“Ireland for Europe - an Anti-democratic agenda?

[Catalpa]

It seems we still have not been forgiven for giving the 'wrong' answer in Lisbon I.

Clearly the thoughts of the Irish People having any further opportunity to exercise their democratic rights through the ballot box on European Affairs is all too much for some.

KEY FIGURES involved in the campaign that led to a Yes vote in the second Lisbon Treaty referendum have cautioned against another referendum on an EU treaty for a long time to come.

Brendan Halligan the campaign’s co-ordinator, argued that the time had come to rethink the holding of repeated referendums in this country.

“Ireland has become a referendum country by accident. This is no way to run our national affairs, especially on the one issue that affects us most, membership of the European Union,” he wrote. “Experience with referenda on European treaties is that the campaign becomes a contest between the extremes and the centre,” said Mr Halligan, who added that the centre was notoriously difficult to motivate and then mobilise.

Lisbon 'Yes' group warns against further EU treaties - The Irish Times - Wed, Mar 17, 2010

To me anyway this mindset is fundamentally Undemocratic

- but hardly surprising given the source.

[TommyO'Brien]

They did not say that future EU treaties shouldn't be put to referendum. They said they shouldn't be future EU treaties for quite a while. Amen to that. The EU has devoted too much time to tinkering with its own systems. It is time to focus on policy, not treaties.

When there is another major EU treaty it will be put to referendum. All they are saying is that the EU should quit its preoccupation with treaties for a while and get on with real work. Is that wrong?

[Half Nelson]

Halligan & Co. belong to the Henry Ford School of Democracy - "any answer as long as it's Yes".

[edifice.]

Didn't hear them say much when the EU said we couldn't have our promised fiscal dividend for bailing out the banks. So much for financial autonomy. And what of the EU's imposition of taxes on services like bin collecting, not a peep out of them. So much for tax autonomy. Small wonder Farage was well able to humilliate Laffan at evry turn. What about Yes For Jobs? We truly deserve our priests and politicians.

[Eye of Angkor]

Didn't hear them say much when the EU said we couldn't have our promised fiscal dividend for bailing out the banks. So much for financial autonomy. And what of the EU's imposition of taxes on services like bin collecting, not a peep out of them. So much for tax autonomy. Small wonder Farage was well able to humilliate Laffan at evry turn. What about Yes For Jobs? We truly deserve our priests and politicians.

Could not put the arguments for fewer referenda better!

[edifice.]

Could not put the arguments for fewer referenda better!

There'd be fewer if they were heeded.

[hiding behind a poster]

There'd be fewer if they were heeded.

They are heeded. What's your point?

[edifice.]

They are heeded. What's your point?

Only when its yes. But you know that point already.

[Disillusioned democrat]

It's a moot point anyway because Lisbon pretty much gave away the right to vote on any future changes to the "consitution" of the Federal States of Europe. By voting Yes to Lisbon II we pretty much drove a stake through the heart of democracy in Europe...and hey, those posters were right...the only job it saved was Cowens.

[hiding behind a poster]

Only when its yes. But you know that point already.

But the No vote WAS heeded. If it hadn't been, there wouldn't have been a second referendum.