" A common market and a pan-European democratic mechanism to negotiate the rules is a good thing. A loose confederation which allows for common trade rules and reasonably free movement of people and goods is one element of preventing devastation in Europe again.
But a ludicrous, Orwellian screed written up by freak Leftists in Brussels desperate to impose Socialism cum Multiculturalism is an anti-European nightmare."
I absolutely agree!
"It wasn't a "Constitution", but the terms of surrender to a lumbering slave state at the hands of embittered Communists, angry at the loss of the Soviet Union and the possibility that they might not get to confiscate the entire land mass of Europe for their own control."
Well, there are actually A FEW good parts in the constitutional treaty. In certain areas it actually is an IMPROVEMENT over the status quo we have now. But overall the constitutional treaty is certainly not what I would have hoped for. What we need now is a new treaty that leaves the good parts in place (like the subsidiarity principle) and does away with the undemocratic institutions like the current structure of commission and council of ministers in favor of a transferral of power to the European parliament (i.e. the people's representatives). But one can only hope...
"As far as the French go, every one of them that I spoke with in the last month said the same thing: "Turkey". There were certainly other reasons, but that was the one that came out most often.
Maybe the French want to stay French. Whoda thought it."
Germans are even more against the idea of Turkey as a member of the EU. It simply isn't feasible. The 10 new members is more than the EU can take right now. Plus: The democratic reforms in Turkey look good on paper but don't translate to real changes for the population. There simply isn't enough common ground to start from (plus the still dire situation of Turkey's economy). Israel, for example, is a hundred times more "european" than Turkey.
I know, the Bush administration would love to see Turkey join the EU. But frankly, it's an internal affair, so it's none of their business - after all, the EU also shouldn't have a say in U.S. - Mexican relations.
A rather bizarre, and irrational featurette of the current attempt to create the new OneWorld® Happyland by this administration and its Fellow Travelers in Brussels.
after all, the EU also shouldn't have a say in U.S. - Mexican relations
Don't tell Fox!