Narrow majority says "no" to European "Union" membership (Norway)

Norway Post ^ | March 31, 2005 | Rolleiv (sp) Solholm

[franksolich]

Narrow majority say no to EU membership

For the first time since last fall there is now a narrow majority against Norwegian membership of the EU.

A survey made by Sentio for the newspapers Nationen, Klassekampen and Dagen shows that 45.1 per cent would vote no, while 43.3 are in favour, and 11.6 per cent are undecided.

It is the first time since last August that the survey shows a majority against EU membership for Norway, and it is the highest no-percentage in three years.

Both among women and in the country districts there is a clear majority against membership, according to the poll.

[franksolich]

For those who confuse Norway with "Sweden" and "Old Europe," some illumination.

Norway of course has paid a price for staying away from the old men in Paris, Brussels, and Berlin--and for being allied with us in the war against terror--mostly in that Norwegian goods are highly-taxed in the European "Union" and hence rarely purchased, while the Norwegians themselves are compelled to pay higher prices for those goods coming from the European "Union."

Oddly, to be pro-European "Union" in Norway is considered "right," while being anti-European "Union" in Norway is considered "left."

After public opinion polls showing voters in favor of joining, in 1972 and 1994, Norwegians changed their minds, and voted "against." There appears to be no set date for a third vote on the issue.

[TheBigB]

This whole EU thing appears to be rapidly unraveling.

[Guillermo]

Norway isn't part of the EU...

[franksolich]

Ping for the Norway ping list.

By the way, one of the authentic Norwegians actually in Norway, on the Norway ping list, asked me this question just last week--"if it is okay for people to go to America and assimiliate, why is it not okay for Norwegians to assimilate into Europe?"

A good question; I had never thought of it, but I am assuming most have more cerebral capacity than I do, and can come up with a good answer.

My stance that it is probably not a good idea for Norway to join the European "Union" is based upon two things: (a) the loss of national sovereignty and (b) the old men in Paris, Brussels, and Berlin getting their hands on the $200+ billion that Norwegians have so carefully stashed away the past 30 years, from their oil revenues.

[TheBigB]

Uh, yes, I know. I meant that in the context of the problems the EU is having...polls say both France and GB qwill reject the EU Constitution, and now this.

[muawiyah]

http://www.europa.admin.ch/eu/expl/staaten/e/ This site does not show that Norway is an EU member.

[ARCADIA]

Oddly, to be pro-European "Union" in Norway is considered "right," while being anti-European "Union" in Norway is considered "left."

European poltics usually refers to the socialist leaning side as the Right. The reference originates from the same place as "right hand man"; those who support you are seated towards the host's Right, while those who oppose are to the Left.

[franksolich]

To an outsider, the situation in Norway seems contradictory.

One thinks the "right" would favor national sovereignty and independence, and the "left" favor consolidation into the greater mass, but it appears the opposite in Norway.

The deal is, Norway is the Nebraska of Europe; it is a very small country, one of the smallest countries on that continent (in population), and the Europeans would pay no more attention to the needs and wishes of Norway, than Americans pay to the needs and wishes of Nebraska.

It is a case of "don't pay any attention to him.....don't even ignore him."

Of course, there is that matter of that $200+ billion carefully saved and invested, from the North Sea oil revenues--that would buy a lot of chateaus in France, or drugs in Germany.....and there is nothing the Norwegians could do about it, if part of the European "Union."

[Harpo Speaks]

For the same reason that the U.S. doesn't join Mexico and Canada for a "North American Union." NAFTA's as far as I'm willing to go.

[blanknoone]

Not to be the grammar stickler but 45.1 v 43.3 is a plurality, not a majority. Not sure if that is a translation issue or not.

[dennisw]

Norway has mucho oil thus no need to kiss butt of EU socialist parasites and Arab parasites. Norway has plenty of FU money.

[Balding_Eagle]

By the way, one of the authentic Norwegians actually in Norway, on the Norway ping list, asked me this question just last week--"if it is okay for people to go to America and assimiliate, why is it not okay for Norwegians to assimilate into Europe?"

That's the wrong question. There's nothing wrong with assimilating.

It's a question of the group. After all, and this is an easy one, would it be proper to assimilate with the Nazi's? Of course not, that would be unthinkable. While the EU are not Nazi's, they are certainly on the darker half of gray.

BTW, thank your Norwegian friend for siding with us in the Middle East. Good friends are hard to come by, and I'm glad they're with us.

[franksolich]

See comment 13, above.

[Drammach]

Plurality

I was going to point that out as well..
Good catch..

[franksolich]

It's the Norway Post, which doesn't have as good translators as the excellent Jonathan Tisdall and the wonderful Nina Berglund of the Aftenposten.

I read a lot of the "world press"--I'm working on an Albania ping list at the moment--and trust me, most web-sites have really bad translators.

I have no idea who the translators at the Norway Post are, and while they are not as good as the translators at the Aftenposten, they are still much better than translators of the press in Hungary, Albania, whatnot.

[Tamberlane]

European poltics usually refers to the socialist leaning side as the Right.

I am sorry, but this is plainly incorrect. Socialist = Left throughout Europe.

[Tamberlane]

Of course, there is that matter of that $200+ billion carefully saved and invested, from the North Sea oil revenues--that would buy a lot of chateaus in France, or drugs in Germany.....and there is nothing the Norwegians could do about it, if part of the European "Union."

Frank, I'm no fan of the EU, but this is not correct. The EU does not have the right to confiscate the funds of its member states, not even under the new constitution.

Below, as you pinged the list with a picture of a stately building: The Royal Palace.

[franksolich]

Gotcha.

I mistakenly pinged everyone with a photograph of Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark--but by the time I spotted the error, it was too late; one cannot "unpost" on Free Republic.

Oh, well.

About the Norwegian oil funds--as things now stand, the European Union cannot lay their hands on it.

As things now stand.

However, Norway presents a peculiar situation for the European Union.

If Norway joined, it is possible Norway would be the first member to join with a national treasury bursting at the seams.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I have the impression that others in the European Union have joined with massive budget deficits and national debts, pooling not their resources, but their misery, their debts.

Now, if Norway were a part of the European Union, and as France and Germany get mired more and more in financial distress, what is to stop the old men from changing the rules, insisting that those who "have," should "share"?

This issue has never arisen before, because such a situation has never happened before (a country with a massive savings-account joining the European Union).

What is to stop them from changing the rules?

And the deal is, Norway in Europe is analogous to Nebraska in the United States; Norwegians are so outnumbered there would not be a damned thing they could do about it, this "redistribution" of their funds.

It is the same thing as if the United States suddenly imposed a special 600% sales-tax on Nebraska beef; we are so outnumbered there is not a thing we could do about it.

[tomjohn77]

Klassekampen is the Comminists newspaper. Easily translated to Struggle of the classes. Nationen is the Famers newspaper. Dagen I dont know, probably a sosialistic newspaer too.