QuoteOh God, the dreaded hard working family quote. As a pundit during the British Elcetion said, ' you never hear about the lazy or mediocre families!'Originally Posted by Ringo
Labour in favour of EU constitution
29 May 2005 15:39
The Labour Party conference has voted overwhelmingly in favour of supporting the EU Constitution whenever the Referendum is held.
Delegate Eoghan Beecher from UCC urged delegates to vote against it, because the party was telling them what to think, and because it facilitated privatisation and globalisation.
But MEP Proinsias de Rossa claimed the Constitution had left wing values, and was a 'slap in the face for Thatcherism'.
On RTÉ's This Week programme, Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said the conference's decision yesterday to seek a pre-election pact with Fine Gael has infused Irish politics with a 'new dynamic'.
He said Labour principles would not be compromised by any deal.
In his address to the conference yesterday, Pat Rabbitte ruled out tax increases for hard working families and said Labour would instead close off tax loopholes.
Oh God, the dreaded hard working family quote. As a pundit during the British Elcetion said, ' you never hear about the lazy or mediocre families!'
My cousin. I haven't discussed it with him but I agree with his recommendation.
Like him, I believe that it will lead to increased privatisation and globalisation, and although I'm certainly not fundamentally opposed to privatisation and globalisation, I don't believe they're being done with the best interests of people and states in the current climate. You only have to look at Railtrack and Eircom for examples of gross incompetence when it comes to privatisation. As to globalisation, there's no doubt that there are advantages, but corporations are becoming less and less responsible for their actions, and until something is done about that I think we need to take stock.
Similarly, I'm not opposed to the concept of Europe, in fact I'd consider myself a federalist, however I simply don't believe the constitution is just a gathering of the existing treaties as the politicians are trying to tell us, I believe that it's been framed to give politicians more power at the expense of the electorate and the states. The SW-PAT (Software Patent) debate alone demonstrates that there are serious issues with the existing system, never mind the system that'd being forced down our throats.
adam
Go France
People are going to be biased against supporting it because of governments disgraceful practices of ignoring the referenda anyway.
City definetly have the best bands playing at half-time.
O'Bama - "Eerah yeah, I'd say we can alright!"
G.O'Mahoney Trapattoni'll sort ém out!!
I actually agreed with what he said, but thought he could've made more of an effort in the clothes department. On the TV, debating, in a comedy T shirt
If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.
He's a college student, he'd look like a Tory if he dressed up.I actually agreed with what he said, but thought he could've made more of an effort in the clothes department. On the TV, debating, in a comedy T shirt
adam
Open debate and dissension at a party conference? Was this on "rolling back the years" or some such pop history show?
don't worry, they couldn't hit an elephant at this dis......
i don't agree with pre election pacts for any party. Each party should stand on their own principals & after the people have voted, its up to them to form a government. most people in France voted no to get back at the government.
I think the option of an alternative Government is essential. If you don't agree with it, don't vote for that party or don't vote along the pact lines.
Interesting you bring up France, as no pacts essentially lead for a free for all that had Le Penn in the final run off for President....
If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.
The problem with a labour/fine gael "alternative Government " is that it usually isn't enough & the greens/Sinn fein or others will be needed to form it. Fair enough if fine gael are labours prefered partner , but if the maths don't work out, they've painted themselves into a corner.
A few things....
1) How come Bertie wants to respect the French and Dutch people, but didn't respect the Irish peoples No to Nice Vote?
2) Either Bertie lied to us after the first Nice vote, or he's lying now - as he's now of the opinion that no votes don't matter for the implementation
3) Why, as things stand, are the Government going to waste millions on a referendum that will never actually be ratified? UK basically admitting it's dead now, but Bertie saying we'll press on.
4) I really, really hope that it's a no vote if the Government are vain enough to press on with a referendum.
If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.
Bertie is a prat, if we vote no we will be made keep voteing until we get fed up and vote yes.
“Jockey Wilson . . . What an athlete.” - Sid Waddell
www.donegaldarts.com
What is the point? It is dead. No one wants it. The Dutch and French have overwhelmingly voted no. The UK would vote strongly against Blair and the "Yes" campaign, hence him being reluctant to allow a vote.Bertie is a prat
The whole idea of the EU and it's enlargement is in a crisis. It is also a way of signalling to the politicians that things have gone far enough. The Germans were not given a vote, as Schröder is more than well aware that it would be rejected. The CDU/CSU in Germany is campaigning to prevent Turkey from joining.
I think the NO vote is this message that the EU seems to be floundering and the people are less than happy with the current political and economic environment and the direction our "wonderful" leaders wish to take us all. Are all politicians this brazenly thick skinned?
I know nothing about the issues so couldn't decide now.
tbh Pete, that's not what I was getting at anyway. Just the FF hypocracy involving referendum's.
I'd be voting no anyway, but hope I don't have to as it's dead in the water already...
If you attack me with stupidity, I'll be forced to defend myself with sarcasm.
Well I would vote yes for the Constitution, as I have looked at it, and read up on it.
I voted yes in both Nice referendums, as I would be very pro-EU, but would like to have voted no the second time as I felt it was outrageous to have a second vote.
I firmly believe that it was the money from the ECC/EU which has turned this country around, there simply could not have been a "Celtic tiger" without the help of France & Germany in particular.
France basically voted No because they are sick of Chirac, and Holland seems to be very worried about the influx of eastern Europeans. Neither of these things was a good reason for voting no, as the EU Constitution cannot affect the movement of people around the EU countries, and the anti-Chirac vote is an internal French issue.
Holding a referendum in Ireland now is ridiculous, but thats exactly the type of politics we get from Ahern and his gang of incompetents. McCreevy did, and now the f*cking PDs take the same almost anti-EU stance, totally ignoring the fact that the EU paid for virtually every bit of decent infrastructure this country has, as well as all the social and legal changes brought about by EU directives and law, which has greatly increased the lot of us all.
Personally speaking, the sooner we have a parliament in Strasbourg running this country and we can dispense with the inept, parish-pump ignoramuses that constitute the majority of our TDs, the better.
While seeing myself as fairly (but not hugely) pro European, one bit of your post made me laugh.
Infairness, MEPs are prob the biggest mé-feiners in the world, worse thaan any TDs here
As I say, we're just young & a bit nieve.
I intend voting NO to every EU referendum for one simple reason: they refused to accept our democratic decision on Nice, and I don't trust them to behave in a democratic manner again. For the same reason, I'm delighted that the French and the Dutch have said no. I'm not opposed to the idea of the EU as a means of co-operation, but it is an arrogant, undemocratic bureacracy which at this stage seems to function for its own good. If the people running it want it to work, they need to have a long, hard look at what they're doing
Well if we had a directly elected European Parliament, do you seriously think that the likes of Mary-Lou No-Nothing would be elected?While seeing myself as fairly (but not hugely) pro European, one bit of your post made me laugh.
Infairness, MEPs are prob the biggest mé-feiners in the world, worse thaan any TDs here
MEP's are a bit of a joke because too many people see it as a junket that doesn't affect them. It would be much much different if the European Parliament had real power.
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