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“Or they could try just being a free trade association like the original Benelux group again.”

Yes. That is what they should do, along with strengthening NATO instead of trying to build a counter to it.

It even would be fine if they had NOT borderless travel for their citizens, with each other, just passport required visa-less travel as long as they are one of their citizens and not from outside their group of countries. That would end the human-trafficking-refugee hoards getting admission to all of Europe once they set foot on the soil of any European country, while letting their own citizens travel and seek employment among each other.

They should then also can any taxes paid to the EU, move trade issues among them to independent arbitration instead of a European court or executive.

They should end the Euro, go back to their national currencies which over time will put most the onus on economic reforms on the countries independently.

Telling each other how much debt and deficit they can carry (like the EU tries to do now) is comparable to if Washington D.C. could demand debt and deficit limits on the states and the states were responsible for bailing each other out - which is not the American way.

The EU is not a state, and has no army, or national guard.

A famous question... "How many divisions has the Pope?"

They should end the Euro, go back to their national currencies which over time will put most the onus on economic reforms on the countries independently.

Oui, this.

I'm no EU expert, but I seem to observe that the least motivated among them (Greece, Portugal, etc) gain the most from the relatively more productive members. An advance peek at globalism, btw.

EU members would all benefit from separate currencies, less interdependence among their economies, and airtight borders.

Smart members will be among the first to bolt, I highly suspect.

Telling each other how much debt and deficit they can carry (like the EU tries to do now) is comparable to if Washington D.C. could demand debt and deficit limits on the states and the states were responsible for bailing each other out - which is not the American way.

Quite right. That is why we have FEDERALISM. National government for the big things like foreign trade, defense and monetary policy. State government for everything else. But not if Nancy Pelosi and her one size fits all top down control freaks have their way.

if Washington D.C. could demand debt and deficit limits on the states and the states were responsible for bailing each other out - which is not the American way.

You really believe that? Watch when California and Illinois got belly up, they will be bailed out by healthier blue states, count on it.