While I too have become disenchanted by the EU in the last year or two, and think that the lobbying of interest groups must be stopped at any cost, that we must ensure representation and ensure that the EU doesn't only look at economic interests yet at the whole picture, the requirements of society, the both of you are forgetting one single thing. Firstly, when there was time for change, it was not used. Not necessarily because of the European Commission, as it has little control over the European Council, but because the heads of state in the profound "wisdom", haven't done so. Once again, it is the national level, that should had forced the politicians to do the rights things has failed. Of course, the fact that the EEC and now the EU with the EC, the EP and particularly the ECJ has been gaining powers in more policy fields, without having the instruments or most importantly, the mindset to regulate such areas. Additionally, don't tell me that national politics truly represent the opinion of the public? They just as much seek power as you claim EU bureaucrats do.
Secondly, the large number of regulations, keeping you safe every moment of your waking lives is staggering. I recently did a short essay on the CAP and the amount of information and regulations are so vast, that I only touched the tip of the iceberg, and the problem itself was very limited in scope in the first place. The common market, the 4 liberties, consumer regulation, health and safety regulation which would otherwise had never been accepted by national governments is the only thing still ensuring my on-going support for the EU. Once again, it is the failure of the process, not of the inherent nature of the system (although it is flawed as national systems are flawed and yet we only openly demand action concerning the EU!).
The world has changed and we need the EU if we wish to survive. Taking into account all its problems and the flaws that have been, are and will be exposed, it is better to keep the system yet ensure that it functions properly. Otherwise, I wish to join Sky in the act of cleaning up, yet on the national level first, not the European one. One wrong does not make the whole system bad, nor do two wrongs a right make.
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