Donate Bitcoin

Donate Paypal


PeakOil is You

PeakOil is You

Merci à tous les Français!

What's on your mind?
General interest discussions, not necessarily related to depletion.

Unread postby khebab » Mon 30 May 2005, 15:27:56

Last result, it's pretty overwelhming (54,87 %):

Image

According to the French newspaper "Le Monde", the main motivations for the non vote are:
- fear of unemployment (46% of voters);
- fed up of the current situation (40%) (very French!)
- too pro-business (35% of voters);
- a rejection will lead to a rewriting (35%)
- too difficult to understand (34%)
- the inclusion of Turkey (35 % of the right-wing voters);
______________________________________
http://GraphOilogy.blogspot.com
khebab
Tar Sands
Tar Sands
 
Posts: 899
Joined: Mon 27 Sep 2004, 03:00:00
Location: Canada

Unread postby Licho » Mon 30 May 2005, 18:24:09

Lorenzo, people were asked regarding enlargement! There was referendum in many countries, other ratified it in parliaments - if your country didnt held referendum, you should pressure your own politicians..
All EU countries had to agree with enlargement..

It's same now - and will be same in the case of Turkey. But since EU treaty about constitution is now probably dust, Turkey membership will be decided even in less transparent way (parliaments or goverments of member countries will likely decide this, no more "risky" referendums unless public pressure against is really high or local laws force referendums about such matter..)

And constitution too "pro-business"? It's strange, people who don't like it here say it's to "against-business" and cares too much about social things and ecology and regulates trade too much..
So how are we going to find common treaty, if every country rejects is from completely opposite reasons? :-)
User avatar
Licho
Tar Sands
Tar Sands
 
Posts: 833
Joined: Mon 31 May 2004, 03:00:00
Location: Brno, Czech rep., EU

Unread postby lorenzo » Mon 30 May 2005, 18:44:14

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Licho', '
')So how are we going to find common treaty, if every country rejects is from completely opposite reasons? :-)


We shouldn't. We should now stick to what we have, the Treaty of Nice.

Let's keep everything as it is and finally, for the first time, live the EU for a while. Let's say we keep things as they are for the next two decades. Then the internal dynamics of the EU will be much clearer, and we'll see much better which camp's ideas are best for the future (because then we've had the time to see whether the more neoliberal Dutch are doing better than say the more social Belgians - as it is now, the Belgians are winning the bet).

Only after such a period of "normality", can we enlarge or make the step to a real constitution.

Up till now, things have gone too fast, I think.
User avatar
lorenzo
Intermediate Crude
Intermediate Crude
 
Posts: 2184
Joined: Sat 01 Jan 2005, 04:00:00

Unread postby lorenzo » Mon 30 May 2005, 19:00:21

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Licho', ' ')too "pro-business"? It's strange, people who don't like it here say it's to "against-business" and cares too much about social things and ecology and regulates trade too much..


I agree, the perspectives are very diverse. Which is of course a great thing about Europe, even though at times like this it obviously paralyzes us.

:: I think you have to take a historic perspective here. France, Belgium, the Netherlands, even Germany, have a unique, institutionalized tradition of turning free market capitalism into a socially corrected form, by consistently engaging in a "trialogue" - negotiations between the state, the employer's representatives and the employees' representatives. Nowhere else in the world do you find this system. It has organically grown, and it creates a very fine balance between pure capitalism and state regulation.
This "middle way" has two opposite poles: unbridled war-of-all-against-all free capitalism (with America as symbol) and total state rule (the former Soviet Union). Now that the communist block is gone, and has always shown itself to be a wrong system, only the other pole remains.

It would be foolish to conlude that this other extreme pole would be the only good system, simply because communism collapsed.

And so Europe wants to keep its fantastic middle of the road system. Because nowhere else in the world have citizens been more prosperous, overall. We believe that a socially corrected free market is the only way to keep it that way.


:: And then you have the countries of Eastern Europe who have gone from 19th century laissez-faire capitalism straight into communist state economics. They have never experienced this socially corrected free market system. And now they want to revert back to an archaic 19th century, Americanist market system now that they have the chance to do so.

This historic difference partly explains why "Old Europe" perceives the Constitution as promoting a neo-liberal economic model, while "New Europe" thinks exactly the opposite.

The Dutch will reject the Treaty for exactly the same reasons as the French.
User avatar
lorenzo
Intermediate Crude
Intermediate Crude
 
Posts: 2184
Joined: Sat 01 Jan 2005, 04:00:00

Unread postby khebab » Mon 30 May 2005, 22:04:47

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Licho', '
')And constitution too "pro-business"? It's strange, people who don't like it here say it's to "against-business" and cares too much about social things and ecology and regulates trade too much..

In French we say "trop libéral", but liberal has not the same meaning in English. "trop Libéral" means too much free trade, wild capitalism, etc.
______________________________________
http://GraphOilogy.blogspot.com
khebab
Tar Sands
Tar Sands
 
Posts: 899
Joined: Mon 27 Sep 2004, 03:00:00
Location: Canada

Unread postby Licho » Mon 30 May 2005, 23:41:48

Do you realize, that EU countries, with such excessive social models have lowest growth in the world? That after 2 decades, china will be more rich than us, and EU will never ever catch USA, that is expanding 2x faster?
(Of course PO can put a stop on it :-)

And about new countries - well, don't live in illusion that there is some wild capitalism .. in fact there never was, country turned communistic in 1948 after democraticly elected communists changed constitution - and even before that, capitalism was restricted, and at least basic services were provided, like basic health-care and some social security..

Right now, 15 years after eastern bloc collapsed (mainly because of extremely weak economy), 20% of people are still voting communists and overall taxation is about 55% .. yes .. 55% of income goes to state, for completly free healthcare, universities, social security that allows you to live almost like middle class without work and so on.. We even celebrate day in the year, that marks the point, when you finally work for yourself and not for state .. (It will be in june this year, but dont know which day yet, it depends on actual taxes..)

This level of taxation is probably higher than in France, Germany or Belgium..
User avatar
Licho
Tar Sands
Tar Sands
 
Posts: 833
Joined: Mon 31 May 2004, 03:00:00
Location: Brno, Czech rep., EU

Unread postby k_semler » Tue 31 May 2005, 01:12:32

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('khebab', 'L')ast result, it's pretty overwelhming (54,87 %):

Image


Wow, if that map was of the US presidential election with that much blue in it, Kerry would now be President. :shudder:
Here Lies the United States Of America.

July 04, 1776 - June 23 2005

Epitaph: "The Experiment Is Over."

Rest In Peace.

Eminent Domain Was The Murderer.
k_semler
Heavy Crude
Heavy Crude
 
Posts: 1797
Joined: Mon 17 May 2004, 03:00:00
Location: Democratic People's Republic of Washington

Unread postby Barbara » Sun 05 Jun 2005, 16:41:48

Come on, Licho, my friend, I'm very surprised a senior PO member like you are is still speaking of "growth".
We are in the best position to claim, strong and loud, that "growth" is a nonsense. Something impossible. The French, as they usually do, catched the point and voted against. There's no such a thing like "growth" to worry about, but we need to LIFT the Eastern countries to our lifestyle, and not the contrary. The welfare is not a PRODUCT, like those capitalists want us to believe, but is a protection we don't mean to leave... and fu*k the growth, sorry for the bad french lol.
And about Turkey... well, this is the truth: mainstream media is convincing us that voting against Turkey is a rightist vote. But this is absolutely NOT true: the truth is that the US is forcing the EU to accept Turkey because of US interests. That's why that stupid president we have, Berlusconi, which is a rightist, in in pole position to push the Turkey into EU. Guess why? he's Bush best friend, that's why.
So you think we should accept the Turkey just to please the US? What are we, US servants?
If the like Turkey so much, then they can easily add another star to their flag and problem solved.
We're not adding any star just for their military interests in Middle East.
**no english mothertongue**
--------
Objects in the rear view mirror
are closer than they appear.
Barbara
Heavy Crude
Heavy Crude
 
Posts: 1121
Joined: Wed 26 May 2004, 03:00:00
Location: Zoorope

Previous

Return to Open Topic Discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests

cron