As I explained in a previous post, I've reluctantly concluded that the United Kingdom needs to consider its options for becoming a non-European Union country. I put it that way — consider the options — because this isn't a matter of stay or go. Depending on how it's done, leaving the EU spans a range of outcomes running from "terrible" all the way up to "better than remaining a member."
These different forms of separation need to be discussed. This should happen long before the referendum that British Prime Minister David Cameron has promised to hold by the end of 2017 (if his Conservative Party is still in power).
In case you're wondering, up to now I've been a timid Euro-skeptic who believed that Britain's decision was a closer call than most intelligent commentators — almost all of them pro-EU — maintained. I didn't go along with the mainstream view that such an exit would be insane, or that there's simply no choice but to stay, but I did think leaving the union would be unwise.