COLLECTIVE MADNESS


“Soft despotism is a term coined by Alexis de Tocqueville describing the state into which a country overrun by "a network of small complicated rules" might degrade. Soft despotism is different from despotism (also called 'hard despotism') in the sense that it is not obvious to the people."

Thursday, December 21, 2017

The EU, controlled by Germany, takes aggressive action against Poland, again

Brussels bullying of Poland could lead to the break up of the EU – EXPRESS COMMENT

HAVE the bureaucrats in charge of the EU learned nothing from Brexit? Britain voted to leave the EU because we were tired of an unelected assembly controlling our country.


Poland protests
The European Union has learned nothing from Brexit

Rather than taking note of this and allowing remaining members a little more leeway, the EU is going further still. It has threatened to strip Poland of voting rights if the country goes ahead with new laws that allow more governmental say in the judiciary. How can this possibly be justified?

In fact this punishment of Poland is almost certainly not going to happen because the EU would need a unanimous vote among members to implement such a move, which it is unlikely to get. But the point is that this is a domestic matter for Poland.

If the Poles don't want their government to act in such a way, then they can vote them out. However, not for the first time the EU is taking the kind of attitude that suggests Poland is acting like a naughty child and will have to do as it is told.
The EU is coming apart at the seams because it is trying to impose the same conformity on every country in the bloc, despite our very different histories. Brexit is what happens when you push this too far.
Poland 
There are no signs yet that Poland will want to do likewise, not least as it has done very well out of EU membership. But they took us for granted and look what happened. The Poles may well yet do the same.

32 comments:

  1. It is way past time where Germany should be held accountable for the damage it did to Poland before and during WWII. Poland should go after Germany, outside the artificial German controlled EU. Reparations should be paid unconditionally.

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  2. .

    Poland is free to leave the EU any time it wants.

    It won't.

    .

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  3. .

    Since taking power in Poland, the right wing government led by the PiS has been trying to consolidate the power of all branches of government under their control. This includes the judiciary. Not all Poles agree. The PiS has minority support across the country. It was swept into office on one issue immigration. It's attempted coup in other areas is hardly welcomed by much of the population. The Poles believe in democracy and won't give it up easily.

    Poles outraged over controversial bill take to the streets


    Warsaw, Poland (CNN)Thousands of chanting and flag-waving protesters took to the streets in this Polish capital Sunday evening to demonstrate against a controversial bill putting the Supreme Court under government control.
    In a rally at the Presidential Palace, demonstrators wielded Polish and European Union flags, held posters saying "constitution" and "I love and understand freedom," and shouted "we want a veto," "free court" and "free Poland."

    After the throng dispersed, many continued their protests at other locations, in front of the High Court and at the Sejm, Poland's lower house of parliament.

    Critics have slammed the legislation's passage as a blatant power grab by President Andrzej Duda and his right-wing Law and Justice Party (PiS), but the party insists it is simply carrying out needed judicial reform.

    Key to the legislation is that current Supreme Court judges would be forced into early retirement and new judges would be appointed by the Justice Ministry...



    To portray the PiS as victims is ludicrous.

    .



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  4. All real Poles everywhere LOVE The Donald and Melanie too.

    How can one blame them ??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I support NATO but am beginning to have my doors about the EU.

      Too much German. Too much German. Influence.

      Delete
  5. Have you fellows sent Bibi BEST WISHES FOR A GREAT NEW YEAR. ?

    You should.

    I have.

    ReplyDelete
  6. CODE RED !!!!

    Sessions orders special investigation into Hillarys Uranium One deal among other matters

    See. Hot Air and American Thinker and Drudge Report.

    ����

    ReplyDelete
  7. Also....What Trump plans to do with Muellers corpse of a career.

    American Thinker

    ReplyDelete
  8. UPDATE

    From NBC News:

    On the orders of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Justice Department prosecutors have begun asking FBI agents to explain the evidence they found in a now dormant criminal investigation into a controversial uranium deal that critics have linked to Bill and Hillary Clinton, multiple law enforcement officials told NBC News.

    The interviews with FBI agents are part of the Justice Department’s effort to fulfill a promise an assistant attorney general made to Congress last month to examine whether a special counsel was warranted to look into what has become known as the Uranium One deal, a senior Justice Department official said.

    At issue is a 2010 transaction in which the Obama Administration allowed the sale of U.S. uranium mining facilities to Russia’s state atomic energy company. Hillary Clinton was secretary of state at the time, and the State Department was one of nine agencies that agreed to approve the deal after finding no threat to U.S. national security.

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  9. "We shall defend Poland in the face of an unfair, fabricated political procedure," Hungary's deputy prime minister Zsolt Semjen said the same day.

    The Czech Republic reacted at a higher level, but with no concrete pledge.

    The Czech prime minister, Andrej Babis, phoned his Polish counterpart Mateusz Morawiecki to say he was "convinced" that the commission's action "stems from a lack of communication" and that sanctions would "have a negative impact on the whole region".

    The commission decision shifted the dispute to the wider European arena after two years of bilateral talks.

    Member states are to vote in Brussels on 29 January whether they agree the Polish reforms constitute a "clear risk of a serious breach of rule of law".

    That decision is to be taken by a four-fifths majority.

    But a subsequent one, to confirm Poland is guilty of "a serious and persistent breach", must be taken by a consensus of the EU-27 minus Poland, prior to the adoption of sanctions, which would freeze Poland's EU voting rights.

    Germany and France have backed the commission.

    The Polish foreign minister, Witold Waszczykowski, expected support from the UK ahead of British prime minister Theresa May's visit to Warsaw on Thursday.

    But May's office dampened those expectations.

    It said she would "raise her concerns [on rule of law] with the [Polish] prime minister", adding "we expect all our partners to abide by international norms".

    Italy and Sweden also lined up with the EU mainstream.

    "The reform launched by the Warsaw government risks violating the rule of law," Italy's EU affairs minister, Sandro Gozi, said.

    "We have confidence in the judgement of the commission," Anna Lind, the Swedish EU affairs minister, also said.

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    Replies
    1. The Swedes collaborated with Nazi Germany. They do not protect their own women from the African and Muslim invaders. It is no surprise that they have no respect for anyone that stands up for themselves. One seriously fucked up country.

      Delete
    2. .

      Hungary?

      :o)

      The only country in the EU with more of a dictatorial government than Poland is Hungary.

      .

      Delete
    3. DICTATORSHIP OF SHEEP

      A 600-year-old school in Germany has ditched Christmas celebrations during class time after a Muslim pupil said that carols were incompatible with Islam.
      After a stir in local media over reports that the Johanneum Gymnasium in Lüneburg had “cancelled” Christmas following a Muslim girl’s complaint that the songs conflicted with her religion, the school’s headmaster said that the school was taking “a sensitive approach” to the festive season.

      Headmaster Friedrich Suhr confirmed that the complaint had taken place, but denied it was behind the decision of management at the school — one of the oldest in northern Germany — to postpone and make voluntary its annual Christmas party.

      The headmaster also explained that that music lessons at the school would no longer include songs with religiously-themed lyrics, pointing to regional education board rules which require teachers show consideration to pupils from minority faiths.

      Delete
  10. As to the tyranny of the courts, which in Poland as in the US cower the people and politicians with their usurped powers. Poland’s pro national government reacted against the country’s constitutional court. Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said... the court’s president “increasingly reminds me of an Iranian ayatollah.”

    Waszczykowski, a former Polish ambassador to Iran, said in an interview that the Constitutional Tribunal smacked of Iran’s religious rulers, who place themselves above democratic institutions. In Iran, “it’s not the law as determined by democratically elected parliaments, governments, presidents which is the dominating law, but the interpretation of that law through jurisprudence,” he said.

    Waszczykowski was reacting to a ruling by the tribunal that a series of profound changes to the law that govern its operations violated the country’s constitution. The new majority Law and Justice party (PiS) government refused to accept the court’s decision and voted to limit their terms.

    Judicial over-reach deserves a kick in the ass. It would be pleasing to see some of it in Hawaii, Oregon and California.

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  11. .

    Status of Jerusalem

    128 countries condemned the US position on Jerusalem in the UN General Assembly today.

    Israel (along with Togo and Micronesia) supported the US.

    Nicki Haley threatened to 'take names' of those countries supporting the resolution that was put up by Turkey and Yemen.

    Hopefully, she remembers her short-hand.

    .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It just shows how badly skewed and what a waste of our time and money that UN really is.
      .

      We ought to defend, get out, and form a new organization of the true democracies

      I noticed someone recently suggested uN Peacekeepers for Chicago.

      Heh

      They would fail at that too.

      The violence might even increase.

      Delete

    2. Not to worry, Togo is with US.

      Delete
    3. .

      Damn, Nicki Haley is petty.

      .

      Delete
    4. Yea, she is pretty, and smart and wise too !

      Delete
    5. .

      Let's see what Trump does.

      My guess? He will offer up some token action and claim it's an object lesson and a warning to the world and all those who oppose the US. Odds are it won't be against any country of importance.

      The world will likely shrug. Something that wouldn't have happened a decade ago.

      Trump embarrasses himself in front of the world. What's new?

      Trump decided with no prompting other than a campaign promise to go against fairly universal humanitarian agreements (the Geneva and Hague Conventions), agreements that the US is a prime signatory to. When other countries failed to go along with the charade, Trump's first instinct is to bully and threaten. Little wonder that most countries didn't go along.

      Had any other country done the same thing, Nicki Haley would be standing on her desk at the UN demanding crippling sanctions for the offender.

      This is just one more example of Trump diminishing the US in front of the world. One more instance of Trump surrendering world leadership over a meaningless act. If Trump, wants to give away US influence at the UN that's fine. He does it wherever goes, on trade, on climate, at the UN, in Europe. Move along folks, nothing to see here.

      One thing is sure. As Trump backs away, other countries will fill the void.

      .

      Delete
  12. Togoans are fierce wrestlers

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Though their national sport is sunbathing while asleep.

      Delete
    2. .

      They voted with the US because they were afraid Trump would embargo their Hawaiian Tanning Lotion.

      .

      Delete
  13. Not just Jerusalem: Why American rabbis voted Trump and Why they don't regret it -

    see: American Thinker

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. .

      see: American Thinker

      :o)

      Do you really think anyone runs over to check out American Thinker?

      .

      Delete
    2. All I can do is lead the horses to pure water. With this shitty phone I can't even provides link.

      That's up to you, old swayback.

      Delete
    3. And don't think you are getting any free oats.

      Delete
    4. And cool pure water is more than you deserve

      Delete
    5. Here's another good one for you, Quirk

      While you are over at AT read:

      Democratic Surrealism


      The Dems have f...Ed themselves.

      The Donald has them by the short hairs.

      He he HEH !!

      Delete
  14. Sylvester Stallone was accused of sexual assault in a police report filed in Santa Monica, Lt. Saul Rodriguez of the Santa Monica Police Department confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.

    The alleged victim filed a report last month, Rodriguez said. The incident occurred in the 1990s.

    ...

    Stallone vehemently denied the Las Vegas allegation, with his rep calling it "a ridiculous, categorically false story" at the time. A legal representative for the actor did not respond to a request for comment about the Santa Monica police report.

    ReplyDelete