A new propaganda wheeze

TEBAF Margot was very chipper this week in Committee. She was explaining the next stage of the campaign to convince us that the Constitution/Reform Treaty, and fascinating it was too.

The title of the talk was the sort of thing to make anybody interested,

"Structured dialogue with Vice-President of the Commission Margot Wallström on
the 2008 Legislative and Work programme"

But we persevered,
She was chuffed to punch she told us, particularly by one aspect of the Presidency conclusions, viz.
" the crucial importance of reinforcing communication with the European citizens, providing full and comprehensive information on the European Union and involving them in a permanent dialogue. This will be particularly important during the upcoming IGC and ratification process."

Or in other words her job will be important. However it was this little item that caught my attention,

In this particular context I am also happy to report that the Commission is in the process of proposing a review of the existing Regulation on the statute and the financing of European Political parties, which will create a framework for the establishment and funding of political foundations at European level, yet another step on the way to creating a European public sphere in the framework of the implementation of Plan D.(Bold in the original)

Elsewhere she talked about,"training seminars for journalists; facilitating the work of the media by putting at their disposal more tools and data (image databases, EbS, documentaries etc.)" and "The reinforced Pilot Representations have played a crucial role by initiating innovative approaches for going local (Milan: collaboration with 60 Newspapers and/or web media launched 2006;

And why do I have a problem with any of this? Well let's start at the top. European Political Parties are an anathema. They exist for two main reasons, firstly to create a fiction of the single nation of Europe and secondly as a method of screwing more money out of the taxpayer to fund politicians. They first popped up in the Maastricht Treaty (Art 191) which said,
"Political parties at European level are important as a factor for integration within the Union. They contribute to forming a European awareness and to expressing the political will of the citizens of the Union".
They are controlled through this regulation.
However yesterday the Commission amended this regulation to allow the funding of European Political Foundations. Of course the idea is that more and more people are caught up in the financial straightjacket of the EU, more and more public money will be poured down the throat of those who pump out Brussels propaganda.
The comments by the JEF (young European Federalists sums it up,

Jan Seifert, President of JEF-Europe commented:
“The great innovation of today’s proposals is the introduction of European Political Foundations. These foundations can play an important role in further fostering the debate about Europe within and outside the networks of the European Political Parties. Developing further the European political space is a central task for the European political parties. We call on the parties to make use of the new opportunities the foundations offer to them also to increase their outreach to European NGOs.”

“The introduction and financing of European Political Parties has been an important step in the support for a European political space and the development of European democracy. The emergence of European parties is fundamental to create a true European discourse that is not hijacked by national politics.”

Margot's own comments are risible,
"I firmly believe that communication, dialogue and active involvement of the citizens is crucial for the Union's ability to achieve its objectives and deliver the right policies. European Political parties and foundations have a key role to play in bridging the gap between politics at national and European level. Within the coming months and years Europe will face important political challenges and events including the IGC and the elections to the European Parliament in 2009. Against this backdrop, it is all the more important to involve the citizens in a permanent, genuine and informed political dialogue We need to make it clear to the citizens that their political choice matters and that their active involvement on European issues has a direct bearing on their everyday lives.
Look you ridiculous Swede. If you hadn't spotted the people are already involved. And if you actually meant the drivel you are spouting you would not be pushing the IGC at all would you. "Their political choice matters", frankly my dear, Balls. Their choice matters if they choose to agree with you. But when they do not (Think France and Holland) then they are ignored.
Liar, fraud, snake oil saleswoman, sharp, huckster, all round dishonest and deceitful slithering capon strangler.