The problem with the current arguments regarding 'in' or 'out' is that they are all very short term. Cameron says there will be 'shocks' and 'uncertainty' etc. and that's probably correct. But markets and economies soon shrug off these once things settle down, so I am discounting all the short term concerns that people are considering. For me it's more about the long term. Is the EU a long term growth prospect for UK goods and services? Simple answer, no. The EU is contracting with little sign it will recover in any term; short, medium or long. Why? Because the nature of the organisation is such that it is a huge self-serving bureacracy, incapable of reacting to situations or circumstances, and with little idea how to stimulate growth and encourage expansion in member states. It also encourages hand-outs to its poorer countries, which provides little incentive for them to improve. Meanwhile the larger states pick up the bill, including the UK.
Hence, the prospect of reform in the EU is remote and the idea that the organisation will do trade deals with China, India, Brazil etc. is an impossible dream. It's taken 9 years to try to do so with Canada, so I'm not holding my breath for much progress in my lifetime with the rest of the world. In simple terms there is no incentive for the EU hierarchy to change the present situation, since that will involve the turkeys voting for Christmas, and they aren't going to do that and leave their travel perks, their cars, their big offices and budgets behind. At the same time, whatever the 'deal' with Cameron, they are still on track for their dream of a United States of Europe. That won't go away and we will never be able to stop it.
As for returning powers to national governments, it simply won't happen. That's an anathema to the EU organisation, which will simply plough on regardless. The evidence for this is all around in the way it relentlessly pushes forward, no matter what.
Finally, the EU is fundamentally undemocratic - I have no say in what it does. I can do nothing to help remove anybody I don't want. It's an unelected dictatorship which looks after itself and not it's citizens. It's accounts have not been properly signed off from it's audits for many years, suggesting endemic corruption.
As far as I'm concerned, do away with it for the UK. The idea that we couldn't survive is simply nonsense. And the biggest reason is what the 'in' campaigners don't say. Leave aside project 'fear' and there's really nothing left that represents good reasons for remaining 'in.' I've listened to many of the arguments and it's always based on what will happen if we leave, not what will happen if we stay. For instance, if we stay what would the UK do about migration when Turkey gets membership? What threats and risks does that pose? What impact would that have on the UK culture, way of life etc. Cameron and co. can't say, or maybe won't say, but I'm under no illusions that the impact would be profound and not in a positive way.
For all these reasons, I'm for 'OUT'. I have confidence that the UK would do very well outside the straightjacket of the EU.