A dose of ‘Verhofstadtism’

[Cees Binkhorst]

REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl

> REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl
>
> http://blogs.euobserver.com/mahony/2009/05/14/a-dose-of-%e2%80%98verhofstadtism%e2%80%99/
>
> "
> A dose of ‘Verhofstadtism’
>
> A dose of Verhofstadtism. Strongly EU integrationist and floating in a
> plane where decisions are taken quickly and the domestic political
> arena plays no role.
>
> I had forgotten just how unabashedly pro-EU former Belgian PM Guy
> Verhofstadt is, on Tuesday I was reminded once again.
>
> Floppy-fringed and tie-less, Verhofstadt marched into the European
> Parliament on Tuesday to plug the result of his anger – a book - over
> Europe’s, and particularly the European Commission’s, inaction in the
> face of the current economic crisis.
>
> His answer: Much more EU. A single EU recovery plan. A European
> financial supervisor. Eurobonds. A European bad-assets bank. European
> economic governance And a lot more spending.
>
> Given the way member states have reacted to so far to the crisis,
> getting all the boxes ticked on this list seems about as likely as
> Vaclav Klaus coming out in favour of the Lisbon Treaty.
>
> But it was good to listen to someone who has thought long about the
> problem defending their ideas. He is right: Member states are only
> slowly waking up to the gravity of the crisis and their responses vary
> widely.
>
> Compounding this rudderless feeling, the commission has not filled the
> vacuum with political leadership and ideas.
>
> Yes, its hands are tied by the will of national governments, but who dares
> wins.
>
> If there are no initiatives coming from the commission, there will be
> no proper discussions on what to do. If there is no proper discussion,
> the fragmented approach to this crisis will continue.
>
> So hurrah for Verhofstadt. Unrealistic? Maybe. But better than having
> no ideas at all.
> "
>
> Maar, wat heeft het voor zin als men zich niet aan afspraken wenst te
> houden?  Al dan niet in breder verband afgesproken?!!
>
> Henk Elegeert

En wat deed Verhofstad zelf?
Als hij zijn zin had gehad was een aanzienlijk deel van het vermogen van
België getransfereerd naar de Fransen. Daarna had hij op de
onvoorwaardelijke steun van de Fransen kunnen rekenen?

Groet / Cees

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