Death throes

Washington Times ^ | June 3, 2005 | Victor Davis Hanson

[oldtimer2]

Death throes . . . By Victor Davis Hanson Published June 3, 2005

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The French and Dutch rebuffs of the European Union constitution will soon be followed by other rejections. Millions of proud, educated Europeans are tired of being told by unelected grandees that the mess they see is abstract art. The EU constitution -- and its promise of a new Europe -- supposedly offered a corrective to the Anglo-American strain of Western civilization. More government, higher taxes, richer entitlements, pacifism, statism and atheism would make a more humane and powerful new Continent of more than 400 million to outpace a retrograde United States. Instead, Europe faces a declining population, unassimilated minorities, low growth, high unemployment and an inability to defend itself, militarily or morally. Somehow the directorate of the European Union has figured out how to have too few citizens while having too many of them out of work. The only question that remains is just how low will the 100,000 bureaucrats of the European Union go in shrieking to their defiant electorates as they stampede for the exits. In fact, 2005 is a culmination of dying ideas. Despite the boasts and threats, almost every political alternative to Western liberalism over the last quarter-century is crashing or already in flames.

[oldtimer2]

Victor Davis Hanson really is one of the best columnists today. He really knows why the big events are happening now.

[goldstategop]

LOL! Europe has been an exercise in abstract art for the last half century. Its no longer even at the center of world events. Europe, who?

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[Porterville]

sovereignty

[tahotdog]

Somehow the directorate of the European Union has figured out how to have too few citizens while having too many of them out of work.

Quite a trick...

[San Jacinto]

Hanson may have this one wrong. the frenchies most likely did not reject the European Constitution because they saw it as a threat to sovereignty or independence. Instead they saw it as a threat to their beloved...."More government, higher taxes, richer entitlements, pacifism, statism and atheism ...."

At least, that's my guess.

[xJones]

Hanson may have this one wrong. the frenchies most likely did not reject the European Constitution because they saw it as a threat to sovereignty or independence. Instead they saw it as a threat to their beloved...."More government, higher taxes, richer entitlements, pacifism, statism and atheism ...."

It's almost funny, it's like the French are getting credit for overthrowing a threat to their cherished 'freedoms' when the truth was that the EU constitution (written under French direction) would have threatened their cherished socialist way of life - plus a lot of 'em didn't like Chirac.

[King Prout]

VDHanson ping

[backhoe]

This, and other related subjects, have been added to this keyword database for easy reference: KEYWORDS:  EUROFREUDE

[USCfan]

I read this article earlier today VDH is Soooo Freakin good.

[sauropod]

I love European schadenfreude in the morning.

[tiamat]

*snerk*

*gurgle*

:::snicker:::

[King Prout]

eh? whyfor yoo laffa at me?

[tiamat]

Wasn't laughing at YOU, silly man!

Was laughing at the EU!