This reads as though we were applying to join. We've had our one foot in the EU since 1975 - I haven't noticed a particularly dramatic loss of sovereignty since and the illusion of democracy remains as potent as ever.
The idea that we are somehow dictated to by someone we've willingly joined into an agreement with mystifies me.
Both sides can present anecdotal evidence to support their argument, but it's the overall picture that matters and I can see precious little advantage to being on the outside. All I see is whining about EU legislation, rather than any coherent plan for an improved life outside of it. It seems to me it just appeals to some outdated perception of isolationism and that we are somehow "better" than all those dirty foreigners.
It's no surprise that the likes of Boris and Farage are so against it, and the fact that they are betrays the nature and the level of the exit argument as far as I'm concerned.
Not at all...I agree with you..each side has made grand claims...EU the dictator! EU the benevolent rights and prosperity giver! It's Horseshit.
I was merely disputing that the EU "gifted" us all our rights...it didn't. 1000 years of a evolving govt system and 100+ years of a domestic union and rights movements did that. I just find it annoying giving the applause to those that didn't do it. By all means influenced by ideas from Revolutions on mainland Europe and the US...what the EU and Ecourt does is protect those rights and makes it more difficult to remove them. A domestic bill of rights would do the same however.
One side says the mega companies will bend us to their will through the big bad tories without the protection of the EU despite the fact those companies are all telling us to remain. Which is why I asked why would they want us to remain if the EU protected us from them? Answer is it doesn't; it does the opposite....is that a big enough reason to leave? I didn't say that...but just making **** up to feel better when it's blatantly not true is just silly.
I've already commented on the idiocy of isolationism in a previous post. It's never worked well in modern history. But there is a difference between isolationism and disagreeing with the level of integration...unfortunately due to Camerons scam negotiation isn't giving the people a choice of "what the EU should be" it's stay in same ****e treaty or leap into unknown.
That said...the Eunion the British people voted for is not remotely recognizable to the one they will vote for next month. If remain wins then the democratic process has been played out: the British people will have stated they are happy with an increased bureaucracy and more devolved powers than initially signed up to. Then that's fine.
It's the inherent weakness of the Brexit campaign that they can not point to a post exit vision of the future....I don't even mean economically as that's pointless...nobody can predict more than six months ahead as has been shown. I mean they can't go off and negotiate theoretical treaties with other countries and present them as the alternative.
What they could have done was show how they would spend the money we send and receive back...show how internal running of the funds would result in less bureaucracy...how they'd protect or improve on the current EU schemes regarding Agriculture, Fishing, R&D etc.
But they haven't. And because of this they will lose. Why do you think Remain uses the phrase "a leap into the dark" ad nauseum? People unless forced will always stick with the devil they know. They will never pick uncertainty....
The racism or xenophobic argument is a side issue...yes some Brexiteers are clearly racists. But Remain has all too often labelled anyone with genuine concerns about population movement and integration and how it can be handled by the domestic govt as swivelled eyed little Englanders....it's why labour has seen a significant amount of support shift to Ukip.
Unfortunately I think the only effect of this referendum will be to cement the general populations view that our politicians don't give two shots about our views...think we are too dumb to be trusted whole they have their childish power struggles...more detachment from the political class.