So turkeys do indeed vote for Christmas. Ireland has destroyed the one really good thing it had going for it at a time of growing global crisis - the goodwill of its European neighbours. It is laughable for DANA ROSEMARY SCALLON to claim that she "represented the hundreds of millions of EU electorate who never got the chance to express a democratic vote" (Letters, June 14). They have their own 26 democratically elected Governments to represent them - and don't need a collection of Irish Sinn Feiners and Me Feiners to tell them how to run their countries. They will now also set about continuing to the develop the EU without Ireland - if necessary as a "two speed" union with "variable geometry" as provided for by the rules on enhanced cooperation within the EU. What this means, for the slow learners amongst us, is that they will now move on to develop the EU without the Eurosceptic Tories and Republicans on these Islands. There will be no more successful pleadings for special treatment for Ireland North and south under the various EU development programmes. If Sinn Fein thinks it can negotiate a better deal for Ireland, it had better turn to their new found friends in American business - Declan Ganly and Ulick McEvaddy who are very well connected with the US defense establishment indeed. Perhaps they can negotiate a place for us as the 51st. state of the USA.
They will now also set about continuing to the develop the EU without Ireland - if necessary as a "two speed" union with "variable geometry" as provided for by the rules on enhanced cooperation within the EU. What this means, for the slow learners amongst us, is that they will now move on to develop the EU without the Eurosceptic Tories and Republicans on these Islands. There will be no more successful pleadings for special treatment for Ireland North and south under the various EU development programmes.
If Sinn Fein thinks it can negotiate a better deal for Ireland, it had better turn to their new found friends in American business - Declan Ganly and Ulick McEvaddy who are very well connected with the US defense establishment indeed. Perhaps they can negotiate a place for us as the 51st. state of the USA.
NB Sinn Fein in Irish means "we ourselves" and highlights it's anti-colonialist roots. "Me Feiners" is an Irish colloquialism for people who are only in it for themselves. DANA ROSEMARY SCALLON is a former Eurovision winning singer (1970), a former MEP (1999 -2004) and a conservative catholic activist on social and moral issues. "It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."
I have been thinking a bit on what narrative the no-referendums end up in, and it is nearly always "stupid people voting wrong". I do not think we want that, or rather I think that is hindering in building a common democratic EUrope. EU needs more, not less confidence in its people, do get the structures and the needed trust, that is necessary for a more democratic structure.
Who do we want to blame for this failure? I say the council, our national executives working in common, and doing a lousy job of it. Because we want to lessen the councils power.
So forget the referendum, it is over now. Blame the council in order to get better treaties in the future. A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!
Blame the irish excutive government for failing in its part of the Councils duty to deliver a clear enough treaty that it can be widely understood and debated on its merits. Through that incompetence the door was left open for the US financed scare-mongers in Libertas, etc. A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!
Actually I'm not that interested in getting into blame games and want to point a way forward. The "slow learners" bit was an ironic reference to Seamus Mallon's famous quote about the Good Friday Agreement being "Sunningdale for slow learners". This was a caustic reference to Unionists taking 30 years to agree to power sharing which finally gave us peace. I was trying to draw a parallel with the Republic - also taking some time to realise that you have to share power with Europe if you want to achieve peace and prosperity.
Obviously I need to make that reference more explicit, "It's a mystery to me - the game commences, For the usual fee - plus expenses, Confidential information - it's in my diary..."
I would tone it down and rebuild it along the following lines.
I think the idea of a snap election is very interesting and the one thing that stands out in your letter / comments. It's not something I have heard floated in the media or papers here. All of your other points are being howled by similarly angry government members at Sinn Fein all over the radio today. I suggest putting a letter together around that as a central point woyuld be provocative. (I too think an election here would be a healthy thing at present if for different reasons)
I have to say that considering the Ganley/Libertas impact on the campaign - the well documented record of these people as US aligned - there is little discussion of that. The irish state is very 'Boston Not Berlin' still and I'd say is very much in a quandry - being attacked by astroturfers wotrking for a 'friend' who they have proved themselves unwilling to upset in any way in the past.
I was speaking to my dad too today (ex-pd)about the whole thing and we agreed that part of the vote is a total unease with a political class who are unwilling to straightforwardly explain the problems facing Ireland as the price of oil and food heads for the stratosphere and the building boom collapses, and, that the vote may be a harbinger of more serious political conflicts in the country in the coming period.
