It is the European Commission's enthusiasm for workers' rights that has brought on this row.
The early stirrings of the 2000 election campaign explain why this row has been particularly noisy.
It is now clear that the story that sparked this row was, in parts, untrue.
Compared with this row, other trade niggles such as those over genetically modified maize or hormones in beef are piffling.
Despite a desire by many to move on, commentator Stephen Price said this row will not be swept aside.
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The timing of this row might seem to be the worst possible - just days before voters go to the polls.
Might this row prompt a wider re consideration of America's drugs policy?
That context is critical, but much of that context is still unclear, which is one reason why this row is dragging on.
This row can run for years, souring regional relations with the centre.
"It is about not taking anything that might be seen as escalating in terms of this row over symbols in public buildings, " he said.
Well one of the consequences of all this row is that it's taken the spot light off the issue that you're dealing with - pensions.
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And I think everybody is very, very keen to try to ensure that the fall out from this row is controlled as much as possible.
If the worst of the taped revelations have emerged, he will be hopeful he can ride this row out and fight on his record as mayor.
Asking patients rather than doctors might deliver a more accurate assessment of the NHS in each country but I suspect we have not heard the last of this row.
On the surface, like the poker game, this row is about money - a dispute over prices and contracts, and accusations of politicians seeking personal gain, corruption, and blackmail.
The reason I believe it matters is that this row is now about the power of politicians, the police and the press - the issues which, you may recall, triggered the Leveson inquiry.
At the moment, the most vocal and lively contributions to this row are coming from the party's left, which sees the financial crisis as a chance to advocate more punitive taxation and overt redistribution.
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It sounds less virtuous if you see it as an attempt to make sure this argument runs into election year, and indeed the campaign is prosecuted with a rerun of this row in the background.
This row flared over Japan's purchase of some of the islands from their private owner - a move prompted by a potentially more provocative plan by right-wing Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara to buy them using public donations and develop them.
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Anticipating this, Row 44 has worked out a deal with America's National Football League, allowing passengers to never miss a game.
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Against the Golden Lions last week this back row unit produced some good moments but they will have to tighten up for the Sharks.
In fact, this whole row here, if I start introducing them, it will make my speech twice as long, but I love these guys.
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We had nearly finished the main course and they both winked at each other and then they started to have this terrible row across the table.
Findus UK became caught up in the row this week after horsemeat was found in its lasagne.
February also saw a decrease in factory output, making it the eighth month in a row this had fallen.
But, as Fyodor Lukyanov, the Russia editor for Global Affairs, argues, this time the row has a political flavour.
Ms Merkel may also raise the Doha world trade talks, scuppered by a row this summer over American farm subsidies.
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For the second year in a row this bureaucracy may not receive a clean financial bill of health from government auditors.
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