h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*** I wrote this for a US-based community. h2g2 regulars probably need less introduction, but since I've written it anyway, ye can have it. I posted it on the American board mainly as a distraction from rants about how terrible Obama is. I'll probably get more sensible replies here at h2g2. I'm not sure what my own opinions are. ***

Now that the Lisbon treaty, reforming the EU's beaurocracy, has been shot down, what should be done? In an unguarded moment, Sarkozy was heard to say that the Irish should hold their refurendum again. Of course, there's no reason why the Irish people wouldn't say the same thing a second time.

It was a little odd being in France when the eyes of the world were on Ireland. I wouldn't have voted if I'd been at home, though, because I didn't really follow all the issues. Perhaps I should have studied it more carefully. But it seems many Irish people voted against Lisbon mainly because they didn't understand the issues.

One of the most commonly cited concernes was that the Lisbon treaty would raise tax rates in Ireland. This was not in fact the case. It was an outright lie, but people still voted No on that basis.

Still, there were many other, legitimate, concernes about Lisbon. It would have in some ways reduced the democracy of the EU institutions. And Ireland would have lost its permanant commissioner to Europe.

One of the main points of the treaty was a simplifying of EU foreign policy. Each country has its own national interests, of course, and some have a large place on the world stage, but by and large European states have a similar outlook on the world, and a more unified approach to foreign policy is attainable.

One possibility is that the Lisbon treaty will be broken down into smaller, more understandable, chunks, and that each of these will be individually ratified by the EU member states.

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/gene-kerrigan/little-nicky-sarko-and-the-naughty-irish-1436108.html

TRiG.

Maybe Irish people were reflecting the huge lack of faith in politicians, that we're seeing in Europe.

Basically, politicians were saying vote Yes - Ireland has done really well out of the EU. But other sources were saying - Vote NO because this will take away Ireland's identity and remove it's voice in Europe.

The Lisbon treaty the plutocratic oligarchy in the media didn't seem to tell us about in NZ (well, it didn't involve Helen Clark or the All Blacks so why on Earth should they, they'll undoubtedly enquire). Could some soul explain, briefly, in their own write, what it is?