Thread: The EU Constitution; savaging national sovereignty

http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle ... temID=7974


The EU Constitution; savaging national sovereignty
by Mike Whitney

May 30, 2005

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The EU constitution is a Trojan horse slapped together by corporate and banking elites with the clear purpose of undermining national sovereignty and accelerating globalization. Thank God the French had the common sense to read the document and vote it down. Unlike their American counterparts, who have been the victims of a barrage of free trade agreements (NAFTA, CAFTA, FTAA) which have sacrificed the environment, eviscerated national sovereignty, and savaged the middle-class, the French thumbed their noses at a plan that was designed to torpedo their economic system. If the constitution had passed, its neoliberal policies would inevitably put Frenchmen in direct competition with the lowest paid workers in Canton Province.

No thanks; that’ a model that only works for the corporate oligarchy and their friends in the “free press�.

It doesn’t take much research to figure out who was behind this EU turkey. A quick glance at Google News shows that almost every major media outlet in the world supported the treaty and is already bemoaning the election results, dismissing them as a sign of “French stubbornness� and “cultural arrogance�. Most of the news completely eschews the facts; choosing instead to whimper about a “divided Europe� and the disgrace that Chirac’s naughty children have heaped on his pristine reputation.

Just listen to the braying at the New York Times: “PARIS, May 29 - Turning its back on half a century of European history, France decisively rejected a constitution for Europe on Sunday, plunging the country into political disarray and jeopardizing the cause of European unity.�

“Plunging the country into political disarray and jeopardizing the cause of European unity?� The "paper of record" never veers in its unfailing support for globalization, despite its dismal results in the third world.

First of all, it’s a stretch just to call this neoliberal rag a constitution at all. Typically, we think of a constitution as a document that embraces the highest ideals of a people; laying out clear guidelines for safeguarding civil liberties and the rule of law; not a compendium of perks for big business and their cronies in high finance. The EU constitution simply hands over more power to an “unelected� class of euro-parasites who want to suck the life out of the social welfare system that has raised the standard of living for the middle class to the highest in the world. The French were smart enough to say, “non!�

The constitution poses an even greater threat to French national sovereignty. As George Will notes in his May 27 article, “The constitution says member states can ‘exercise their competence’ only where the EU does not exercise its. But the constitution gives EU institutions jurisdiction over foreign affairs, defense, immigration, trade, energy, agriculture, fishing and much more.�

What?!? Control over “foreign affairs, defense, immigration, trade, energy, agriculture, fishing and much more�?

Why would any sovereign people transfer authority on these issues to bureaucrats and corporatists whose only interest is the bottom line? Even the conservative George Will admits that a “yes� vote “would accelerate the leeching away of each nation's sovereignty.� (Ironically, Will’s article was one of only two articles, out of 1,400, to criticize the EU constitution)

An article by America Vera Zavala “The French vote on the Constitution� further clarifies the sovereignty dilemma: “The constitution centralizes even more power in the hands of the undemocratic …EU commission. The EU commission gets a fast track in trade issues….The constitution clearly speaks about a military union and states that the nation states have to increase military expenses in their national budgets ….The neoliberal economic policy is fixed in the treaty; it gives priority to the fight against inflation over unemployment - an economic dogma creating problems in the entire world.�

In other words, the same neoliberal straightjacket that has been used throughout the developing world is now being tailored for Europe. It is a strategy that reliably transfers the lion’s share of the wealth and resources to multi-national corporations and their colleagues in the banking establishment. Presumably, the resources that are directed into the military would go straight into NATO (not some alternative, European force) and remain under American control. The reason for this is that the US Military is a fully owned franchise of the corporate elite; a model that requires no fine-tuning.

The French vote is just the first volley in what will undoubtedly be a long war. The corporate moguls and their political underlings have sharpened their talons for a long and bloody conflict; they won’t be discouraged by results of the democratic process. Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker has already brushed aside the French vote saying the ratification process must, “go on�; and certainly it will.

The EU constitution provides an excellent example of the underlying dangers facing democracy in the modern world. The insidious influence of corporations far surpasses the danger of international terrorism; at risk, are the institutions that protect personal liberty and national independence. The EU constitution, bathed in the soft pastels of a massive public relations campaign, is just the latest malevolent scheme to undermine the nation state and establish the apocryphal “new world order�.

George Will said it best, “Sovereignty is a predicate of self-government. The deeply retrograde constitution would reverse five centuries of struggle to give representative national parliaments control over public finance and governance generally.�

FABULOUS! JP

And now............THE FIGHT BEGINS IN EARNEST

Yes, we have to make sure it doesnt happen here. The Illegal Immigrant Amnesty program would kick it off with CAFTA and the FTAA. Of course if those fail, they will try to sneak something else in.

Yes, we have to make sure it doesnt happen here. The Illegal Immigrant Amnesty program would kick it off with CAFTA and the FTAA. Of course if those fail, they will try to sneak something else in.

Did you contact your Committee members in the House today and ask them to hear the bill and cross it over to the House of Representatives to get it on the floor for voting in this session? If not, we need to do it!!!!

Our best chance may be with...

HB 1474 "Public Assistance Benefits/Residents Only"

http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/BillL...BillID=hb+1474

This bill would require "Legal Presence" for state funds for medical treatement. It WILL BE HEARD in committee today or Thursday at 10am.

I AM RUSHING TO THE LEGISLTURE THIS MORNING. HERE IS WHAT I NEED YOU TO DO.

PLEASE WRITE ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE JUDICIARY 3 COMMITTEE AND ASK THEM TO PLEASE PASS THIS BILL BECAUSE WE MUST SAVE OUR STATE BUDGET FROM THE DEVASTATION CAUSED BY ILLEGAL ALIENS. Ask them to hear the bill and pass it to the house floor.

HERE IS THE LIST OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS. EMAILS ARE GOOD BUT PLEASE CALL, CALL, CALL. MANY EMAILS WILL NOT BE READ IN TIME.
J3 COMMITTEE MEMBERS

http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/commi...?chamber=House

Our other bills are not scheduled to be heard. If the committee chairs do not bring them out into committee they are dead as of Thursday.

Please contact the committee chairs and committee members and ask them to please hear and pass these bills.

Anyone from NC -- please get on this and let the Committe and and the House know our feelings! This is way important!!!

Thanks!!

Anyone from NC -- please get on this and let the Committe and and the House know our feelings! This is way important!!!

Already on it.