Blinkered pygmies

No, not just about the Lib Dems, but EUphiles in general. The problem being that they appear to define the UK's relationship with the world in strictly defined terms as seen from our relationship within the EU. They don't see that with the imminent collapse of the €uro that the UK was wise (or lucky) to stay out of it, they just foresee a day when we'd join it and they cannot understand why a nation with the fifth largest economy in the world should view itself differently from the European Union states who don't share our history, laws and culture (and vice versa) Hence the boy Clegg's outburst on the Andrew Marr show when he said "I think a Britain which leaves the EU will be considered to be irrelevant by Washington and will be considered a pygmy in the world when I want us to stand tall and lead." forgetting that the UK does not lead (and never has) the EU.
Express.

NICK Clegg provoked outrage last night by claiming that quitting the European Union would turn Britain into a “pygmy” on the world stage.
In an extraordinary live television rant that intensified the coalition war over Europe, the Lib Dem Deputy Prime Minister vowed to fight “tooth and nail” to stop the Government loosening its ties with Brussels.
His anger follows the Prime Minister’s veto of EU proposals to overhaul its rulebook in the wake of the euro crisis after David Cameron’s demands for safeguards for the City were rejected.
And Mr Clegg infuriated Eurosceptic Tory backbenchers by condemning them as “spectacularly misguided”.
But he caused most offence by suggesting that Britain’s international standing rested entirely on its membership of the EU.
He said: “I will fight that tooth and nail because I think a Britain which leaves the EU will be considered to be irrelevant by Washington and will be considered a pygmy in the world when I want us to stand tall and lead.”

Perhaps Washington will consider us irrelevant (until they need an ally to fight alongside them) though I suspect once Obama bites the dust the USA will get back on track with its economy and view the over taxed, over regulated EU with mild amusement. There's also the problem of the imminent collapse of the EU, despite all the grandstanding by the governments, a new “fiscal compact” will not resolve their problems but simply exacerbate them delaying the inevitable perhaps, though the markets will move on far more quickly than the EU governments can react. There's also the greed factor, particularly as shown by French President Sarkozy who came out with this astounding statement “You can’t have an offshore centre taking Europe’s capital.” forgetting that it isn't Europe's capital at all, it belongs to companies, individuals, pension funds and various other investors, not the EU and not the UK either for that matter, it provides a means to invest money and allocate it to areas where it will produce profits (and loss if they aren't careful) and it does it far better than the other financial centres of Europe, hence the French hatred of it.
No, the only pygmies are those who see the EU as some sort of ideal structure to be worshipped and adored and slavishly obeyed. They are the ones who have no vision of a free economy and a vibrant UK outside the constraints of an over regulated, corrupt and greedy system. That's why we need to get out, but they are too blinkered by their own beliefs to see that there's a better way for the UK.