Most of all, to make this project work we need you. This is all about people explaining their thoughts and feelings, fears and desires. It is a place to recognize what is working right and needs to continue as well as a place to be inventive and correct errors and problems. The issue of "direct democracy" in which the people have the right to directly initiate law, constitution changes, social values, health, education, welfare, security (including military action and NON-action).
Please join and you can directly edit and write on these pages. Or you may simply add a comment on the bottom of these pages.
We are grateful for all you do.
Bruce,
LINKS
The following is a group of EU Citizens who are developing a Draft EU Constitution. Please view their project and join them.
EVERYONES A CITIZEN BABY
http://www.world-wide-democracy.net/Wiki/CitizenBaby∞
Datum: April 10th, 2005
We invite all to come to the Bulletin Board and discuss this European Constituent Process
http://europeanconstituentprocess.net/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=6∞
Discussion on European Integration and Constitution
Cafe Babel has some interesting articles on this subject, see the links on this page:
Constitution, a step towards democracy?∞
For example
A truly democratic EU?∞ stresses the importance of Participatory Democracy, talks about decision-making preferably by consensus.
∞
IDEAS AND CONSTITUTIONAL SUGGESTIONS
I suggest this, please comment.
European Nation I, R & R
Regarding the European Union, the first thing which hits me is UNION? Carpenters, Plumbers, Steel Workers have Unions but a Nation? Is this the structure the people want to govern themselves?
Also, the Nation does not need a "BOSS" president or Prime Minister. The Countries can make the decisions, and an administration can be charged with accomplishing the tasks.
With many different groups such as Village, Town, City, County, State etc. it seems an adopted Republican form of government may well fit. I do not know about definitions, they seem to be at the digression of the speaker anymore. My definition would be a Republican form defines all the parts and parcels and allow each to be given it's needed powers with out interfering with each other. Power would be limited and the people would have final power in the I&R&R.
Thus there would (I don't know the words used in Europe) a European Nation, with Countries (here in the states we call these "countries" states.) Thus Turkey, France, etc. would still be "countries" within the European Nation. There would be within each Country: County's, Towns, Cities, Villages, (use your label) each with their own local government which would each follow the democratic Initiative, Recall and Referendum provisions of the European Nation.
The EU has already begun electronic governance.
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/doemoff/govinfo/intl/gov_eu.html∞
To begin, I suggest to start with the present EU Omnibus man.
http://www.euro-ombudsman.eu.int/home/en/default.htm∞
Here you will find a smiling man with a complaint form for you to fill out if you choose. I suggest filling out the complaint form, stating no I&R is present and you would like to present one to be added to the draft constitution.
I suggest this Ombudsman could coordinate the I&R of the European Nation. He could ask each country / state to assign an ombudsman who would facilitate a I&R system for that country which would also flow to each county city etc. Each of these would also have an ombudsman. The Ombudsmen would coordinate with election officials to provide the framework for a referendum when necessary.
Now, with these Ombudsman from each country, and with interested individuals who are citizens of the European Nation, I suggest a I,R&R System could be easily adopted and accepted by the present "EU". Than, continuing on with the Constitution, I suggest the EU Citizens write articles for a Draft Constitution, present them to the Omnibus man who could present the articles for discussion in each country. Petitions of any change would flow through the ombudsman office. It may be necessary to have article a, article b, article c for a choice on the vote, all decided by the people. Articles could be amended, perhaps a deadline for amendments could be included.
The next election could include the "Constitution Articles" for referendum.
Once the European Nation was structured the EU would turn all assets etc. over to the European Nation and the EU would have a fast burial, no wake necessary.
*
10 08 2005
From another list, this valuable information came regarding the process of the United States developing it's Constitution.
1. The Declaration of Independence created a sovereign nation called the United
States of America.
2. The Constitution was a contract between We The People
and the sovereign States to create a central government for that sovereign
nation.
3. The Constitution was not a contract with the government at all, it
CREATED the government, defined its parameters, and limited its powers.
*
Bringing this to the EU, originally the EU was to be a "trade" organization, not a method to govern Europe. That seems to have changed, and the original EU began the process of governing without being constructed to govern.
I think before a "Constitution" can be written, the "EU must be "created" by that I mean defined as to what the EU is, it's purpose, whether it should "rule" the member states and if so what format of rule. By this I mean is it to be a republic? a federation? a monarchy?
What power will the EU need to fulfill it's identified purpose?
What powers will be retained by the member countries?
Will the EU handle money? How will this effect the member countries? Who regulates the money?
Will the EU provide military security? If so, how are the member states expected to contribute in money and personal?
Will the EU provide health care? Retirement? Or will this be a member country responsibility?
Will the EU provide methods of trade?
Will the individual countries be able to trade independently from the EU?
These items are necessary to determine the "powers" and who has them.
Likely there are other matters which also have to be addressed here. Can you add some?
I think these things need to be known before a Constitution can create the EU or the European Nation government.
Just some ideas to think about.
Bruce
Bruce Eggum
Wisconsin, USA
http://www.doinggovernment.com∞
SEARCH WDDM
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