Constitutional Titbit - 1

As the Draft Constitution is thick enough to warrant killing several trees to print one copy, I decided to make a small critisism each week about part of it. At this rate I'll complete it by 2020 or so. In general the constitution is written in such a way as to over time take ever more power to Brussels. For this purpose it is vague and meaningless in most areas.

The Unions Values The union is founded on the values of human dignity, liberty, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. These values are common to the member states in a society in which pluralism, non discrimination, tolerance, justice, solidarity and equality between women and men prevail.

This sounds like a shopping list of vague values which can be twisted to mean whatever you want it to at a later date. The beauty of the USA constitution is that the values of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are universal. These on the other hand are an attempt to cast social democracy in concrete. If equality is a constitutional value how can we ever escape the tyranny of the tax man. The welfare state will become an even greater millstone around our necks, ever more inefficient ever more expensive. The addition of non discrimination and tolerance will be used for such idiotic ventures as the latest insurance directive. Pure politically correct lunacy. The fact that these terms have been abused to the point that they are now meaningless, makes the opportunity for abuse greater. Looking at the controversy of the Catholic beliefs of Rocco Buttiglione shows where or dear leaders would take this clause. Whatever is wrong with the concept of the rule of law, where evryone is equal under the law no matter who they are.