Similarities for sure. Divisions are deep with extremely long histories.
Perhaps one should look to the Swiss Confederation Federal Elections 23 October 2011
for hints of the future.

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Off to Singapore for a spell!

I would disagree. The only similarity is that the possibility of a political union is being discussed at all, and that the motives involve economic issues.

In 1790, the active citizens of the USA were rather homogeneous to begin with: male anglophone owners of property who sought to protect their investment and gain control of their trade relations by denying further tribute to the Crown. The purpose of a union was to create an environment that would continue to protect themselves and guarantee unimpeded opportunity going forward.

In 21st Century Europe, nations of various well-established languages and cultures have adopted a common currency to facilitate trade among themselves and globally. The administrative structure for this has opened the door to considering a uniform legislature and court of law for the region.

This leap from cooperation among competitors to common citizenry is much larger than that of from suppressed colonists to citizens of a new sovereign state.

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"Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits." - Satchel Paige

Your point about the difficulties (cultural) for Europe that a largely homogenous 13 colonies didn't have is well put Leon.

I didn't mean to gloss over those differences. I have thought that the process would be on going with Europe but even allowing for the deeper differences, that the goal of Europeans was eventual Union.

1. Much of Europe is already in a military alliance (NATO).
2. Most Europeans speak English as a second language and are at least nominally Christian.
3. They now share a common currency.

Also, there were considerable difference in the Thirteen Colonies as well, most notably slavery, an issue that was glossed over, and solved later with blood. Many in the Colonies wanted an extremely weak central government (Jefferson), while others at the other extreme wanted a King (Hamilton). America was a land of Indians that didn't care one way or the other about the process, frontiersmen similarly insulated from politics, blacks shut out of the process. There were considerable cultural and political obstacles in the Colonies as well!

So, while allowing that the cultural divide is more difficult for Europe, it isn't insurmountable, and th analogy is apt.

@ Excaealis:

That is actually a plank in Face Ripper Monkey's campaign platform...where 9 out of 10 Drs recommend joining for your immediate health!

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"Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless, and do no wrong". (Knight's Oath, Kingdom of Heaven)

Political union is not a universally shared goal among Europeans by any stretch of the imagination. As you point out, mutual cooperation on issues of defense, economics, and border security are already addressed through instruments such as NATO, the EU, and the Schengen Agreement.

The point is that the original thirteen colonies had a compelling motivation for at least confederacy as mutual protection against the predations of European interests. The well established European nations face no such threat to their individual sovereignty. In fact, as weaker economies begin to be a drag on the stronger ones, there is serious debate about the wisdom of a common currency at all.

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"Sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits." - Satchel Paige

It seems that financial difficulties are forcing the EU toward a "more perfect" union. No two states, no two sets of circumstances are exactly the same,

But, I find the willingness of EU members to submit their operating budgets to a central authority to be providing a glimmer of hope.

Maybe it will take a long time, but, I think that Europe is passing a point of no return where their fortunes are united. Literally.

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"Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless, and do no wrong". (Knight's Oath, Kingdom of Heaven)

Bahaha, amazing.

Sorry, Jeech,
but this time both the logic and the use of the language in your statement failed a lot. And you could spend some time reading the history again.

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I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.

I think you respond to my post, with an evergreen truth. I can qoute JJ's signature to narrate your statement, "a fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it's better to be thoughroly sure."

My post above is a litte "sip" of the living time.

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*It's wonderful to know that all languages are Greek if not understood.*

@ above post, that is insane. And what about the rights of the millions whose taxes support him? Why should they pay for him? Maybe the European court should bear the costs of his upkeep. And this guy is wanted for murder, whatever happened to the victim's human rights? No right to justice?

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The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson