Nigel Farage: 'Euroscepticism is an assertion of identity'
24 Oct 2013, 4:31 pm
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fylQEsMRQQE[/youtube]
Years ago, you were less worried, the few of us here who were eurosceptic were treated as being mentally ill and sort of patted on the head.
But now we are 'evil', 'populists', we are 'dangerous'; we are going to bring down Western civilisation. And it is clear, you don't get it. You don't understand why this is happening - well let me help you.
In 2005, it was the pivotal moment of this project, the French and the Dutch had said No to the EU Constitution. Mr Barroso stood up and said they didn't really vote no, they didn't understand what they'd be doing.
They did! They did!
You see ever since 2005, the real European debate is about identity. What we are saying, large numbers of us from every single EU member state is: we don't want that flag, we don't want the anthem that you all stood so ramrod straight for yesterday, we don't want EU passports, we don't want political union.
And if you think about it, there is nothing extreme about that position, there's nothing right-wing about that position, there is nothing left-wing indeed about that position. It is a normal sensible assertion of identity. Because what we are saying on our side of the argument... [shouting from MEPs] Well, you see you can scream and shout all you like which really rather proves to me why you are going to do so badly in the European elections next year. Because you're not listening.
We want to live and work and breathe in a Europe of nation-state democracy. We want to trade together, we want to cooperate together. We're happy to agree sensible common minimum standards, and yes! We want to control our own borders which is the rational logical and sensible thing for any nation state to do. We're not against immigration, we're not against immigrants, we believe there needs to be a degree of control.
And that is the message that is picking up support right across this continent and I genuinely think that there is an opportunity for an electoral earthquake to happen in the European elections next year with a large number of people from all sides of this House who will come with a nation-state agenda. Who will come saying, let's have a Europe, as De Gaulle might have said, of the patrie. Let's not have a Europe of political union. And you can abuse us all you like, but what we stand for is fair, principled and democratic.
Sharkbait
Velociraptor
Joined: 17 Oct 2013
Age: 56
Gender: Male
Posts: 478
Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
24 Oct 2013, 6:17 pm
We (as in the UK Independence Party) suspect that we'll come first in the European elections next year (for the UK).
We haven't won a seat in our national parliament yet, but that's mainly because of our electoral system.
There are similar parties with anti-EU platforms across Europe: Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom, Timo Soini's The Finns Party, Rolandas Paksas' Order and Justice, Kristian Thulesen Dahl's Danish People's Party and Jimmie Åkesson's Sweden Democrats. There are some other anti-EU parties, but not all of them are savoury.
24 Oct 2013, 6:26 pm
nothing he says suprises me,being from where im from.the city of Boston and eastern massachusetts brings a lot of money and commerce and trade to the new england states but people from western massachusetts,vermont,new hampshire and maine dont always like the cultural and political changes that come as the new england industry belt encroaches more and more on the more traditional old fashioned new england culture.
so many people from vermont and new hampshire complain about massachusetts transplants and there different values and politics,but then again they are the ones who sign there paychecks.
and connecticut is dealing with the same problems but with new york as opposed to boston.
people from the larger states think of new england as 1 state but dont realize that new england is really the "balkans" of the US.6 tiny but uniquely different states cramed against each other,who cant ever seem to agree on anything.(accept they all hate new york).
_________________
Forever gone
Sorry I ever joined
Thelibrarian
Veteran
Joined: 5 Aug 2012
Age: 61
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,948
Location: Deep in the heart of Texas
24 Oct 2013, 7:55 pm
The new nationalist parties in Europe are similar to the Tea Parties in the US. Both wish to reform a system that only benefits the elites.
As Karl Marx noted, reform is what the elites engage in from time to time to maintain their hold on power. If the elites on both sides of the pond aren't willing to reform, then things will get really interesting.
