The Economsit, the EU and me

The Irish Times has recently become free to read online. Why should you be interested? Well, its one of the very few English language papers that are very pro-European. Well perhaps not pro but are more than willing to produce editorials offering glowing praise to other EU leaders

From the article

Irish Times wrote:

Mr Sarkozy displayed an extraordinary combination of activism, ambition and pragmatism in response. He knows how to use power in each of these respects, but is also willing to learn from his setbacks and mistakes. This has earned him the admiration of most other leaders for an effective French presidency which kept the EU in the forefront of these events.

Now, you may wonder why I'm compelled post this. Well the simple answer is after years of subscription, my beloved Economist is on the chopping block. I've decided that if it reports that the EU is putting pressure, some even say bullying, Ireland into a second vote of the Lisbon Treaty I'm going to cancel my subscription.

That assertion is just false. And they know it. Or at least should. Ireland is wildly pro-EU and every major party (even the odd small one) is as well. The only people pushing for a second referendum are our parties. The EU really could care less if 4 million yahoos out in the Atlantic join them or not.

So, given that over this last week Ireland has received assurances over the week, I will be reading the upcoming Economist with great interest. If it reports on this as badly as it has in the past, I'm done. Am I fair? Do the Economist have a point?

If they are not living in the real world, they are not a reliable source. Although perhaps you should just not pay attention to their EU political coverage...

I have taken that tack for quite a while now. Unfortunately, I now feel its gone way too far. The British media love to portray the EU as this bureaucratic nightmare that sends out decrees like Moscow during the Soviet era. Look this clip at Mark Durcan for having gall to suggest that Britain should be thankful for the Euro . Talk about going down like a cold bag of sick.

I've grown tired of the British media's portrayal of the EU and the Economist should know better than peddle the line that decrees are issued from Brussels. Its not just lazy but considering many of the Eastern European countries have yet to join this negative attitude harms their entry, which I view as a fundamental good. Murdoch makes no secret of his dislike of the EU and uses his media to spread falsehoods to undermine it. The Economist should not be in that company and if it wishes to be I don't want to support it anymore.