Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
20 November 2009
12:1433535Well, the less the corrupt, ant-democratic, incompetent, interfering EU does the better therefore the election of no-bodies must be a good thing if it results in them doing nothing. On the other hand a highly active 'world-stager', like Blair would hasten our exit...
Frankly we are landed with these only because the Government ratted on its election pledge.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
20 November 2009
13:3433542baroness ashton worked for a health authority and is married to a well known pollster.
great qualifications for the job??
the belgian chap?
not that well known in his own country, not that mnay famous belgians are there?
i can only think of tin tin.
will this farce of democracy make anyone brave enough to demand a referendum on our membership of the union?
of course not, the main parties will act shocked and carry on as usual.
incidentally, these posts were discussed and decided on over dinner!!
it really is just like a private members club in brussels.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
20 November 2009
17:4233557the belgian chap is an older version of d cameron,rides a push bike with a limo around the corner.
as for famos people howard, jean claude van damm the karate chap turned filmstar theres that chap who wrote tin tin.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
20 November 2009
18:1533560hardly a whos who is it brian?
i have already mentioned tin tin, so the creator doesn't really count.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,698
21 November 2009
00:1933568All of your comments really do demonstrate what is wrong with this country and its anglo-american view of politics as well as demonstrating the paucity of the scope of political thought.
Herman Van Rompuy is a well regarded and highly respected statesman and politician in Europe, who in his short time as Belgium prime minister he has done an exceptional job at healing the rifts in the body politic there. He is also a deep political thinker and intellectual, who will bring a welcome sense of seriousness and consideration to the role.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
21 November 2009
08:0233576But he's all things EU too Ross.
He wants EU flags not National flags and if he can do away with National tax, judiciary, politics, he will be a happy man.
More of our Sovereignty will be lost in the next two and a half years. He'll have a us driving on the wrong side of the road next.
Roger
21 November 2009
09:1733581This man may well be a cross between Ghandi and Atlas, the fact remains I do not know him or anything about him, and he has been elected by people who I did not elect and who are probably in their positions by default because the EU electoral system is too unwieldy and complex, and he will have an unprecedented amount of say in my life.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
21 November 2009
09:4233582Ross I think the last thing the EU needs is a dull flatlining personality striding the world stage on its behalf. This guy may indeed be a political thinker with a unifying remit but he is little known, even the Belgians themselves would be hardpressed picking him out in a police line-up.
Its true we can always use intellectual brainboxes but far better perhaps as advisers. Barack Obama perhaps the tip top charismatic leader today, we only have to remember the way world leader were clamouring for photo opportunites with him when he was elected, is to my mind the ideal. He is intelligent ,charismatic, unifying, with world wide engaging abilities, and warm. If he needs advice on certain issues he has advisers.
We needed someone, in my view anyway, that would be approaching that level, and Tony Blair for me was the best chance there, and an Englishman to boot.
Roger yes his remit is a unifying one, but you wouldnt expect anything lese from an EU President. Thats the job.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
21 November 2009
11:0033586PaulB - what the UK does not need is a new powerful EU President striding the world stage. Someone low profile and who keeps his nose out of the interests of legitimate Governments is what is needed. If he acts merely as a chairman of a committee then the EU might survive intact a bit longer.
The simple fact is he has his role as a result of a complete stitch up, the active avoidance by way of deciet and lies of any democratic voice in the matter, not just on who it should be but on having this role at all. He has no democratic legitimacy and his very presence is an insult to us all and a blight on what used to be a democracy.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,698
21 November 2009
12:0933590Bern perhaps that is the fault of the media and their inability to give serious coverage to non english speaking politicians and the EU in general. He was (s)elected by people that we the voters of Europe had elected.
Paul on this point I agree with Barry - we do not need a media star as EU President.
Barry I agree that there should have been proper EU wide elections for these positions - oh and I know that is not what you meant or want...
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
21 November 2009
12:1033591surely the most important point is that none of the countries in the EU put their top people up for jobs within it.
that says rather a lot about the member states attitude.
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
21 November 2009
14:3933600Ross makes a very good point. The media coverage of anything in Europe is almost non-existent. No wonder we are so ignorant of who anybody is and endlessly rabbit on about faceless bureaucrats. The UK is a full member and it is time we started making our mark and stop dripping on about taking our toys and going home.
Surprised to see the comments about famous Belgians. 'Name six famous Belgians' used to be a favourite question in pub quizzes and the like. I remember making a list many years ago. I did ask a Belgian barmaid but she was not much help, half her names turned out not to be Belgian at all. Off the top of my head, without looking anything up, these come to mind:
Georges Simenon: writer famous for the Maigret stories, as seen on TV. Everybody thinks he was French.
Eddie Merckx: Won the Tour de France many times.
Van Eyck: Painter.
King Leopold: Infamous for the cruelty inflicted in the Belgian Congo, with innumerable natives having their hands severed as punishment.
King Baudoin of the Belgians: Plucky leader when the Nazis invaded.
.......I could go on and on of course but don't want to take up your time.
21 November 2009
16:2933603The reason there is little coverage is that it is too huge. The EU is unwieldy and cumbersome and unworkable. Even one of their politicos said as much last week!! It will not work effectively because it cannot, and trying to shoehorn so many different cultures into one envelope is just plain silly. We were and are already trading efficiently with our european neighbours, we don't need the restrictions of the EU.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,698
21 November 2009
23:5233645But so is the USA but our media is chock full of stuff about US Politicians.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
22 November 2009
01:0233646But we are not trying to be the 53rd state...............despite occassional appearances1
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,698
22 November 2009
11:5633674But as members shouldn't we be asking our media to take an interest and tell us what is going on? And not just the politics, I mean normal news stories that help us understand the social fabric of our fellow EU members.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
22 November 2009
12:1233675Possibly, but frankly I get just as annoyed with such an emphasis on US news in our media. I doubt very much that the US will have had such coverage for, for example, Nick Griffins appearance on question time as we seem to for some redneck stubbing their toe in Arkansaw. Curiosity about other cultures and regions is great, but we do overstep the old Special relationship barriers sometimes.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
25 November 2009
18:0533877howard,if it wasnt for the creator tin tin would not excist.
barryw,you waffale to much blue talk.
bern,if barryw had his way we would be the 53rd state with green backs for currency.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
25 November 2009
18:3433882I dont waffle Brian, I make specific and substantive points.
At no time have I suggested that we join with the USA (better than the EU though). I want an independent UK free from EU (or US come to that) interference. We are the fourth (or fifth depending on how/when you measure it) economy in the world and are quite capable of doing so.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
25 November 2009
18:4633888brian
without tin tin, we would never have heard of herget.
incidentally who are the 51st and 52nd states, i have not been out much lately?
