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France Rejects EU Constitution
MensNewsDaily.com ^ | May 29, 2005 | Roger F. Gay

Posted on 05/30/2005 3:54:04 AM PDT by RogerFGay

France Rejects EU Constitution

May 29, 2005


by Roger F. Gay

The French people voted down the proposed EU constitution in a referendum today, temporarily lifting the dark cloud that was descending over Europe. In order to go into effect, it needed the approval of all 25 current member states. The French non will send EU architects back to the drawing board.

If passed, the new constitution would have given absolute power to Brussels on all domestic issues in a system controlled primarily by unelected bureaucrats. An elected parliament would have had an advisory role. At the state level, members of parliament would have been reduced to bureaucratic functionaries. This dictatorship in the eyes of its architects would have created a “more efficient” European Union where “cooperation” would be assured.

Whether or not a new version will be an improvement remains to be seen. The debate on the constitution has been nothing if not utterly dishonest. Utter failure by journalists of the old media to analyze and impart accurate information left voters in the dark about what the constitution is all about. Politicians selling the document focused on bright and shiny intentions rather than the real effect passage of the document would have.

At one point in the process, a set of basic, on-point criticisms did reach the public. The proposed constitution has problems with enforcement of human rights – depending as it does on stated intentions that bureaucrats with overwhelming power will create one huge happy socialist state. Another problem is that it would eliminate the hard-won democracy that exists in Europe today for the same reason.

To reduce the damage done by the truth, promoters quickly claimed that significant changes were made that fixed the problems. Journalists generally seemed just as befuddled as everyone else, reporting for the most part that they did not really understand the complex issues raised by the long bureaucratic document to begin with, let alone what difference a set of small and insignificant changes would make. It was really just the same constitution with yet another dishonest cover story.

So what will the next proposal look like? No one knows right now, but there will most certainly be attempts to revitalize the old one. “A new cover story is all it needs,” someone will suggest. And with the blind, deaf, and dumb dominance of the old managed news media still at their disposal, the forces of evil and ignorance will stand a chance of creating yet another great catastrophe in Europe.

Roger F. Gay



Roger F. Gay is a professional analyst, international correspondent and regular contributor to MensNewsDaily.com, as well as a contributing editor for Fathering Magazine.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; Germany; Government; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: euconstitution
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To: goldstategop
You got it!

The EU Constitution was written by the politicians for politicians, never mind the peons!

But the peons do mind!

21 posted on 05/30/2005 6:22:56 AM PDT by Sen Jack S. Fogbound (Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead !)
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To: RogerFGay

For a Socialist country, France's people get to vote alot--What do we have a national referendum on? NOTHING. We elect people, who are then in the pockets of the special interests and the PACs--good for the French people for telling Chirac to shove it! Vive la France!


22 posted on 05/30/2005 7:15:03 AM PDT by ktvaughn
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To: Major_Risktaker
Ratified by parliament (10 countries)
Malta 10/17/2003
Lithuania 11/11/2004
Hungary 12/20/2004
Slovenia 2/1/2005
Italy 4/6/2005
Greece 4/19/2005
Belgium 4/28/2005
Slovak Republic 5/11/2005
Austria 5/25/2005
Germany 5/27/2005

expected approval by parliaments (6 countries)
Spain 2/20/2005
Cyprus 6/30/2005
Latvia 6/30/2005
Sweden 12/1/2005
Finland 12/30/2005
Estonia 2006?

Scheduled referendums (probably approved by voters): (4 countries)
Czech Republic 2006 ?
Denmark 9/27/05
Luxembourg 7/10/05
Portugal 10/9/2005

potential no (4 countries)
Netherlands Jun 05
Poland October 05
Ireland October 05
United Kingdom May 06

defeated referendum (1 country)
France 5/29/2005

summary:
Ratified: 10 countries
Parliamentary ratification expected: 6
Referendum approval expected: 4
Referendum failure expected: 4
Referendum failed: 1

Note that 20 countries can be expected to approve, and 20 is required to establish new constitution.

http://www.euractiv.com/Article?tcmuri=tcm:29-130616-16&type=Overview
23 posted on 05/30/2005 7:33:16 AM PDT by nonomous
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To: nonomous
Note that 20 countries can be expected to approve, and 20 is required to establish new constitution.

And what is the "fate" of the ones that don't?

24 posted on 05/30/2005 7:49:59 AM PDT by TLI (. ITINERIS IMPENDEO VALHALLA,. .Minuteman Project, Day -1 to Day 8)
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To: RogerFGay

They won't be happy 'til they find some boob to pay for their socialist paradise, and guess where they'll look first? The US of A. We fit the bill since we're considered to be vulgar, stupid and brash. Also fat and piggish. The idea will be that they'll link the EU to the US, and then take over all decision making, diplomatic details, anything of importance. We'd provide men and arms for protecting the big happy family, plus pay lots of taxes. Otherwise, we'll be told to sit down and shut up. Sound familiar? The only question is who will suggest this first as the goal of globalization. The UN or the EU. Meanwhile, Mexico's babbling about integration with the US --they've already got a big foot in the door with twenty odd million illegals sucking us dry.


25 posted on 05/30/2005 7:57:48 AM PDT by hershey
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To: kittymyrib
And NINE countries voted FOR such a stripping of their democracies? Are Europeans too stupid to ...

Only one, Spain, held a public referendum. The remaining eight ratified by agreement within the political class. EU "elites" are now arguing that since 9 have ratified, "representing almost half the EU population" ... well, they're lying again. They didn't consult the population in most cases.
26 posted on 05/30/2005 8:01:18 AM PDT by RogerFGay
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To: nmh
Hey .. thought of you in particular when I posted and pinged. Hope things are going well for you too.

Roger
27 posted on 05/30/2005 8:03:33 AM PDT by RogerFGay
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To: nonomous
Thanks...

So if Brussels passes a law that all traffic on Germany's Autobahn is 120 km/h (50-75 mph)will the Germans obey?

I drive at a comfortable 245 km/h when in Italy.


28 posted on 05/30/2005 10:10:07 AM PDT by Major_Risktaker
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To: RogerFGay
Just as a point of reference, the US Constitution was ratified by state legislatures. There were no popular votes. Additionally, the two largest states failed to ratify until after the Constitution had nominally become effective via 2/3 ratification.

December 7, 1787: Delaware is the first state to ratify (unanimously)
December 12, 1787: Pennsylvania is the second state to ratify (42-23)
December 18, 1787: New Jersey is the third state to ratify (unanimously)
January 2, 1788: Georgia is the fourth state to ratify (unanimously)
January 9, 1788: Connecticut is the fifth state (unanimously )
Feb. 6, 1788: Massachusetts is the sixth state to ratify Massachusetts (187-168 with recommended amendments)
March 24, 1788: Rhode Island rejects Constitution.
April 28, 1788: Maryland ratifies (63-11)
May 23, 1788: South Carolina (149-73 with recommended amendments)
June 21, 1788: New Hampshire (57-47 with recommended amendments)

Constitution reaches 2/3 goal, become effective.

June 25 1788: Virginia (89-79 with recommended amendments)
July 26, 1788: New York (30-27 with recommended amendments)
April 1, 1789: First session of the House of Representatives
April 6, 1789: George Washington elected president
November 21, 1789: North Carolina ratifies (194-77 with recommended amendments)
February 2, 1790: First session of the U.S. Supreme Court The Supreme Court begins operations as indicated by the Judiciary Act of 1789.
May 29, 1790: Rhode Island ratifies ( 34-32 with recommended amendments)
29 posted on 05/30/2005 12:44:50 PM PDT by nonomous
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To: nonomous

Yes, but the US Constitution had the benefit of monumental input from people who believed in freedom and democracy ... compromises were from that base. The EU constitution ... which is changing the existing political structure of a set of existing countries ... not recently liberated colonies of a foreign government ... intends to create a dictatorship ... any compromise in favor of freedom and democracy has been small. Ratification of the proposed EU constitution would be a coup.


30 posted on 05/31/2005 3:38:51 AM PDT by RogerFGay
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