Lisbon Yes or No?

Personally speaking I could argue for both a Yes and a No vote to Lisbon!

However my no vote argument doesn't have anything to do with opposing the Lisbon Treaty - as I don't. But to be honest I'm not inclined to give the Government any win or credit by giving them what they want i.e. a yes vote.

However on balance I feel that this would be (proverbially) cutting off the countries nose to spite its' face. That doesn't mean that people won't take the opportunity to give the Government a bloody nose. I mean who wants to hear them crowing in the event of a 'yes'?

I don't think there could be a worse time for the referendum to be held as the amount of anger at the Government is astonishing. People are feeling sore and bitter and bracing themselves for a whole lot more financial pain. They still can't understand how it all went so wrong, so quickly. All with the distinct feeling that much of this could have been avoided with better management and an eye to the unsustainable taxes (see earlier blogs) which were treated as if they would last forever.

Then I look at who is leading the opposition and, of course, my Yes vote is confirmed. They're like Chicken-Licken running around shouting about the sky falling in (on every single EU vote that I can remember) which of course, it won't. Having said that, they are campaigning better than the Yes side.

Ireland needs to be on the pitch, playing with the big boys rather than on the sidelines watching the action. When you consider the original aims of the European project - they still stand. And it has delivered a long, peaceful period to an otherwise very volatile continent. Look at our history. Surely emphasizing co-operation and our 'European-ness' can only help to keep us all together, and working with each other rather than against each other.

Europe has delivered very positively for Ireland and we should be 'taking the hand from the wrist' off of them to ensure that we continue to play a role which is completely out of proportion with our small size.

I'm not convinced the Government can win this vote though. People want a change (of government) and their vote may well be more influenced by their emotions rather than by any consideration of what is a clumsy and difficult to read treaty. If that happens then the blame will lie firmly with an unpopular and unmandated (in these circumstances) Government which seems incapable of giving up power.

As for the Green Party? No matter what the surgery they are trying to convince us they are performing, it will be seen as cosmetic surgery only - when the big issue is keeping those deemed most responsible for this mess i.e. Fianna Fáil, in power. They will be punished for that no matter what they do.