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In theory, by voting for your MEP, you could replace the Commission (and Lisbon would have further enhanced this power). In theory. In practice, the Parliament doesn't yet rattle power structures that much, last time, Parliament was content with a re-shuffling of the Commission.

Then agsain, the same goes for national politics: in theory, Colman could kick Ahern's bunch out of power. In theory, ThatBritGuy could kick Brown out of power, but as things stand other Brits will vote Cameron in. In theory, I could vote Orbán and Gyurcsány out in Hungary, except 95% of voters won't vote for anything but the two main parties. In theory, de Gondi could send Berlusconi into hot hell and vote in some leftist government without centrist blackmailers, but it never seems to work out.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.

by DoDo on Fri Jun 13th, 2008 at 10:56:33 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Hah! That is because me and my Bilderburg buddies run the world!

"It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."
by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot dotty communists) on Fri Jun 13th, 2008 at 11:00:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Off-topic nitpick: I know yours was originated by Lasthorseman; but it annoys me how often English-speakers confuse "burg" ( = castle, walled town - see 'burgh' and 'borough') and "berg" ( = mountain), even if the old German root is the same.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Fri Jun 13th, 2008 at 11:17:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]
does the fact that I spelled it wrong prove I am not a member?

"It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."
by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot dotty communists) on Fri Jun 13th, 2008 at 11:35:31 AM EST
[ Parent ]
No, it proves you're trying to hide the fact!

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Fri Jun 13th, 2008 at 11:52:02 AM EST
[ Parent ]
But at each point on the second paragraph you vote for or against people with actual names.

Most voters didn't know Barroso's name before 2004. (And don't know him even now)

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères

by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Fri Jun 13th, 2008 at 11:12:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]
No one knew Gyurcsány prior to 2004, when he arose from nothing and then replaced the existing PM between elections. I doubt many in France knew Fillon before Sarko made him PM, for that matter.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Fri Jun 13th, 2008 at 11:25:08 AM EST
[ Parent ]
But then Fillon isn't the person who actually leads the executive (and was quite a noted politician before 2007 ; the "unknown PM" we last had was Raffarin in 2002) ; and you did get to vote for or against Gyurcsány in the next election ; whereas nobody will ever really vote on Barroso.

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères
by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Fri Jun 13th, 2008 at 11:32:17 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Barroso is up for re-election after the EP elections next year. If we can change the EPP's relative majority...

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Fri Jun 13th, 2008 at 11:48:38 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Is it the EPP who decided on Barroso, or the European council (with non-EPP Blair having a strong input on the decision) ?

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères
by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Fri Jun 13th, 2008 at 12:51:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Bertie Ahern brokered the deal in the Council

"It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."
by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot dotty communists) on Fri Jun 13th, 2008 at 12:54:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The deal is now likely void because two of the "top four jobs" may not be there to divvy up.

When the capital development of a country becomes a by-product of the activities of a casino, the job is likely to be ill-done. — John M. Keynes
by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Fri Jun 13th, 2008 at 01:10:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Yes. But, purely in theory, the EP could decide to block him.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Fri Jun 13th, 2008 at 06:01:45 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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