Archive for April 22nd, 2008

The Lisbon Treaty and the Looney Left

Grandad April 22nd, 2008

The miracle has happened.

Not only did I receive my copy of the National Disaster Handbook [I am so relieved] but I also got a copy of the government thing on the Lisbon Treaty.

I have been taking some interest in that treaty, and have even gone so far as to try to read the original.  I say ‘try’ because it is the most convoluted and badly written document I have seen in quite a while.  What’s more, it is deliberately confusing.

I have a lot of major reservations.

First and foremost, it is an extremely vague document.  From what I can gather, it is effectively handing the powers that be in Brussels a blank cheque to roll in other legislation without reference to the population.  It is the final signing away of our rights.

The general trend is towards a centralised government that controls all member states.  It is a watering down of local power.  I have no love for the current government, but at least they were put there by the Irish and can be kicked out by the Irish.  It is considerably harder to kick out some nameless faceless crowd in the EU.

When Ireland first joined back in 1973, it was called the EEC – The European Economic Commission.  The idea was to reduce trading barriers between member states and promote economic cooperation.  A laudable aspiration.  But now it has spread its wings into every aspect of control including taxation and law.  This treaty enshrines that even further.

Then there is the fact that it is a constitution.  They can call it a treaty, but that is mere semantics.  If there is a practical difference, then someone please enlighten me.

So far, I have neither seen nor heard a cohesive argument as to why I should vote yes on this.  All we get is vague statements and obfuscation.   We are told [by vested interests] that it will be ‘good for us’ but we are not told why.  Barosso was asked directly in an interview what the treaty would do for Ireland.  His response was that Ireland had done very well out of Europe.  What kind of fucking answer is that?  When he was pushed for an answer, he failed to come up with one.

I will certainly not be putting my name to a document that I don’t understand.  I will not be bullied by a twerp who tries to insult me into voting yes by saying that “we will ruin ourselves and we’ll go under sea and that we’ll succeed in doing what St Patrick didn’t do by bringing the water all over Ireland, and every other nonsense” [Bertie, of course] and that the only people voting no will be “loo-las of every kind and shape who advocated loony-left policies” [Bertie again].

I don’t trust Bertie.  I don’t trust the government.  I don’t trust the treaty.

I have more than a feeling in my water that this ‘treaty’ will be bad for Ireland.

I will be voting a resounding NO.