England should feel the consequences for voting to leave the EU.

[Meldread]

44. Where did I say that the UK shouldn't exercise their freedom to leave?

I believe the will of the voters should be respected. That does not mean that the rest of the world should just roll over and give the UK what it wants because its people decide to throw a hissyfit because they don't like Muslims or Eastern Europeans.

All of the political incentives in Europe--for those who want to preserve the EU--is to engage in punitive actions against the UK. If the UK can leave the EU and then suddenly get all the benefits and perks of being a EU member without actually holding any of the responsibilities of membership, then why should other EU members not want the same? I would love that. I want all the upsides of being in this relationship, with none of the negatives! I'd vote for that. Of course, it doesn't work if EVERYONE does it.

The UK is a tiny nation that just shot its economy in the foot. One of the key advantages for such a staunch alliance from the US perspective, was the influence the UK has over the EU. They just said fuck off to the EU. Why should the United States bail the UK out of a disaster of its own making, unless it is prepared to become the 51st state? The UK military is nothing compared to our own, their economy is about to collapse into a recession, and the British pound at this moment is now worth what it was back before 1985. What does the UK have to offer us aside from moral support?

One of the key reasons we have such strong alliances with some nations is so we can create some degree of stability in the world. The UK may just be responsible for pushing the EU over the edge, potentially returning Europe to its pre-World War status. That's awesome, because it isn't like Europe has a really bad history or anything, right?