Vous les idiots contemptable prendrez votre direction du Politburo et l'aimerez

You contemtable idiots will take your direction from the Politburo and like it. I've been asking anyone who would indulge me, or who might have an understanding of the dynamics, why I should ever have wanted the people of France or the Netherlands to ratify the EU Constitution.

I haven't found someone able to convince me that it is a good thing for citizens of these countries to empower a bureaucratic elite light years removed from their daily concerns or any meaningful accountability.

The EU trend, which to date has been in favor of consolidating power in Brussels, may be in for a reversal. The individual western European has grown rightfully accustomed to self determination and a power to do something about perceived problems. The power of the individual pervades society and culture and has only grown with the internet. However, this social and cultural trend runs completely contrary to the political trend of the last 5 years that has moved the levers of power farther and farther from the individual.

So maybe the political leadership in Europe can ramrod this Constitution through. The recent referendae are a clear setback, but in all fairness, it is the first time the people were asked for their opinion.