I was glad to see that position (the Franco-German relationship works because it starts from so far apart and the two countries have decided that they need to reach a compromise nevertheless; if they ca nagree, the compromise will likely be tolerable to most other Europeans, not because they are less important, but because their own starting position is most often somewhere in-between), which I've oft repeated, being given such a prominent place in the FT's full page on the anniversary.

I'm reminded of a Lewis Black standup routine in which he described bipartisanship as a Republican standing up and saying, "I have a really bad idea!"  Followed by a Democrat standing up and saying, "And I can make it shittier!"

Perhaps historically true that the relationship has worked because of ideological balance and compromise, but it doesn't appear that way right now.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.