Jun
14
CODE:
/**
* attempt to ratify treaty
* @param input the treaty to put before the "people"
* @return boolean true on success, false otherwise
*/
boolean ratify_treaty(treaty input)
{
treaty treaty_to_present = hash(input);
while(!popular_vote(treaty_to_present))
{
sleep(BIG_NUMBER);
treaty_to_present = cosmetic_rehash(treaty_to_present);
}
// Treaty accepted! Never ask again!
return(true);
}
I am neither particularly strongly "pro" or "anti" Europe. Nor do I live in the Republic of Ireland, and so I didn't vote in any referendum; but I am increasingly astounded at the fact that when the EU puts a matter to the public, and it is defeated, they take absolutely no cognisance of it at all. They just, rather cynically, accuse the voters of voting on local issues, or not understanding the treaty in front of them, and keep asking the question till they get the answer they want.
Even for strong proponents of the Union, there are a number of rather awkward issues about its future. Its lack of appropriately audited accounts, its apparent lack of basic democratic accountability and so on. It must not be seen to routinely ignore its citizens. From what I've heard so far, and in this situation in the past, there seems to be no basic realisation or admission, that the underlying treaty needs to be reworked to be acceptable to its citizens. It's about time the commission listened to rather than lectured, its citizenry. It may only be that small changes need to be made, but some recognition of this would be good.
