Nov 19, 2009 · Expatriator
My bet: Mr. Blair or Vaira Vike-Freiberga
Nov 19, 2009 · mike_walsh
I think for most Europeans the outcome will be meaningless: These guys are voting for themselves. There was more electoral accountability in Hitler's Germany. I like the graffiti I once saw on a wall: 'Don't vote: It only encourages them.'
Nov 19, 2009 · Expatriator
Ohh, so cynical. So you have no opinion?
Nov 19, 2009 · mike_walsh
Oh, I have an opinion .. I am far too opinionated for most people's liking. The point I make is; my opinion in this matter doesn't carry any weight whatsoever. How many Europeans are there? How many will get the chance to exercise their opinion on the matter of the President of the EU? None. They will soon be told who their dictator is and their lives will go on as usual. Yes, I suppose I am cynical about gerrymandering. That is a healthy opinion. The kind that hopefully will some day bring real change; democracy rather than dumbocracy. :o)
Nov 19, 2009 · Expatriator
Well there's a difference between cynicism and healthy, informed skepticism about our "democracies" in which we live. There's something to be said for the lack of real progress made as a pointer towards the inability for these "dictators" to really behave like dictators however. In the mean time, which dictator would you choose? :)
Nov 19, 2009 · mike_walsh
None of them; I am just disillusioned. I know the Daily Mail is anti-EU but this sort of thing doesn't display that prejudice, it reinforces it. I think it is all quite an undemocratic process so to put forward an opinion gives it an undeserved legitimacy.
:-
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1228994/EU-president-race-descends-chaos-leaders-struggle-agree-candidate.htmlNov 19, 2009 · Expatriator
Never seen that media source before but its prejudice and bias is pretty overt to a newbie. "Chaos?" Difficult, yes, but chaos (which they re-use more than 4 times throughout the article without citing any source for that word) is a bit of an exaggeration. The schlok lining the right side is clearly high-brow journalism at its best as well. :)
Anyway, I didn't realize Blair was so disliked by Merkel but I can understand why some leaders would be put off by his high profile. A lowly, unoffensive Belgian is surely a better candidate to lead the world's best example of a peaceful union of disparate cultures and economies through these tough times.