"...But the problem, my dinner companion argued, wasn't the vision of a mega-bureaucracy. The problem was the cowardice of politicians who were afraid to make decisions their countrymen might despise. Asking the citizens of these countries what they want is a mistake, he said. "Voters are stupid. They always vote their prejudices." The European leaders were happiest with no decision at all."
"I wondered aloud if maybe getting the consent of the governed before changing who governs them might not be a good idea. That was obviously a dangerous notion. "For something as complex as the EU, it doesn't make any sense to ask their opinion," my friend said. Who would expect the common man to understand something as heavy going as the draft constitution? "Besides," he added, passing a bromide across the table, "that's why they elected representatives — to make these decisions for them.""
Posted by Noel at December 15, 2003 08:28 PM