Thanks for the comment. I suppose it’s more Social Democratic than socialist - but the point is valid.
Interestingly, many of the anti-Lisbon campaigners in Ireland think the EU is too pro-capitalist, too liberal and too Western. The point to the single market elements, competition policy and NATO members. Some oppose Lisbon because it doesn’t stress “social Europe.”
This view is, of course, mistaken. Yes, the EU has free market aspects but the price it has had to pay for the approval of Social Democratic Europe and the statists is a major infusion of regulatory and Social Democratic powers. If the Socialists gain a stronger hand in future - in the Council, in the courts or in the EP, they will use these powers against countries like Ireland, Estonia and Poland - states that are smaller but whose principal resource is the entrepeneurial spirit of their peoples, unleashed by the appropriate tax and business ncentives.

Do contribute again.
EWE

In fact this planned second language is spoken by a growing population of people across the world. Take a look at http://www.esperanto.net

Thank you

Fernando

ewe RESPONDS,
tHE VOTING PAPER SIMPLY ASKED VOTERS IF THEY WISHED TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT TO THE iRISH cONSTITUTION THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR RATIFICATION OF LISBON. tHAT AMENDMENT SET OUT THE CHANGES TO iRISH DECISION-MAKING PROCEDURES AND PREVIOUS AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD FLOW FROM ACCEPTANCE OF lISBON. iT ALSO INDICATED HOW THE Irish State might implement the Treaty. It reaffirmed that future referenda would be needed for any military alliance.
Critics argued that the amendment was not explicit enough in defending Ireland’s veto in other areas.

Significantly, the amendment would have given Irish politicians the power to change many aspects of Lisbon at a later date without a further referendum - if they did this in conjuction with all other states in the European Council. That meant that changes to Ireland’s veto powers in future would depend - not on voters - but on politicians. There wpuld be fewer referenda (some said non). Given that Ireland has this power to use referenda, many voters saw this as an underhand attack on their own rights.

I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of what would make the European Union a worthwhile enterprise.

In fact, I have never allowed myself to support the EU because it seemed there was no preventing it becoming another Federal Government like the ones we are saddled with in North America. And because it seems to be already generating mega-bureaucratic programs like the CAP.

To see this clarity of insight shows me that what I’ve been reading about Ireland’s free-market revolution may in fact be a libertarian intellectual renaissance. Good! You are seeing the benefit already, and if you don’t get swallowed up into a Federal Europe, I think Ireland has immense prosperity ahead.

EWE RESPONDS
Mike,
Sorry to disappoint you on two issues: I would not be a libertarian in social policy (i.e., family issues etc) - though I am more so on economics. As for North America, I would not favor anti-federalism in the U.S. context. Conferation has an unfortunate and ugly history in the United States. (I would certainly not agree with characterizations of the U.S.or Canadian Govt as “terrorist”). European states and cultural communities are more diverse and have longer histories of either autonomy or autonomous identity. Europe is building its infrastructure from scratch, so stopping at the confederal stage makes more sense here. Moreover, while the U.S. is
supposed

to be a federation, Irish and British people have always been reassured that the EU is not and that only a fringe minority (of Belgians!!) want it to be so. The nature of treaties like Lisbon make us suspect that there are more than the few Begian zealots involved!
On the other hand, I would favor more of a states’ rights interpretation of the U.S. Constitution if I was an American voter, though basic civil liberties should be universal.

vote NO is not a problem !!
in France, after the last referendum, they are no changement even we vote NO
so don’t worry and vote NO !!!
The actual european system is not a good system on differents domains : economics (€ / $), sociologics, politics, etc.
so, please vote NO, NO and NO!!!!

A french man !

I’m creating something along these lines at http://www.constitreaty.com, albeit with a focus on comparison to the constitution.

Also check out Prof. Steve Peer’s consolidated treaties analysis at Statewatch.org and Open Europe’s comparative analysis, which may help.

____________

Thanks for the input.
Apologies if I am replying late - but I will be more active this week as the poll date draws closer.