I welcome the decision of the French people to reject the proposed European constitution. They may have had a variety of resons for doing so, good and bad. What was clear was that for the first time an electorate had had a good chance to look at the reality of the European Union as a whole, they even each had a copy of the constitution.
What we mostly hear is the spin and propaganda of career politicians. Those who serve the existing power structures of banks and big business and keep telling us it is in our own interest to work longer, get into debt and pay twice for our public services.
Besides those who voted for jingoistic reasons there was a solid block of left wingers and workers who recognised the clauses on military spending, foreign policy and free trade with no control by the European Parliament as a recipe for dictatorship by the Central Bank, Council of Ministers and Commisioners. We the people of Europe were being reduced to livestock, expected to only produce and consume.
By all means let us debate what the proper purpose of the European Union should be and develop an appropriate constitution but this one is not it. Dare our government let us vote NO too?