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2005-05-24 Europe
Dutch Voters Seen Losing Interest in EU
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Posted by Steve 2005-05-24 09:07|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07]  Top

#1 
But it complains that opponents confuse the constitution with their anti-Europe sentiments or their resentment of politicians in general.
That ain't confusion, honey - that's common sense.
"The referendum is about more than complicated procedures. It's about making Europe faster, more democratic and more transparent"
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Oh, wait - he's serious?
Posted by Barbara Skolaut">Barbara Skolaut  2005-05-24 11:41||   2005-05-24 11:41|| Front Page Top

#2 The EU constitution's beside the point, which has zip to do with right vs left, capitalist vs socialist. The Dutch, and the French, and the Germans and the Italians and most west Europeans are sik and tired of any talk about greater centralization and would like their governments to focus on matters at home. Most Europeans are still trying to come to terms with competition from Poland and Czech; their minds boggle at the idea of their self-appointed betters expanding the EU to include Turkey.

This could have been predicted a decade ago, when the EU first launched a drive to expand eastward. Simply no way the EU can double its size and retain anything like coherence. EU expansion = EU weakening and greater distraction.
Posted by thibaud (aka lex) 2005-05-24 11:49||   2005-05-24 11:49|| Front Page Top

#3 they could do it if they had the good of the people at heart...but those in the driver's seat have empire on their mind.

A common wealth based on common sense is a good idea. They need washington/jefferson/madison rather than a chirac and galloway.
Posted by 2b 2005-05-24 12:00||   2005-05-24 12:00|| Front Page Top

#4 The people see the basic contradiction between the EU elites' aggrandizing vision and their social welfare convictions. The EU cannot be a unitary superpower rival to the US and still be socialist. The only way to make EU socialism more powerful is to destroy it. ie, if the Europeans are serious about challenging the US in the world, then they'll have no choice but to get economic growth up to the 4% range, which requires greater deregulation and diverting a far higher % of economic and social resources to high-growth, private sector technology businesses and to the military. To compete efffectively with the hypercapitalist hyperpower, they have no choice but to become much more like the hypercapitalist hyperpower.

My money's on the EU people choosing to be fat, protected, socialist and a minor player on the world stage. A loose and decentralized federation is the outcome here, no matter how the EU constitution votes are rigged turn out.
Posted by thibaud (aka lex) 2005-05-24 12:09||   2005-05-24 12:09|| Front Page Top

#5 jeeze lex..that's depressing. You are probably right.
Posted by 2b 2005-05-24 12:25||   2005-05-24 12:25|| Front Page Top

#6 "Holland is in a very inward mood. It's hiding behind the d....," said historian Han van der Horst.

The Dutch people are hiding behind lesbians? Man! Those wooden shoes are finally having an effect...

Sorry - Early morning, out of practice... Six weeks since regular poster here...

Seriously, I'd figure Netherlands would be one of the most likely other than the UK to fight the EU hegemony, owing to their history...
Posted by BigEd 2005-05-24 12:38||   2005-05-24 12:38|| Front Page Top

#7 2b, as an American I don't find it all that depressing. Of course, I'd feel differently if I were an ambitious 20 year-old Frenchman who wanted to start or join a new high tech company, or if I were an EU partisan lusting for global grandeur.

The best outcome for us and, frankly, the world, is a Europe that is peaceful, prosperous, and focused on solving its own massive internal problems. Namely, the demographic + internal muslim subversion nightmare that threatens the creation of Eurabia in two generations' time. If the elites would focus squarely on these real and present dangers and spend less time posturing absurdly as the "moral superpower", we'd all be better off.
Posted by thibaud (aka lex) 2005-05-24 13:14||   2005-05-24 13:14|| Front Page Top

#8 I was wondering what happend to Ed Illustrated. I hope all is well.
Posted by Shipman 2005-05-24 16:41||   2005-05-24 16:41|| Front Page Top

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