yes, it is racist and xenophobic to blame anyone but their own country for them not partaking in their country's prosperity.

[rayiner]

The EU optimizes the prosperity of the EU collectively, rather than the prosperity of Britain specifically. That is by design: when heads of national governments sit in the European Commission (correction: Council), they are obligated to consider the interests of the whole EU, not the interests of the nation they represent.

[tremon]

when heads of national governments sit in the European Commission

Heads of national governments do not sit in the European Commission, they form the European Council.

[rayiner]

You're right, but my point stands: commission members are obligated to represent the general interest of the EU as a whole, not that of their home state. They're precluded, by oath from favoring the policies that maximize the prosperity of their home state.

[tremon]

Yes, but there is no conflict of interest: they are not directly elected in their home country.

[rayiner]

But that's not the point. The European Commission and European Parliament can, together, make laws directly binding on British citizens. But in making those laws, those bodies are required to consider not just the welfare of British citizens, but the EU as a whole.

Which brings me back to my question: is it racist and xenophobic for the British not to want to be governed by people who owe allegiances to people besides the British?

[ZeroGravitas]

This doesn't seem like a bad thing for the UK or any other EU member, care to explain why you think it is?