For a federal system to be viable over the long term, a core
of basic values must be shared even though one of the main functions of
federalism as a system of government is the ability to accommodate diversity
from state to state. In the case of the E.U. and the U.S., the rule of law,
democracy, and separation of powers as concerns the independence of judiciaries
at the state and federal levels are non-negotiable; hence as these are
compromised or thwarted outright, the viability of E Pluribus Unum can be expected to unravel. As 2017 came to an end,
the E.U. found itself largely impotent as some of the eastern states violated
the basic principles of rule of law and an independent judiciary with impunity.
If the impunity was indeed real, the federal system itself was in desperate
need of repair.
The full essay is at "The E.U.: Trouble in the Eastern States."
