Chirac sits on hands, EU Constitution could be no more

[Ripsnort]

French in disarray as they admit EU treaty vote is lost.

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-1628272,00.html

 

 

President Chirac will go on television tonight to deliver a last-ditch appeal to his country to resist the temptation to vote “no” and trigger a crisis for the whole European Union. But the President, who called the referendum in July last year but has done little campaigning, was reported to be pessimistic and telling visitors to the Elysée Palace that he expected a “no”.

WTG Chirac. Things don't get done when you ignore them.

[Monk]

At least they get to vote for or against it, ask a German if they can............You vill be in der EU, and you vill like it.

[straffo]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
French in disarray as they admit EU treaty vote is lost.

 

WTG Chirac. Things don't get done when you ignore them.

When you had a referendum for the last time in America ?

[ASTAC]

Could care less about the EU...don't think it would ever really worked anyway. Except for that damn EURO..how the hell did they create a currency out of thin air and suddenly it's worth more than the dollar?

[Momus--]

National electorates have voted down treaty changes in the past and the EU is still with US, no big deal really.

[Holden McGroin]

Originally posted by straffo
When you had a referendum for the last time in America ?

November 2004

[straffo]

Originally posted by Holden McGroin
November 2004

ho ?

A nation wide referendum , didn't knew that.

[Holden McGroin]

Yeah.

We referred the employment of George W Bush to the electorate.

[straffo]

It was not a referendum as there was the electoral college.
When there is representative it's not a referendum.

see for yourself : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Referendum

United States: There is no provision for the holding of referendums at the federal level in the United States. However the constitutions of 24 states and many local and city governments provide for referendums and citizen's initiatives. The most famous US state initiative is probably California's Proposition 13 which severely limited property tax increases.

[Holden McGroin]

Okay, if you want to be strictly technical about it.

The only difference is that the votes are counted up in 50 units before they are tallied up again via EC rules.

Our constitution was originally approved by representatives.

[Ack-Ack]

Originally posted by straffo
When you had a referendum for the last time in America ?

almost all referendums have been at the state and local levels.



ack-ack

[straffo]

Originally posted by Holden McGroin
Okay, if you want to be strictly technical about it.

The only difference is that the votes are counted up in 50 units before they are tallied up again via EC rules.

Our constitution was originally approved by representatives.

I don't want to be so "strictly technical"
It's just to avoid comparing apples to oranges

@Ack-ack that how I understood it.

[JB73]

President Chirac will go on television tonight to deliver a last-ditch appeal to his country to resist the temptation to vote “no” and trigger a crisis for the whole European Union.

i have not been paying attention to what europe is doing, and stuff...

i don't get this statement. it sounds like he wants yoters to vote "yes" to whatever they are voting on, but whay would that trigger a crisis? im lost as always.

does he want a "yes" or "no" vote?

what are they voting on?

[straffo]

We are asked to vote "OUI" or "NON" to the proposed EU constitution.

Btw if the "NON" win it will only delay the "OUI" by some months as it can be ratified  by the parlement (2/3 majority) which would have been the best choice IMO.

[Holden McGroin]

So if the referendum is defeated it can be over-ridden by the parliment?

Sounds like apples to apples vis-a-vis the Electoral College.