Statement From Francie Mackey
Chairperson 32CSM
27/09/2009
Lisbon Treaty Referendum October 2nd 2009
As predicted, and as expected, the people of the Twenty Six Counties face another vote on the already defeated Lisbon Treaty. Following on from the sidestepping of the Dutch and French people’s rejection of the EU Constitution the second referendum being held here is yet further proof that democracy is viewed as a hindrance to the current EU direction. Despite platitudes about different contexts and binding guarantees the true intent of this referendum is to be found in the politics behind it. Fearful of an almost certain rejection of Lisbon in a British Referendum if a change of government were to occur in London the Irish people are being forced to revisit their decision because foreign political opinion deems it expedient to its interests that we do so. It is a mockery of Irish sovereignty on a par with the continuation of partition. Once again the British Government is imposing its will on the outcome of an Irish election.
It is clear that the acceptance of democratic will is deemed less worthy of guarantee by those who sought it, but argued for a different outcome. The so called guarantees issued by the EU Heads Of State are designed to give the illusion of change to justify the calling of a second vote. The Lisbon Treaty remains the same. The so called guarantees are not being voted on. If Lisbon is passed there is no legal prohibition preventing the Heads Of State reconvening afterwards to overturn the so called guarantees. Dublin can veto this of course but that merely amounts to a political promise that they would act in such a fashion. Given that they went to Europe like chastened schoolchildren after the people exercised their veto, there can be no realistic expectation that Dublin will act contrary to the wishes of Brussels.
Because the Lisbon Treaty remains the same our original objections to it remain the same. But the second referendum does open different fronts on which objections to Lisbon can be expressed. Not least of these is the economic crisis. A crisis cannot be resolved by those who created it, employing the same failed ideologies, electing the same failed political elites and endorsing the same failed policies which they are wedded to because of the influence of corrupt bankers and developers. It may well be the better option that this economic crisis can only be resolved by confronting it with a political crisis which has no option but to force change through. It is not acceptable that working people should be subject to periodic bouts of economic boom, followed by economic doom, whilst the architects of it bask in the financial security of massive wages, bonuses and pensions. Small wonder that it is from these quarters that passing Lisbon is most cherished.
Equally, there exists a mindset in the Twenty Six County body politic that holds that financial failure and misdoing should be rewarded as opposed to being punished. The banks acted wholly irresponsibly yet are rewarded for same. State appointees, part of the crony culture, who viewed the public purse as a slush fund for extravagant living, are excused with massive remuneration packages form the very same public purse they abused in the first place. This is the political mindset which boasts of having been involved in the negotiations which gave us the Lisbon Treaty.
The 32 County Sovereignty Movement calls on the people of the Twenty Six Counties to remain firm in their rejection of Lisbon. We say that there is a consequence for saying No which confirms that a No Vote can effect change if the political will exists to do so. If that will does not exist, then that too must be changed.
VOTE NO, AGAIN!
http://www.32csm.info/Lis2.html
VOTE NO AGAIN
