A staggering and swaggering entry into the “they just don’t get it” category is the article by Czech President Vaclav Klaus in the FT today. He argues that the best way out of the current crisis is to deregulate everything. Sorry, I exaggerate. He actually only wrote that:

“The best thing to do now would be temporarily to weaken, if not repeal, various labour, environmental, social, health and other “standards”, because they block rational human activity more than anything else.”

Note that when people make such sweeping statements, they never specify which standards should go – the rules against drink driving, or use of asbestos, or sending children up chimneys? No, of course not, only the “bad” standards, like …. er…..something I overheard someone make up in a pub….

Thankfully, the Czech President is not in charge of the Czech Presidency of the EU. He’s in charge of important stuff, like whether to fly the EU flag or not (that’ll show those b-Euro-crats). Honestly, you couldn’t make it up!

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