This story was originally published on nationaljournal.com on June 27, 2016. In terms of American politics, Britain’s vote to leave the European Union is something of a “Goldilocks” event. Instead of striking a balance between too hot and too cold, the key to getting Brexit just right is not to read too much into it while also understanding its significance. If I were a Brit, I would have voted to remain in the European Union, but too few people on this side of the Atlantic seem to appreciate what the vote was really about. What became the EU began as the European Coal and Steel Community established by six countries (Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, France, Netherlands, West Germany) through a treaty signed in 1951. In 1973, Britain, Ireland, and Denmark joined the European association. The EU was officially formed in 1993 and has since grown to 28 nations, including some that have little in common with the United Kingdom—socially, economically, or culturally. I suspect the EU has evolved into something quite different from what the average Briton had in mind. It
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