All excellent points Roy Tucker and I agree with you to a very large extent.
However, I’ve always thought that the opposition to the treaty focuses too much on the way it is being ratified rather than the terrible provisions in the treaty/ constitution itself. When the failed constitution vote came up in France a few years back, I attempted to download and read the actual text of the document (By the way, I have yet to meet ANY European who has actually read any of the treaties/constitutions that they have voted on - scary). It was 350 pages of complete gobblygook that nobody (except lawyers) cound understand.
I am so thankful that our US founding documents are readable and understandabble to regular people. If I want an in-depth discussion of what each article or amendment means, I have the very readable Federalist Papers to help me along.
Thanks for your response Roy Tucker!
Yes, we Americans have been blessed by the intelligence and insight into human nature of the Founding Fathers in framing our Constitution. May God always bless America.
I think the concern about process is that it appears to a lot of Europeans that this is being pushed down their throats by their political leaders. Leaders who will undoubtedly benefit by ratification of the treaty compared to the average person who see little benefit to them. I would think that if the average voter in Europe saw benefits in the treaty it would be more obvious and the elite would not need to play these games.