It's a vacuous boast often made by the Lisbon "No" voters. How "lucky" we are to be allowed vote on the Lisbon Treaty - unlike the rest of the EU's poor, unfortunate, citizens.The thing is, I sincerely don't think the Irish should be allowed to have a veto on the development of the expanding EU - and I don't think that people should be allowed to vote on subjects they don't understand. It's a betrayal of democracy.
I think that the Irish electorate have consistenly made wrong decisions over the years by voting "yes" to Fianna Fail in general elections, and "no" in the abortion, divorce and Lisbon referendums. I don't think they can be trusted to vote on anything, to be honest.
Also, it's embarrassing enough having a half-wit Irish commissioner in Europe who pockets his substantial pay cheque and brags - yes, brags - about not even bothering to read the Treaty. But that's the calibre of politicians we produce in this country.
However, it will be even more embarrassing if the same half-wit populace come out and vote "no" to Lisbon 2 - even after their imaginary "fears" about European Armies / enforced abortion / immigrants taking over the country / losing the aforementioned half-wit commissioner / tax harmonisation have been addressed.
In true gombeen style, the only issue seems to be "what's in it for me?".
If you are looking for an illustration of the intellectual level of the Lisbon debate in Ireland, look no further than the following letter in yesterday's Irish Independent:
HOLIDAY HOMES TAX BETRAYAL
The new holiday homes tax [€200 a year per holiday home] is another bungling fiasco from this 'bull in a china shop' Government.
It equates the tax due on a full-time, rented Dublin 4 luxury apartment to that on a cottage or mobile home holiday-let in Connemara with maybe a three-month letting window if the season is good.
It is a totally iniquitous situation. The writing is on the wall for holiday-lets in the countryside as this tax will undoubtedly be ramped up perennially, like motor tax.
It is a total betrayal of all of us who have invested our time and money in this economy instead of buying homes abroad, where such owners are now scot-free of this tax.
With this knife in the back, I have to say that one bad turn deserves another, so here's to you Mr Cowen - I am voting "No" in Lisbon 2.
John Hughes, Galway.
If this was a joke letter, it would be funny. But it is not. This guy is voting "no" to the Lisbon Treaty because he is being asked to pay a €200 tax by on his investment property/properties by the Irish Government!
Well , John, you've got a vote and I'm sure you're going to use it - more is the pity, as I don't think you deserve it.
And doubtless, you won't be the only Irish person deciding his/her vote on the basis of every half-baked issue in their head, rather than on the Treaty itself.
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4 comments:
Hi GM,
I agree with you.
Even if the right to vote is a great thing, sometimes it is better not to let the crowd vote on everything.
Not that I would think people are too stupid to vote "correct" - but treaties like this are media manipulated.
If there would have been a treaty in every european country, we would still have no EU. And where would we be without it (even if not everything is good that leaves Bruxelles).
So, hopefully: We will have a "Yes" to Lisbon this time. Because it's the not so bad decision of the two possibilites.
Hi GM, it's not just McCreevy who didn't bother to read the treaty, Mr Cowen came under fire during the first referendum campaign last year after he told a reporter he had not read the document.
The Taoiseach, who is leading the 'Yes' campaign to get the referendum passed at the second attempt, said: "I have read the treaty since last asked that question. I negotiated 90pc of it and saw about 16 different versions of it as it went through. So you can take it I know a fair bit about it."
So if the leading Irish politicos didn't bother their butts to read the Treaty, can I assume that Paddy and Mary didn't bother either.
Attached is a link to treaty for anyone of your readers who wish to inform her/him self.
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/JOHtml.do?uri=OJ:C:2007:306:SOM:EN:HTML
My cat just threw up a humongous hairball - I think that should help John Hughes in further political decision-making processes ...
Yeah, I think you've made a really good point there GM.
Also internal taxation matters is a stupid reason to vote no.
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