Ah fallen into the classic trap - NATO was formed to counter the threat from the eastern block, with the USSR as the main power. A threat that appeared after WW2.
The political and economic partnership between the original 6 with Germany and France the main partners was specifically aimed at preventing what happened after WW1 happening after WW2 - that there would be economic and political cooperation which would never again see countries in western europe go to war.
It might pay you to do some historical research!
With respect what you want is not necessarily what happens! And whose to say what you want is the best option anyway? I thought you wanted a clamp down on tax evasion by the rich? Thats what the Eu is proposing!
The facts of the matter are, power ha shifted within the world, the Uk is no longer in a position to be on equal terms with the big economies of the USA, China, India etc. The EU on the otherhand is able to have more muscle and we are/were in an advantageous position within the EU with our veto on the things we dont like - but you know its like any club, there always rules which members don't like but thats the nature of cooperation, as a member one can always change or influence these, but of course you can't always have exactly what you would like but then there are also huge benefits.
Personally the chances of a US of E are distinctly remote, these things ebb and wane according to who is in power.
AS for they who must be obeyed, do some research and you will find a lot of EU directives and rules were suggested by the UK, some good some not so good but also there is no country in the EU, except perhaps for germany who so loves implementing EU directives and rules as the UK - a case in point being control of migration, which the UK government could if it had wanted to controlled using various mechanisms open to it under the EU.