(06-24-2016, 03:50 PM)micheleFFS Wrote: Well, they did it. Bad move, IMHO.
Unfortunately, we have a self-important ignoramus of a similar stripe on our side of the pond.
Scary times.
There are a lot of issues with the EU, that
could have been fixed if the EU was willing to reform. The problem is that the EU has shown time and time again it is incapable of reform. What little Cameron got was really a slap in the face.Â
Examples
Fishing - you catch fish that the wrong type/size, it's dead but under EU law until 2015 you had to throw it over the side and try to catch the right size/type. Norway said you must land what you catch so that we're no overfishing, in 1995 (at one point the fishing commissioner was from Austria)
Democracy - the EU parliament now gets a vote on the commission except that the largest grouping out of 9 (20%?) gets their way - this is major step forward! this democracy in action!Â
On voting - MEPs are asked to vote on amendment numbers, but the order paper doesn't show the numbers just the title. Your grouping say vote down/for amendment numbers X Y Z and you're not allowed to think independently. Asking to know what you're voting on gets you - "That's not how we do things here"
Votes - the parliament meets in Brussels but votes in Strasbourg at a cost of £170m pa why - to appease the French. Screw the taxpayers.
In 1775 the UK wouldn't give the colonists the reforms they asked for, so you declare your independence.
Edit:
I'm seeing more coverage of European leaders /EU with regard to the Brexit. From what I'm seeingÂ
there are the two camps with in the EU leadership
- those the realise that there is a strong anti-EU popular voice
- Those that bury their heads.
What the leaders of the EU actually do (even if they call it no changes like inviting Italy to the Franco-German Talks) will be interesting/telling. Some of the EU officials appear not to be able to understand that the little people  have decided that they don't want to be talked down to and don't like this European Project - they must be wrong idiots fools and incorrect. It reminds me of The Emperor's New Clothes.