That Was The Week That Was – 07-11 June 2021
The Snout To Trough Tango
This week, the week that was, we saw the European Court try to make another attempt to demand that the Commission at least make some sort of sense as they approve more, yet more, state aid money. Sadly, the Court did not demand that the grant of aid make some sort of economic and rational sense; instead it would be satisfied if the rejection of objections (on market distortion and economic rationality grounds) at least improve on the nonsense we have hitherto be subjected to.
This is honourable, but frankly, misses the point. The legacy carriers have a pathological hold over the Commission. It is embarrassing to watch. But it is deeper than that, it moves into the area of domination and even at times into sado-masochism. Aid has been given to Alitalia. And the New Alitalia. And the other new Alitalia of a string of initials that came between Alitalia and New Alitalia. This is not an application for aid from a suffering industry, it is an abuse of not only a dominant market position, but of some sort of psychologically dominant position.
So, what is the anthem that might work in such a situation? There is only one style of music that has ever expressed this sort of relationship – the tango. As for the tune, as ever, we turn to Tom Lehrer.
Join us now as we dance to the Snout To Trough Tango….
I ache for the touch of your incumbent slants, dear
But much more for the touch of your grants, dear
You can raise state aid
Like nobody else I have flayed
As we dance to the Snout to Trough Tango
Let our love be a flame, not an ember
Say it’s me that you want to un-encumber
I will blacken your eye
Set fire to your tie
As we dance to the Snout to Trough Tango
At your behest before you here I plead
But for me, you will surely bleed
With aid and support – more than we need.
You found my slot application
In your left-behind cabinet,
I can feel the pain yet,
Every time I hear the need for logic
But I merely assert the legacy carrier assumption of pathologic
Superiority
The Court says you must make sense
My heart has no defence.
But the court is hard as stone or mahogany
That’s why I’m in such exquisite agony
My soul feels no need for penitence
It’s aflame at your expense
Which is why I do the Snout to Trough Tango
As we dance to the Snout to Trough Tango
As we dance to the Snout to Trough Tango