In yet another disturbing attack on democracy and self-determination, Vice President of the European Commission Viviane Reding claimed that Britons are too ignorant to vote on membership in the European Union (EU).
Reding–a career union leader and bureaucrat–lashed out multiple times against the British public last night during an EU-sponsored “Citizen’s Dialogue” event in London. She claimed that migrants work harder than Britons and implied that UK voters “simply cannot” make an “informed decision” over the future of the UK’s role in the European Union.
Speaking about a negotiation on Britain’s role in the European Union, Reding said: “There will be no repatriation of EU powers. It is not our problem, it is not us making the demands. You are either ‘in’ or ‘out’.”
“British sovereignty is mainly in their head because they’ve signed the EU treaty and most business is in Europe,” she declared. “The most powerful parliament in Europe is the European Parliament. Seventy per cent of laws in this country are co-decided there.”
Pawel Sidlicki, a member of the Open Europe think tank, said: “Mrs. Reding epitomises the EU elites’ approach to dealing with the public — superficially embracing debate with citizens while dismissing any substantive criticism.”
“Having their legitimate concerns dismissed in such a high-handed manner only drives people towards populist, anti-EU parties,” he explained. “Sadly, EU politicians like Reding often do a better job at driving voters towards these parties than they do themselves.”
For some reason, Reding thought it would be a good idea to boast about the fact that 70 percent of Britain’s laws are now “co-decided” by the European Parliament.
As a native of Luxembourg, it is understandable that Reding may not have much in the way of patriotism or national identity. To come to Britain and brag about how the EU is whittling away our national sovereignty is a sure-fire way to lose the debate.
The European Union hosts these propaganda exercises called the “Citizen’s Dialogues” between three and five times a month. The travelling circuses, which cost European Union taxpayers a fair amount of money, are effectively aimed at placating a skeptical public.
I personally got to attend one when I was in Riga in Latvia last October. It was truly bizarre. There was fancy food upon entry, free EU tote bags, expensive “voting” machines in the room, and a huge audio visual presentation alongside a panel discussion aimed at convincing people that the EU wasn’t just a bunch of faceless, left-wing bureaucrats. Suffice to say they failed to swing my vote.
It strikes me as both twisted and offensive that Reding should come to London to tell us how we’re all idiots, and that she, as a life-long trade union member and bureaucrat, knows what is best for us.
At least she got her comeuppance after the show. It turns out some good, old-fashioned London hospitality saw her luggage stolen from her (unlocked) car outside the venue. She said: “It will be really difficult to replace the clothes, jewellery and make up. My earrings have been on pictures worldwide.”
This is the person who claims to know what’s best for us.
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Now I am in a bit of a mess. Apparently I am unable to make my own mind up about whether to stay in the European Union or not and now I don't know what to do.
Should I listen to this nice lady and trust her assessment of the situation or go with my own assessment. Oh dear, it is a very hard decision to make.
I have been asking my clients which way they will go and all but one will be be voting for Bexit. Not a very scientific way to make up my mind of course, but interesting.
I note that mainly larger concerns with vested interests are in favour of staying in, I cannot work out why, but I do know that the voice of one CEO of a company that employs 10's of thousands of employee cannot guarantee that they will all vote the way he/she wishes. It could work out that his/her single vote to stay in will look a little pathetic if thousands of the company's employees vote to exit. (It is a secret ballot after all). What value then of the views of high profile Remainers unless the idea is to plant the notion of fear for their jobs in those that would rather vote exit.
Dear oh dear, this is still very difficult. I know, I will spend some time carefully examining exactly how the European Commission operates, that is sure to set my mind at rest. 55,000 civil servants employed by the European Commission must be doing something useful and the £350 million pounds per week given to the EU must also be doing something useful. I know we get back some of this money but I understand that it is handed back to us like pocket money to spend as the EU dictate or not at all if we are naughty.
Still in a mess, I cannot work out what all those people in the European Commission do and why do Germany have the most seats in the European Parliament?
I think I will, have to give in and go with the nice lady and vote to stay in this respected organisation, which clearly has my interests at heart and is not corrupt at all and always gets its Accounts Audited and signed off each year.
Go EU, I trust you !!
This has to be adopted as the song of the referendum, it encapsulates the issues most of us are grappling with before marking our X, amazed broadcasters have not picked up on it as the theme song re the debates; The Clash were certainly ahead of their time.
Darling, you gotta let me know
Should I stay or should I go?
If you say that you are mine
I'll be there till the end of time
So you gotta let me know
Should I stay or should I go?
It's always tease, tease, tease
You're happy when I'm on my knees
One day is fine and the next is black
So if you want me off your back
Well, come on and let me know
Should I stay or should I go?
[Chorus:]
Should I stay or should I go now?
Should I stay or should I go now?
If I go there will be trouble
And if I stay it will be double
So come on and let me know
This indecision's bugging me
(Esta indecision me molesta)
If you don't want me set me free
(Si no quieres librame)
Exactly who I'm supposed to be
(Digame que tengo ser)
Don't you know which clothes even fits me?
(Sabes que ropa me queda)
Come on and let me know
(Me tienes que decir)
Should I cool it or should I blow?
(Me debo ir o quedarme)
I think the EU has now something in common with the Titanic. Everyone on board believes it to be utterly unsinkable & so it's full steam ahead into history.
I do believe a lot of people in mainland Europe warm to the idea of 'ever closer union' & see it as a means to undoubted peace & prosperity for themselves & their countrymen.
Here in the UK we do not warm instinctively to 'ever closer union' & we do not see EU membership as necessarily the best or the only route to peace & prosperity.
We are out of step with other EU members & we have no hope of bringing about any change in direction of the EU.
We should leave.
RM
It is the job of Ms Reding and others within the EU to explain the benefits of the EU to us plebs and then we may feel able to vote to remain in it.
At the moment all we seem to be getting are alarmist claims of World War 3, a recession deeper than the one in 2008, the "jungle" relocating to Kent, being "back of the queue" for a trade deal with the US, when the US-EU TTIP may never be agreed and ratified by both sides, or indeed something that is even worthwhile.
Some people on Leave side (although outside the official campaign) released their own propaganda film last week called Brexit The Movie (it can be found on YouTube) and I found there is little I could disagree with. Incidentally, immigration was barely mentioned.
If Ms Reding wants me to change my vote then she has got to make some effort. She could make a start by explaining why, to belong to a European trade bloc, it is essential to have political union. Plenty of other successful trade blocs have existed throughout history, which never had political union.
It is these sorts of fundamental questions that make me uneasy about the EU and where it is going.
It is all about power really. Craving for immense power over others is like a drug, and it eventually gets to a stage where lying, cheating and stealing is the only way to achieve that power.
This referendum has really exposed those who crave power and will say or do anything to eliminate anyone or anything that gets in their way.
A client of mine that employees circa 25 people overheard some of his employees talking about the referendum in the staff canteen. The general consensus was that they didn’t know which way to vote because there was too much bullshit coming from both sides.
He produced for his staff an A4 double sided newsletter type document. It contained information about how the EU came about and what it is today. It contained some facts about remaining and leaving. It stated what is known and what is unknown. It was a very unbiased document but gave a much better overview than what has been presented to voters so far.
It contained some facts about remaining and leaving. It stated what is known and what is unknown.
I find that hard to believe. All I've heard from the "Remain" camp is speculation and hyperbole. I don't they have trotted out one single "Fact".
I would struggle to identify any "facts" about the future of the UK (or the EU) after the referendum - whichever way the result goes.
RM
