No to Nice

["D OC" <donaloc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

First point to make is that SF's policy towards the EU is based on 'critical
engagement'. It would like to see the creation of a real European democracy
but recognises the massive difficulties existing within what is already in
place.

Reasons to vote against the Nice Treaty/arguments against the lies of the
Liberal Establishment:
1. The Irish people have already rejected the treaty - what part of 'no' do
the EU imperialists not understand?
2. The Nice treaty is not necessary for further reintegration - applicant
states can join on the basis of existing rules.
3. The new rules will establish a two-tier Europe in which the smaller
nations will lose the right to an 'all powerful' commissioner and the
weightings of Ministerial Council votes will treble for large 'imperialist'
states whereas those for the smaller 'dependent/neo-colonial' states will
only double.
4. There will be significant implications for the Irish economy if we head
further down the path of 'harmonisation' and
5. The treaty prepares the ground for the creation of an 60,000 EU rapid
reaction force - the reality is this will act in an objectively imperialist
direction (Shame on those 'leftists' who see this as offering something in
terms of resistance to US imperialism - reminds me of the sort of arguments
the British left used to justify WWI - of course we were conscripted to
fight the masters' war). We (a neutral country) are to commit 850 soldiers
to this imperialist strike-force who will no doubt include British soldiers
at a time when their forces of occupation hold one quarter of the national
territory.
6. The treaty contains an expansion of the Europol service to include
significant 'Justice' structures across the continent - these will no doubt
be used to hasten extradiction between territories of those classified as
'terrorists'. We have already seen this process in action between the French
and the Spanish in their attacks on Basque liberation fighters and
activists.

As a final note, the whole fabric of the EU is neoliberalist - the ECB is
totally undemocratic, makes decisions on a monetarist basis and without a
care to peripheral nations' economies or the impact that these decisions
have on human beings. The massive European Parliament is largely powerless
and without much credibility as anything other than a talking shop. The
Executive power is wielded by the Council of Ministers who are
representatives of either wing of the neoliberal consensus in their
respective countries. The European Auditors Office has highlighted the
continued corruption and inefficiency of the existing structures and now we
are being asked (for the second time) to give these undemocratic structures
even greater powers, reduce our self-determination and bring more applicant
countries in to be ravaged by the system.

Sure, everyone here knows that we need Europe - but not a political
structure where inequality, corruption and popular powerlessness are the
norms. We cannot simply acquiesce while the country gets sucked into the
slightly more progressive form of world imperialism to snub the US. 'We
serve neither King nor Kaiser' now translates as 'We serve neither EU
sub-imperialism or its dominant and more irrational US counterpart'.

Against the left groups stand the overwhelming power of the mainstream
parties, their media, the Employers Federations, Trade Union hierarchies and
the Catholic church - yet it is the mainstream groups which are panicking
before the people. It is possible that we can win this referendum. That
indeed would be a great set-back for the establishment in Dublin - the last
poll put Sinn Fein 9%, the Greens (8%) and assorted local
Independents/Left-wing parties at 7%.

D OC


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