European Election 25th may

[Born2Kill 007]

The EU Parliament is a great thing. I agree that they get overpaid, but this has the advantage that it raises to cost if you want to bribe them (they don't need the money as much as people who earn less, and they will be more cautious that they don't lose this well paying job). Secondly, even with these high wages, I think everywhere, but certainly in Belgium, it's still by far the most efficient law-making level we have when you consider costs/governed head. And apart from that, the fact it has so many members, makes it even less corrupt, because you would have to bribe too many people in order to get even a little influence.

[Flippy Warbear]

Vote or die motherfucker, vote or die!

I choose death. Too lazy to go out and vote, especially since I dont even know who I would vote for.

[Tedacious]

"i choose not to choose life. who needs a TV when you got heroin?"

Ted the feminist, never saw that coming. Maybe a little.

You didn't? Why not? Hardcore feminist here, can't see how anyone can't be feminist.

Why are all you guys anti europe?

I'm not anti europe. I'm anti european union. I'm much forth trade-agreements and cooperation with other european nations.

But throughout the completely culturally, ethically, social and economical diverse europe - a centralized institution can't make decisions for everyone. Reduce the decision-making to a more local and national level.

The centralization is what is incredibly dangerous with EU. Thanks to the Lissabon Treaty, EU will get even more centralized. More power to Brussels, EU will have a president - it's on the way to being a common nation. Really dangerous.

Also it's a matter of principle. You know how this Lissabon Treaty got through?
It had to be a unanimous decision throughout europe. No country helt public votes for the treaty, except Ireland. So Ireland was the only country which let their people decide on this huge and incredibly important treaty that will affect every country in Europe.
Ireland voted no.
But the EU wasn't happy. One  year later they held a new election, becasue they didn't accept this democratic decision. In this new election, they feigned some changes, said they had changed a few of the liberal abortion-instructions/laws in the treaty (no practical changes though) - this time Ireland voted yes.
How disgusting isn't that?

[Eat Uranium]

Voted on thursday, for a not anti-EU party.

[Zoologic]

Voted on thursday, for a not anti-EU party.

Faith in Britain restored!

[Fuchs]

And except for his feminism, I once again agree with Teddy.

I voted for a party that is against the EU because I feel the current state of this Union is inefficient, undemocratic and corrupt. NL had a referendum on the European Constitution, voted against with 62% but that didn't help much. While GeenStijl may be very biased I still think that bit Tom Staal did on the EU parliament made it very clear that the current system is so utterly flawed it's only costing money. People come 5 minutes before the end of the work day and strike a nice pack of bills for it as if they worked the whole day..

I'd love to see Europe co-operate on a higher level but not like this, this is just sad. It's like throwing money bills in a paper shredder.

[Seth_Soldier]

Please don't turn this into a political debate.

I just wanted to remind people that voting is important, even if the result can be disappointed. What is important is that people give an opinion even if it is a blank vote.

Just like in our respective countries, i think that if you don't vote, you can't just complain about politics, especially when participation is 30%-40%

[Butcher]

In the state I´m living (Germany - NRW) they combined the communal elections with the EU elections, to get more people to vote.

Imo voters are just sheep. Keep believing you have influence. Even on the smallest level, your vote isn´t going to change a thing. In my voting district there are some 10.000ish people who are allowed to vote. That makes about 0.0001% I can change. Now for the European Parliament that´s even less, because there are representatives of multiple nations.

I´m not an apolitical person. It´s jsut that I don´t see any sense in voting.

This being said, this shit isn´t worth my time.

[Tedacious]

Please don't turn this into a political debate.

ju can't start a thread about this vote and not expect people to start a discussion. People still are reminded!

And except for his feminism, I once again agree with Teddy.

And I agree with you on the EU question. But I must ask you, why don't you call yourself a feminist?

[Fuchs]

Because it is unnatural to free your women and give them rights.

[Born2Kill 007]

The centralization is what is incredibly dangerous with EU. Thanks to the Lissabon Treaty, EU will get even more centralized. More power to Brussels, EU will have a president - it's on the way to being a common nation. Really dangerous.

The EU already has a president (http://www.european-council.europa.eu/the-president), he's no on his second term. Had any dangerous experiences with this so far?

Also it's a matter of principle. You know how this Lissabon Treaty got through?
It had to be a unanimous decision throughout europe. No country helt public votes for the treaty, except Ireland. So Ireland was the only country which let their people decide on this huge and incredibly important treaty that will affect every country in Europe.
Ireland voted no.
But the EU wasn't happy. One  year later they held a new election, becasue they didn't accept this democratic decision. In this new election, they feigned some changes, said they had changed a few of the liberal abortion-instructions/laws in the treaty (no practical changes though) - this time Ireland voted yes.
How disgusting isn't that?

In the other countries, it was approved by the parliaments, who are democratically elected by the people to represent the will of the people. They just made a law that they agreed on the Treaty of Lisbon, the way a parliament decides on any other treaty. Every treaty should be done by elections?

About the Ireland thing: It was the Irish politicians who wanted to do a second referendum, because otherwise Ireland would put itself outside the EU and that's not exactly what a country wants considering the endless benefits and certainties the EU offers. Especially for the Irish economical situation, it would have been a disaster.

[Lightning]

In my voting district there are some 10.000ish people who are allowed to vote. That makes about 0.0001% I can change.

No it doesn't. Try using a calculator next time. 1/10 000th of 100% is 0.01%.

[Slayer]

No gf, right, Fuchs?

@ anti EU: I understand all your arguments, but it's not like the EU does only bad stuff and if this form of European cooperation gets dissolved, we will get another one and there will be drawbacks of that, too. Maybe one day there will be something which starts off as being acceptable, but then over time it will corrupt and become something you have a lot of critical stuff to say about.

I'd rather try and improve this EU, instead of breaking it down first and then build a new one. It will take ages and lots of money before there will be something new.

Imo voters are just sheep. Keep believing you have influence. Even on the smallest level, your vote isn´t going to change a thing. In my voting district there are some 10.000ish people who are allowed to vote. That makes about 0.0001% I can change. Now for the European Parliament that´s even less, because there are representatives of multiple nations.

I´m not an apolitical person. It´s jsut that I don´t see any sense in voting.

This being said, this shit isn´t worth my time.

You reason like a kid who thinks washing hands isn't useful, because they will get dirty again anyway. Really, you can't be that dense, right? Of course votes change stuff, because unless you are the only one voting for a certain supersmall party, your vote becomes part of a mass of votes for a certain group, which then gets elected, etc, etc.

[Fuchs]

Can't be within 50 yards of women after chaining the last ones in the kitchen, I'm afraid.

[Slayer]

Hormones amounting inside the groin, trying to find a natural way out. It always makes a man think strangely.