Thursday, July 03, 2008

The Push for the “Yes” Vote in Ireland

LS is an Irish who watched the video I posted this morning and noticed that one of the MEPs featured in it characterized the “No” campaign as being well-funded and massively promoted. She objects to this assertion, and sent me the following email with permission to publish it.

Hi Baron,

Say no to the EUSSR!I am a bit shy about posting on your site, but wanted to let you know that the government here spent loads of the taxpayers’ money plastering the street lampposts with YES posters emblazoned with their not-very-photogenic faces.

It was the only time the Fianna Faíl and Fine Gael folks agreed on anything, and they stuffed our letterboxes with pamphlets that were very vague about details, but clear with the message that we must vote YES or else.

Very little cash was spent by the NO campaigners, and their pamphlets were clear about the negatives.

I have a friend who is a county counsellor who was required to campaign for the YES vote, though she could not say why she thought it was a good treaty.
- - - - - - - - -
The verbiage spouted in the EU parliament is breathtakingly newspeak. Not enough people are paying attention, but I suppose that will change soon as the effects of the bureaucrats’ plans come into play.

We have not been happy that the Irish schools are being charged for every flush of the toilet because of an EU directive, nor are we pleased that folks in Brussels are forbidding the Irish from cutting turf.

All the best from Wicklow, the Garden of Ireland,

— LS

I’m interested in this every-flush-of-the-toilet charge. Does anyone know how it works? Are there meters on all the cistern pipes?

It sounds vaguely like an Al Gore operation.

8 comments:

Zenster said...

LS: lampposts

I predict that this word soon will see increasing air time for all the right reasons. Quite likely along with the words, "rope" and "some assembly required".

Henrik R Clausen said...

The video has a former Danish PM, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, complaining that it's not fair that the vote of one million Irish can determine the fate of the European Union.

Now, I thought the Irish had 3 million voters, but that's immaterial. For he's right:

It would be much better if voters everywhere had been given the right to cast their ballots.

His conclusion from this argument is obviously flawed, as he requests the Lisbon Treaty to thake force anyway. Interesting word 'Force'...

I had the opportunity to speak with Jens-Peter Bonde two weeks before the referendum, when the polls stills showed a 'Yes' majority (notice how that always evaporates when people *read* the treaty?), and he told the same as LS:

The "Yes" campaign was the well funded one. They had money to pay €10 for each poster put up, as they certainly couldn't rely on volunteer power to do that. If Euro-enthusiasts would have to climb the poles unpaid to put up posters, the "No" placards would have been absolutely dominating.

Bonde told us that the "No" campaign was driven by popular enthusiasm and, well, actual knowledge about the Treaty, both of which the "Yes" side lacked, and to our suprise predicted that the referendum was winnable. He was right.

Another Dane, journalist Mette Fugl, had the opportunity to ask the Irish PM if he had read the Treaty he endorsed. The "No" she got hit home hard.

Democracy still works :)

Defiant Lion said...

"The video has a former Danish PM, Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, complaining that it's not fair that the vote of one million Irish can determine the fate of the European Union."

So the Danish people are now at war with their own government too. Rasmussen's complaining is obnoxious. He wouldn't have said this had the Irish voted "yes".

But what irks the most is that it isn't just the Irish who voted "no" is it? The people of France and Holland voted "no" too.

As Fjordman has stated over and over again: There is no "no" vote in the EU and this monstrosity will go ahead regardless.

The contempt they have for their own people is something I dearly hope these parasites pay very dearly for one day and Zenster's lampost suggestion is fine by me.

Brian H said...

Every referendum says no. Every government says yes. Something's gonna blow!

Henrik R Clausen said...

So the Danish people are now at war with their own government too.

Yes. Our government also stole our referendum :(((

Leo said...

The "every flush of the toilet" refers to the fact that schools in Ireland are treated as businesses for Water Charges, and therefore their water consumption is metered. Due to an EU regulation the Government is not allowed to grant an opt-out for schools, so as a result some of the education budget is now being diverted to pay the school's water bills.

Leo

Baron Bodissey said...

Leo --

Thank you for explaining that; it's just what I wanted to know. What a peculiar place the EU is.

Brazentide said...

With the 'no' vote, Ireland has bought itself (and the rest of Europe) a bit of time. However, no sane person would argue that the EU architects will let this treaty die. By hook or by crook, the empire will be built.

Ireland has a great opportunity to use it's 'no' vote as a bargaining chip to reclaim its exploited fishing waters and exit the EU.

Should other nations take notice of the courage of the Irish and follow suit, the EU will be reduced measurably in power and resources.

The head of a lion is nothing to fear if it has no body to move it.