Upcoming Events

National | EU

no events match your query!

New Events

National

no events posted in last week

Blog Feeds

Anti-Empire

Anti-Empire

offsite link North Korea Increases Aid to Russia, Mos... Tue Nov 19, 2024 12:29 | Marko Marjanovi?

offsite link Trump Assembles a War Cabinet Sat Nov 16, 2024 10:29 | Marko Marjanovi?

offsite link Slavgrinder Ramps Up Into Overdrive Tue Nov 12, 2024 10:29 | Marko Marjanovi?

offsite link ?Existential? Culling to Continue on Com... Mon Nov 11, 2024 10:28 | Marko Marjanovi?

offsite link US to Deploy Military Contractors to Ukr... Sun Nov 10, 2024 02:37 | Field Empty

Anti-Empire >>

Human Rights in Ireland
Promoting Human Rights in Ireland

Human Rights in Ireland >>

Lockdown Skeptics

The Daily Sceptic

offsite link News Round-Up Sat Nov 30, 2024 01:30 | Toby Young
A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link ?Ulez Architect? and 20mph Zone Supporter Appointed New Transport Secretary Fri Nov 29, 2024 17:38 | Will Jones
One of the 'architects of Ulez' and a supporter of 20mph zones has been appointed as the new Transport Secretary?after Louise Haigh's resignation, raising fears the anti-car measures may become national policy.
The post ‘Ulez Architect’ and 20mph Zone Supporter Appointed New Transport Secretary appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Assisted Suicide Set to Be Legalised as MPs Back Bill Fri Nov 29, 2024 15:07 | Will Jones
MPs have voted in favour of legalising assisted suicide as Labour's massive majority allowed the legislation to clear its first hurdle in the House of Commons by 330 votes to 275.
The post Assisted Suicide Set to Be Legalised as MPs Back Bill appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Australia Passes Landmark Social Media Ban for Under-16s Fri Nov 29, 2024 13:43 | Rebekah Barnett
Australia is the first country to ban social media for under-16s after a landmark bill passed that critics have warned is rushed and a Trojan horse for Government Digital ID as everyone must now verify their age.
The post Australia Passes Landmark Social Media Ban for Under-16s appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Is Banning the Burps of Bullocks Worth Risking Our Bollocks? Fri Nov 29, 2024 11:32 | Ben Pile
Is banning the burps of bullocks worth risking our bollocks? That the question posed by the decision to give Bovaer to cows to 'save the planet', says Ben Pile, after evidence suggests a possible risk to male fertility.
The post Is Banning the Burps of Bullocks Worth Risking Our Bollocks? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

Lockdown Skeptics >>

Voltaire Network
Voltaire, international edition

offsite link Voltaire, International Newsletter N?110 Fri Nov 29, 2024 15:01 | en

offsite link Verbal ceasefire in Lebanon Fri Nov 29, 2024 14:52 | en

offsite link Russia Prepares to Respond to the Armageddon Wanted by the Biden Administration ... Tue Nov 26, 2024 06:56 | en

offsite link Voltaire, International Newsletter N?109 Fri Nov 22, 2024 14:00 | en

offsite link Joe Biden and Keir Starmer authorize NATO to guide ATACMS and Storm Shadows mis... Fri Nov 22, 2024 13:41 | en

Voltaire Network >>

The peoples voice shall not be heard...

category national | eu | opinion/analysis author Wednesday June 18, 2008 20:12author by Ronoc Report this post to the editors

de·moc·ra·cy
n. pl. de·moc·ra·cies

Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives.
A political or social unit that has such a government.
The common people, considered as the primary source of political power.
Majority rule.
The principles of social equality and respect for the individual within a community.

"Junior Minister Martin Mansergh has suggested that the holding of a referendum on each EU Treaty needed to be looked at" - http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0618/eulisbon.html

Do we really live in a democracy? Well the dogs on the street know we dont and Martin Mansergh obviously deosnt beleive in letting people decide on issue that effect their lives. Leave it to the the politicians, they know best.

Related Link: http://www.people.ie
author by Yes to Europe, No to Lisbon!publication date Tue Dec 16, 2008 20:38author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Drumcondradave,
Maybe no one told you. We, the people of Ireland, make the choice to change our constitution. Your argument is backwards, I'm no crazy leftist but, why would I give power to a European president, not elected by the people of Europe that can amend the Lisbon treaty? If the Lisbon treaty is so great (1) why did our Government not want to tell us what exactly was in it? (2) Why don't the rest of Europe get a vote on such an important issue? (3) Why would our Government want to change it? and (4) Why is there such threatening language from the rest of the E.U's leaders, but such positive language from the people our Europe? Don't be so naive.

author by Drumcondradavepublication date Sat Jun 21, 2008 10:32author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Seems to me that the one side of the "No" faction are happy with representational democracy when it suits them.

For instance in the UK not one of the "Left" or any socialist Parites want a referendum on Hanging, they are happy to allow a free vote to MPs,but when it comes to the EU they seek to push the decisoin to "the people" one wonders why? Is it as I suspect because that way they get the result they are seeking? We all know why the right side of the EU No campaign want a referendum and call it democracy its because they are nationalists in the worst sense of the term.

Maybe they seek a retreat to the old europe of war and suffering?

author by Suspiciouspublication date Thu Jun 19, 2008 08:52author address author phone Report this post to the editors

"Another advantage is that elected representatives will generally have, ... "

... is that they can benefit in any number of corrupt ways which the people who vote for them know nothing about, so that the "elected representatives" can (in effect) easily end up -- silently and invisibly (or almost so) -- supporting corruption, despotism, lawlessness and so on, all in the name of those who elected them: and sometimes the abuses in question are of the worst possible kinds that humanity is capable of producing and sustaining.

Politicians need to be VERY carefully watched by the electorate at ALL times, and vigorously challenged in public when ANYTHING appears to be amiss.

author by paul mc kennapublication date Thu Jun 19, 2008 00:40author address author phone Report this post to the editors

Finna fail have some cheek calling for a review of the 'Crotty' and mc kenna judement's because the election did not go the right way for them and there tweedle dom tweedle dee plutocracy, We the Irish should always have a right to vote on our people's future, shame shame and more shame finna fail .

No SO Cozy
No SO Cozy

author by ????publication date Wed Jun 18, 2008 23:19author address author phone Report this post to the editors

"Another advantage is that elected representatives will generally have, or quickly gain, a more in-depth understanding of the operation of the law and national and international institutions."

Really? Most of them said they had not even read the treaty, and McCreevey said openly that anyone who read it would have to be mad.

author by Ronocpublication date Wed Jun 18, 2008 22:48author address author phone Report this post to the editors

I agree, but the point of this piece is about the EU Constitution/Treaty. Fair enough the people cant choose every law(but atleast the can vote out the bad boys next time around) but they must be allowed choose who represents them. If the Constitution/Treaty is passed as far as i know its self ammending, meaning that those unelected officials sitting in the EU Commission will be able to do what they please. Treatys passed within the EU should be choosin by the people, its simple. The treaty is complex and can be bent depending which side you take, what does that give you? Sure Hitler came to power in many of the same ways. Id like to say more but im off to bed, hope you reply and ill be back to ya...

"WHEN THE POWER OF LOVE, OVERCOMES THE LOVE OF POWER, THE WORLD WILL KNOW PEACE"...

author by Alan Bunburypublication date Wed Jun 18, 2008 21:29author address author phone Report this post to the editors

In fairness there are advantages to allowing democratically elected representatives to pass laws for the people who elected them. It simply would not be practical to hold a referendum on every single law we passed, and it is up to the people to decide through their constitution which laws are too important to pass by parliament alone. Another advantage is that elected representatives will generally have, or quickly gain, a more in-depth understanding of the operation of the law and national and international institutions. This may sound elitist but the fact of the matter is that not everyone can be expected to understand complex legal documents and treaties, and most people understand this.

Minister Mansergh can say what he likes but he cannot overrule our right to a referendum on issues that affect our sovereignty.

Number of comments per page
  
 
© 2001-2024 Independent Media Centre Ireland. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by Independent Media Centre Ireland. Disclaimer | Privacy