Topic: Van Rompuy

Herman Van Rompuy, former President of the European Council, delivers a Christmas message in the form of a Dutch haiku. The poem translates to themes of silence, happiness, and "hoping for hope" between Christmas and the New Year. The hosts find the message confusing and joke about the directive for citizens to be silent to achieve happiness.

Outgoing European Council President Herman Van Rompuy is honored with a bust in the European Parliament building. Adam Curry discusses the "High Dutch" language used by elites in the Netherlands, comparing the disconnect between European politicians and the general public to that of the US Congress.

Speculation regarding the next President of the European Council focuses on Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt. Known for her "selfie" with President Obama, Thorning-Schmidt is considered a strong candidate due to her fluency in English and French and her deep ties to the European political establishment through her marriage to Stephen Kinnock.

EU President Herman Van Rompuy, nicknamed "Haiku Herman," greets the Prime Minister of Japan by reciting a 300-year-old haiku. The hosts discuss the unelected nature of EU leadership and the potential succession of Jean-Claude Juncker or Christine Lagarde. They mock Van Rompuy's Japanese pronunciation and the absurdity of the diplomatic gesture.

The European Union and Ukraine signed the political provisions of an association agreement. However, the deal requires Ukraine to embark on "ambitious structural reforms," which the hosts compare to the austerity measures imposed on Greece, while much of the initial aid will go directly to Russia to pay for gas debts.

Herman Van Rompuy and Vladimir Putin met in Brussels to discuss the "Eastern Partnership," a joint initiative involving former Soviet states like Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova. The hosts explain that Russia views these nations as essential buffer states against European expansion, a policy dating back to the 1700s. The tension arises from the EU's attempts to integrate these "pipeline states" into its economic sphere.

Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, states that there is "no military solution" to the Syrian crisis despite the "cynical use" of chemical weapons. He urges the UN Security Council to fulfill its responsibilities under international law. The hosts interpret his comments through the lens of European energy dependence on Russia.

The European Stability Mechanism (ESM) may soon require an 8% levy on German bank deposits to fund future bailouts. Meanwhile, EU President Herman Van Rompuy is pushing for an "automatic exchange of information" regarding all forms of income, including capital gains and royalties, by 2015. The hosts characterize this as a total clampdown on financial privacy in Europe to eliminate the "black market" of cash.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy opened a strategic debate on fighting tax evasion and fraud across the European Union. He emphasized the need for a "fair share" and joint efforts to close loopholes that allow individuals and corporations to avoid paying taxes.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and High Representative Catherine Ashton announce they will leave their posts at the end of their terms. Ashton cites the physical toll of constant travel and sitting on planes. The hosts mock the "exhaustion" of the ruling class and compare the departing EU officials to Hillary Clinton.

The discussion explores the erosion of state sovereignty in both the United States and the European Union. While the U.S. Constitution's Tenth Amendment is often ignored by the citizenry, EU officials like Herman Van Rompuy openly advocate for the "pooling of sovereignty" in Brussels. The hosts compare federal overreach in the U.S. to EU regulations, such as bans on using wood plates for goat cheese in France.

Massive anti-austerity protests erupt in Spain and Portugal as the European Union moves toward a new treaty for deeper economic integration. Herman Van Rompuy's proposal for "pooling of sovereignty" is interpreted as a move to strip individual nations of their rule of law in favor of centralized control from Brussels.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy delivered a speech on the eurozone crisis, incorrectly attributing an H.L. Mencken quote to Albert Einstein. The speech addressed the complexity of the fiscal crisis and the difficulty of reaching consensus among the 27 member states.

Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, was caught on a hot microphone asking the President of Kosovo, Atifete Jahjaga, "What's your name again, babe?" during a press conference. The hosts play a subsequent speech by Van Rompuy, suggesting he sounds intoxicated while discussing European demographics and social cohesion.

Benjamin Netanyahu makes the first-ever visit by an Israeli Prime Minister to Cyprus to discuss energy exploration and military cooperation. Meanwhile, Chinese firms like China Three Gorges are finalizing multi-billion dollar purchases of Greek energy infrastructure. European Council President Herman Van Rompuy (referred to as "Haiku Herman") is heard welcoming deeper Chinese integration into the Eurozone economy.

Nigel Farage delivered a scathing speech in the European Parliament, mocking the "breakthrough" claims of EU leaders regarding the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). Farage criticized the unelected status of President Jose Manuel Barroso and the lack of credibility among EU officials in the eyes of international markets. He noted that several countries, including Finland and the Netherlands, have faced internal legal challenges to the new bailout vehicle.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, referred to as "Haiku Herman," outlined a plan for deeper fiscal and economic integration within the Eurozone. He emphasized that the Euro is an "irreversible project" and promised a finalized framework for economic union by the end of the year. The hosts note his apparent stress and the repetitive nature of his reassurances to global markets.

CNN's Erin Burnett is mocked for using a funnel to illustrate intelligence leaks while calling it a "sieve." Meanwhile, President Obama blamed the weakening U.S. economy on the "cloud" coming over from the Eurozone. European Council President Herman Van Rompuy responded by reminding the U.S. that the 2008 financial crisis originated on the American side of the Atlantic.

Nigel Farage addressed the European Parliament regarding the humanitarian disaster in Greece, citing rising suicide rates and abandoned children. He criticized EU leaders for pursuing a "political dream" of a United States of Europe at the cost of economic suicide. Farage urged Greece to leave the Euro to restore national dignity and hope.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy (referred to as "Haiku Herman") is heard warning the Greek people to respect past financial engagements. The hosts explain that the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) is designed to protect the banking system by using taxpayer money from other EU nations to enforce stability.