The Thing Part 2
European Commission President Jose Barroso asked individual countries not to draw premature conclusions from the Dutch rejection of the European draft constitution.
Late last night European Commission president Jose Manual Barroso pleaded with Britain and the rest to avoid any “unilateral decisions” about referendums and let the dust settle until an EU summit on June 16 which is now a full blown crisis management meeting. ... Mr Barroso carefully avoided insisting that ratification had to go on beyond the summit, but Luxembourg prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker, who will host the summit meeting, was adamant, declaring: "The show must go on".
But the injunction against unilateral action went unheeded -- or did not apply -- to German Chanceller Schroeder, who proposed opening the old show in a different theater even while the cast of the current production was being pelted with tomatoes.
German chancellor Gerard Schroeder made a bold bid to form a new "inner circle" of fast-track European Union member states. He used the EU treaty crisis to revive efforts to establish a close-knit core group of nations forging ahead with key policies regardless of the rest. ... The offer on the table was said to be a new deal in which the original six EU member states – Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium and Luxembourg – would re-establish their founding-father status in the EU driving seat.
The International Herald Tribune describes the forced gaiety in Brussels as it looked forward to other opening nights.
"The debate must continue," said Jean-Claude Juncker, prime minister of Luxembourg and the current holder of the rotating EU presidency. ... The ratification process should continue in other member states, Juncker said, because "we want other member states to have the opportunity to tackle the same debate." ... "The overwhelming majority of countries will want to continue the process of ratification," said John Palmer, political director of the European Policy Center in Brussels. "They want to give everyone the right to hear their opinion."
Some Dutch commentators, on the other hand, argued that opinions were precisely what Brussels did not want to hear. "The Dutch were never asked about the introduction of the euro, enlargement, Turkey," said Rob Boudewegm, senior fellow at the Clingendael Institute of International Relations in The Hague. "This is the first time they can give their opinion and it is no."
posted by wretchardthecat at 6/01/2005 07:05:00 PM
12 Comments:
Euro took a dive on the 'no' votes but it's set to bounce back:
The dollar fell from near an eight- month high against the euro in Asia as a technical chart traders use to predict price changes suggested the rally was set to end.
The euro's relative strength index against the dollar, which measures momentum in a given period, indicated it may halt its 3.2 percent, three-day drop. Europe's common currency slumped after French and Dutch voters this week rejected the European Union constitution. The dollar also weakened before a U.S. government report tomorrow that may show slowing job growth.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=aeUnkffvhNsQ&refer=europe
Both of the Black Knight's arms have at this point been cut off, and blood is spurting comically from the sockets, but he carries on shouting defiantly: "Come on! 'Tis but a flesh wound..."
It would appear that the Eurocrats such as, Jose Barroso, Jean-Claude Juncker, Chirac and Schroeder need more "surfs" to regulate and tax. Unfortunately, the "surfs" don't want anymore regulation or taxation. This could leave Eurocrats with no real function - and possibly no job.
Yes, the debate must continue! All of the man-hours that were spent of scribing the hefty Constitution may just be a waste money (not to mention all of the meetings, travel, and other expenses). In fact, the cost of the actually ballots and the nasty "no" votes may also be going down the drain. It's no wonder why the Euro took a drubbing today. The whole Euro-monstrosity is crumbling. There must be some clever bookie making odds on this thing. Anyone know where I can find him?
ledger,
Not sure but Amsterdam might be a good place to start.
Mr. Chirac indicated that he thought the judgment of history would go against the Iraq war and vindicate those who opposed it. ...
"We have another choice," Mr. Chirac told an audience at the International Institute of Strategic Studies
"That of an order based on respect for international law and the empowerment of the world's new poles by fully and wholly involving them in the decision-making mechanisms. "Only this path," he added, "is likely to establish a stable, legitimate and accepted order in the long run." The new "poles" he spoke of are the emerging regional powers of the new century, including Europe, China, India and Brazil.
Bricoleur said...
The core of Chirac's otherwise puzzling positions was illuminated in an article by Janet Daley in the Daily Telegraph this week:
"The European Union is creating what it hopes will be a benign oligarchy. Real political power will reside once again within elite circles (as it does already in France) which will conduct their business in the corridors rather than in the assemblies...
Meanwhile, the United States will persevere with the belief, which Europe regards as crass, that giving ordinary people power over their governing class is the only hope for peace and security.
Democracy, and what it entails, is not what unites us... it is what divides us." What the EU's entrenched, country by country, elites believe is that "the political instincts of the people are far too inflammable and mercurial to be trusted. Better leave the serious business of law-making and governance to a professional class of administrators, an enlightened elite who will not be subject to the whims and volatile passions of the mob..."
. Two different visions of the future of the world
I am... better than you so I will tell you what is good for you, because I know best what's good for you, and you don't know because I'm better than you, and know better than you.
This "We, The People, in order to..." garbage is racist, and homophobic, and xenophobic, proving that I know better than you because I AM better than you- Wait! Come back! I haven't finished dictating your rights, yet... come back!
Thanks sam. But, I don't know where in Hamsterdam ... oh, I meant Amsterdam... to find him.
Ledger,
Try the king of money speculation George Soros. Wherever he lurks, surely economies will crumble.
What the EU's entrenched, country by country, elites believe is that "the political instincts of the people are far too inflammable and mercurial to be trusted. Better leave the serious business of law-making and governance to a professional class of administrators, an enlightened elite who will not be subject to the whims and volatile passions of the mob..."
/////////////
remember this essentially the chinese position.
rune,
While you're at it, you might as well split NATO in 2, also.
The only change necessary would be for the Germans to switch all their US Military equipment for French versions of same (where available).
don black said,
"Do they think our troops will support them against the other super power, the USA?"
---
With a Clinton in the White House, and a new Democrat Senate, it could happen.
Does Maddie Albright have any younger relatives to be Sec State?
Maybe Jamie Gorelick for CIA head,
and Richard Ben-Veniste SecDef.
Answer for Rune:
Dear Rune, I'm from Spain and damn proud of being cowards as you named us. Damn proud of got out of the shaming group of bastards whom went to Iraq war. My president at that time was a man whom didn't listen to 90% of the spanish people. A man who went to a war that nobody supported and that still today it's an illegal war (ask to the british). I still wonder where the hell are those dangerous weapons that Bush swears were there. And over all of the all problem is that the UN didn't approve the stupid war.
This president we had broke the natural European agreement, and instead of listening the Union we were in, he listened the American "Damn" president Bush (I still wonder why and what we got out of it in favours). Our normal way was to discuss it inside the European Union and to give an answer together with Europe. But Britain, Spain and US went together to say to the world that they rule the world and that they can decide to make the war to who they want...
The thing that our next president got out our troops from Iraq it wasnt because of the 11 of March (but it was painful, really painful). He said already before the blast that he would do it because the war was moraly incorrect (again with the support of 90% of our population). It was because if you send your kids to die for you at least it has to be in something you belive.
And Europe was broken...
Perhaps it has been the smartest movement of US in many years. They divide what was made to be the opposite power in this world, to equalize the power balance and to present another type of society with more social care. Here we live and here we will die.
Probably this "no" to the constitution comes from all the shit we have been forced to face since Iraq war. Before that we were proud of the Union and everything were good wishes and good words. Now we are more concern about what kind of Europe we want for us and for our kids. The no to the constitution is not the end of Europe, it's just an advice to our politics to make constitution better for the people and not just as liberal as it is. In fact it's to say "hey, we don't like capitalism because of the social part is not cover with it. So please make it better and come back again"
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