I used to be pro EU. A federalist, in fact. I was so because of the idea, which I now believe to be mistaken, but which is a popular fallacy, that a “higher power” could effectively save us from ourselves- that is, that the higher power could prevent abuses by our national government. I now think the opposite, recognising that it just boots the problem one level higher- a larger bloc just means abuses come from the higher level and are even more difficult to prevent.

But never have I doubted that the intention of the EU was to create a new federal nation, and I think that is incontrovertible. The organ grinders need to be honest about that, insteading of parading monkeys before us who deny it, and the peoples of Europe need to each make a decision on the future based on reality, not propaganda and spin. And that decision must either be withdrawal or wholehearted cooperation. As such, the Tory approach is worse than useless. As the Tories usually are, in fact.

(Hopefully the XHTML will work this time)

I agree that the misleading arguments of both the “pro” and the “anti” sides of the debate are unhelpful.

An actual referendum on EU membership would be a good first step to reducing voter apathy-perhaps with three choices-Continue in the EU and Ratify the Lisbon treaty, Continue in EU-but no Lisbon treaty, withdrawal from the EU-negotiate a trade agreement.

It’s highly unlikely that this will ever actually occur though, as neither the Conservative or Labour parties would ever support it.

Why should they? I think one can reasonably argue that this is a consequence of the way Theeu is portrayed. EUphobes argue that Theeu is a new state, a government which rules over us, and this is constantly denied by EUphiles, who cling to a Big Lie in public that it’s just a trade organisation with a few frills and nothing to get excited about.

But if it’s not the European government, why bother voting for its “parliament”? We are assured it’s no big deal by tbe Big Lie. Indeed, anyone accusing Theeu of being a State is in turn accused of that heresy of being a racistandxenophobe. So the vast majority are dissuaded from taking an interest, and European elections are only of interest to crazed EUphiles and angry EUphobes.

The best way to encourage people to vote for the toy parliament would be to say “this is the government now, these people run your lives”. But Theeu and its useful idiots dare not say that, insisting instead that the provincial parliaments are still sovereign and Theeu is just a dull trade organisation. So the message is “you should take great interest and vote for this thing which doesn’t matter”. Heh.

The 70% of the population which didn’t vote can not now blush at the fact that they are represented by the BNP.

Blackacre, just wait until the Tories get in and watch the libertarian blogosphere turn on them almost instantly.

Is this post ironic? Because I don’t know of a more fascist (in the classic sense) institution than the EU, myself.