[jessaustin]

Since I don't live in California or Texas anymore, and didn't really identify with their priorities when I did, I don't "think that the electoral college in the US is terrible". Echoing your sentiments, the large states are not in a "privileged position" even if they sometimes think they should be. The electoral college, and federalism in general, makes the system more resilient and robust. (Not that this is an unalloyed benefit: this resilient and robust system does some terrible things.)

I don't share your gleefully grim expectations about UK's economic outlook. Sure, EU customs will be an issue. Making it too big an issue doesn't seem to be in anyone's interest, however. I can't imagine that e.g. Ireland want to hurt their own economy through any sort of "work to rule" policy. I can think of one EU member as important to the overall European economy as UK is (and it ain't France).

[Bayart]

The UK isn't as important to the European economy as Germany (as you seem to imply), and it's roughly the same size as France.

[jessaustin]

  |{Germany}| = 1