A few days ago I ran the a video featuring Nigel Farage. While I support his cause and his words echo my feelings... comments from my European readers were alot less than flattering.
I wrote the UKIP to get a response to the criticisms that flew Nigel's way.
Today I got that response.
Wow.Dear SolomonMany thanks for writing to me about this. I notice that the comments you mention, from your "readers in Europe", do not address the substance of my speech - which was all about the EU's Central Bank bailing out failing eurozone-countries - at all!What those "readers" are saying amounts to an ad hominem attack - an ancient rhetorical device for avoiding an argument you can't win - and, in addition, this attack is the oldest canard in the book - "racism", if you please, when UKIP is a declared libertarian, inclusive, democratic Party, battling to remove the megalomanic grasp of the Brussels-bureaucrats from our social, economic, political and judicial throat!I don't think you can take it seriously. UKIP always says , "love Europe - hate the EU!" It is the neo-soviet EU-system, we are fighting, and the Quisling-conspirators in national governments, who have created this system, and who stay in power, because they are using taxpayers' money, via the EU and directly, to bribe the media and all society's opinion-formers to support them.As for our neighbours, European and otherwise, we fear for them - as the EU's power grows - just as much as we fear for ourselves.What your critics are saying is cynical tosh.Yours sincerelyNigel
Nigel rocks!
The McCarthyte, liberal fascist left always screams racism. It's their favorite tactic to bully and steamroll opposition.
ReplyDeleteOppose unlimited immigration? Racist!
Oppose huge welfare for foreign deadbeats? Racist!
Defend your own self-interest in any way? Racist!
Question the wisdom of the multi-culti Diversity-nazis? Racist!
Question the global warming scam? Racist!
Luckily the smear tactics these leftist low-lifes use are losing their effectiveness. By the ten thousandth baseless accusation of racism, decent people finally just tell these socialists weasels to go pound sand.
In my view Farage over does it. That said, whilst I may not necessarily agree with him, I like that he does actually have clear views and sticks to them. If he wasn't quite so rude he would probably be more effective, but then his rudeness does draw attention - so who knows.
ReplyDeleteThe EU does offer the UK alot, but it does also cost the UK alot and does impinge on UK sovereignty as well as several other issues.
The issues are twofold. Firstly that none of the main political parties are prepared to enter a serious discussion on the matter and campaign on a clear position. In seeking the center to stand for everyone they've ended up actually standing for nothing. This has become a circular problem; as they don't have a true position theyre scared of campaigning on one, this leaves them without a cleam mandate on Europe and so leaves them unsure of the risks/benefits of campaigning on on.. and round we go.
Secondly the issue is that Britain has been utterly inept with regards to acting within Europe.
The first issue is that the UK judiciary has become far too strong and is religiously enforcing EU legislation whilst other European nations tend to adopt a more relaxed approach. Whilst say the French judiciary regards domestic law as sovereign over EU law, the UK judiciary is now regarding EU law as sovereign over UK law.
Finally the UK has been useless at efficiently spending the billions available to it through the EU.
If you take France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Greece, etc, what have they spent their EU money on over the last 10-20 years? Infrastructure - high quality road networks, high speed rail networks, etc.
What has the UK spent its EU money on? Ferris wheels and a big tent in Grenwich.
Sol,
ReplyDeleteMaybe I should have commented on your other post so that not all of your European readers would be tarred with the same brush. Whilst he may overdo the rhetoric I bit I support UKIP and was going to vote for them at the last election (the reason I didn't being that UKIP told people not to vote for their local candidate because the local Tory was anti-EU and more likely to get in, so it was better to support him).
I based my decision on several factors, one of the key ones was the UKIP defence manifesto, which was the only party that wasn't either anti-defence or giving vague platitudes so that they didnt commit to anything.
Perhaps you should give it a read on their website and see what you think.
And calling the EU, I quote, "neo-soviet", "megalomaniac" and European politicians "Quisling-conspirators" (thus comparing them to Norwegian fascists who collaborated with Nazi Germany) isn't questionable at all?
ReplyDeleteSorry, there are those who favor further integration and those who don't, but just as I wouldn't call Mr. Farage a racist, the EU and European politicians don't deserve to be called "neo-soviet", "Quisling-conspirators", ... .
Sol,
ReplyDeleteSo that's ok then,Nigel writes hown little CV and you accept it as gospel (as if you were ever going to do anything else)
If you are so keen on UKIP you would do better with a little independent research,some which is not biased.
Try for instance 'thedaily politics' website.
Then try looking at the record of certain UKIP MEP's in particular Ashley Moat and Tom Wise.
As one observer puts it 'For such a small party UKIP's record is frankly appalling'
You are either extremely gullible (which is not the case) or you are blatantly accepting this reply to cement your case (which it certainly does not do)
These comments, and others, illustrate that Euros are getting exactly what they deserve.
ReplyDeleteEuropean socialsm (yes, that's neo-Soviet) has failed. The leadership is doubling-down on stupid just as they are here in the US.
Europe just keeps slipping further into oblivion. Europeans don't get it and they certainly can't afford the education.
In America, we decided to wise-up in 2010. Our marketplace of ideas continued to remind us there was another, more succesful model.
The only way the leftists can continue to maintain power is to shut down such marketplaces. Help them to your own detriment!
Anonymous.
ReplyDeleteI asked on another post for anyone to give me proof of the claims that were being made against Nigel.
They never did.
The same person made the same plea. Do your own research.
I did.
The worst that I found were a few columns about him being an embarrassment and how he was rude.
I find his frankness refreshing.
I also find his ideas compelling.
Maybe its because I am the prototypical "Ugly American"...
Maybe its because I am a Barbarian.
Maybe its because I'm old fashioned.
Either way, he speaks to my beliefs.
Where some see Nigel as being heartless, I hear him speaking of people being independent. Where others hear his words and think that he's being cruel, I hear someone championing individualism over an ever intrusive government.
Dependence vs. Independence. That's the view of things from this side of the pond and Nigel speaks to those who want limited government, a strong military and balanced budgets.
But we can agree to disagree. No harm done.
http://corbett.pir2.info/assets/docs/briefing/theres-something-about-ukip.pdf
ReplyDeleteIn the interests of balance Marine Boy, that paper was authored by a member of the European Parliament and fully paid up member of the more Europe persuasion who is not working directly for the EU since he was dumped out of his job at the ballot box, you know, democracy in action
ReplyDeleteTurkey's don't vote for Christmas do they
We also need to make sure we differentiate Europe with the EU
They is plenty of good for the UK in Europe, they are of course our natural trading partners and we show many other things as well butt the EU is a political construct, not trade
That should have read 'now working for'
ReplyDeleteSol,
ReplyDeleteKnowing your thoughts on Europe and the EU in particular,may I draw your attention to an article published today on www.defence-aerospace.com entitled 'Europe divided over China arms sales' it will warm the cockles of your heart.
Have your valium to hand.
@Franks,
ReplyDeletethis article may help you develop a more balanced view! But somehow i doubt it.....
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/edwest/100073790/record-ukip-poll-ratings-only-a-matter-of-time-before-they-overtake-the-lib-dems/
Sorry for the long link.
AndyJS.
@Anonymous
ReplyDeleteAll the article says is that UKIP is doing better at the polls running on a Eurosceptic, more or less conservative platform and that unlike the BNP the party's not full of nationalists and fascists. How does that help me broaden my view? That's pretty much what they are except that I'd rate some of their members as hypocritical loudmouths (hardly something unusual regarding politicians, but UKIP seems to be blessed with a large number of this type of politician).
Franks,
ReplyDeletewe usually see eye to eye but if the best you can come up with is that they're 'loud mouths' then i don't see your point at all.
in the US most of us are tired of the political double talk that most politicians engage in.
during the latest State of the Union address, the President called for deficit reduction while at the same time calling for more spending!
personally, i'm waiting for the politician that will loudly proclaim that's bullshit and will defend the one that does when he's called a loud mouth.
but i digress, as i said earlier, we can agree to disagree..
By "loudmouths" I mean that they sometimes stroll into Chavez-land (who e.g. compared the German chancellor to Hitler) and throw around with terms like "neo-soviet" or "Quisling". Actually a pluralistic society needs even people like them to keep political debates going, it's just that their behaviour is extremely annoying and insulting (calling Belgium a "non-country"). I think I already said that I don't share his political views regarding the EU, so e.g. I am in favor of fiscal union and he is against it.
ReplyDelete