Lisbon et al

Hi,
sorry it's been so long. Various apologies and excuses can be peddled by me but the main one is laziness.
There are a number of issues irking me this week, political and otherwise but i shall stick to the political ones if i can.
I read with interest the poll in today's Irish Times showing massive gains in support for the NO side in the Lisbon treaty.
It strikes me that there has been very little in the way of informed argument for either side coming my way in the last few weeks.
I have also noticed that the arguments that are put forward for both sides seem to be merely putting down the argument of the other side.
However, wading through all that garbage, i tried to look at both sides of the tale by actually reading the treaty.
One thing struck me quite immediately when faced with the literature.
The documents put out by the Referendum Commission was almost, to a word, identical to that of the Fianna Fáil party. In an alleged democracy that is either disgraceful or shows that Fianna Fáil were being very neutral and honest. I'll let you make up your own minds as to which one of those is true.
I, personally will be voting NO. My arguments are long winded and many. I am not a nut, a Sinn Féiner or a leftist extremist.
I am an Irish citizen who would put the welfare of my country before that of Europe.
Selfish? I don't think so.
Let's be clear here, this treaty will bring no extra benefits to this country or its' people. Read the ACTUAL treaty, not the propoganda from either side. It is quite clear that this treaty is a means to consolidate the power of the bigger EU states.
I believe that the European Union has not been as good for Ireland as people would have you believe.
Ireland has lost more money in fishing rights alone than it has ever gained from the EU from all the CAP and ERDF and ESF monies that came our way.
That is a FACT.
It is indisputable and correct.
Ireland should have taken the road of Norway, being part of a European Trade Zone and keep control of all its own affairs.
However, doing this would mean your politicians would have to be somewhat honest.
Consider again, the fact that the Irish government, in 2006, gave away the rights to 10 billion barrels of oil (their own figures) to that great ethical bastion of Shell and co. Today's oil prices hover around the $150 mark. That amounts to over a trillion euro worth of our resources given away for nada, zilch, nothing.
So maybe the Norway model wouldn't work in Ireland after all.
I spoke to an ardent Fianna Fáil supporter the other day about the Lisbon Treaty and asked him what way he was voting. We had a conversation where I put forward my reasons for voting no. When I asked him why he was voting yes, his response was "I don't think it's in our interest to vote no." Genius. I asked him to elaborate as to why exactly he wants to vote yes but that was the only argument put forward. No thought, just tow the party line. I then asked if he was going out at the weekend but the party hadn't given an official statement on that so the pints are on hold til he gets the go ahead from headquarters.

Reading today's Irish "not good enough to serve as toilet paper" Independent was also an interesting waste of my time that I could have done without but only made me semi-angry.
The rag has put forward some really bad editorials in the past but this was up there with the best. It amounted to little more than a begging letter telling all you people to get up off your asses and vote (thought it was supposed to be a quality paper). However, it wasn't telling everyone to vote. No, the Irish Indo was telling the people who might be inclined to vote YES to get out and vote. Not too much independent about that!

The Mahon Tribunal threw up some interesting lies from Bertie again.
Just consider this. The last person in a high profile case in this country to go before a judge and swear that money he got illegally actually came from horse racing was who? The answer is a person quite akin to Mr Ahern. He is a scumbag who has lied and cheated his way to wealth. He is Gerry Hutchison, maybe better known to most as the Monk.
Just think about that when you try to make excuses for fat man in the Louis Copeland suit again.

God Bless