The European Union is the Greatest Economy in the World. Will USA catch up?

[SamuelRSmith]

^I'm a supporter of an EU, not the EU.

The EU, as it stands, isn't very democratic in its nature, and it feels very distant to citizens of countries. Both of those things create huge amounts of resentment in EU-member countries.

I mean, look at the Lisbon Treaty fiasco. I was for pretty much everything that was in the Lisbon treaty (minus a couple of smaller issues), but I was not happy in the way that Governments went about getting it ratified.

On one hand, looks of people were against it, and yet national parliaments all agreed to it, anyway. Many people said that this wasn't democratic.

On the other hand, it could be said that Ireland's rejection on the treaty was also undemocratic, because the views of a very small proportion of the EU population stopped a process that would effect the entire EU. I would also say that this is undemocratic.

My views? The Lisbon treaty should be broken into four - or - five smaller proposals and referenda should be held on each at an EU level. So the entire EU votes are all collected and counted.

This would be beneficial in so many ways. The good parts of the Lisbon Treaty would be ratified, whilst parts that people disagree with will be left in the dust. It will also be ratified in a far more democratic way and people would feel more in-touch with the EU overhead.

If people are happier with the EU, then they're more likely to vote in European elections. If that happens, then the European Parliament would have more mandate and thus be able to demand more power, taking power away from the Council of Ministers and the European Civil Service.

And that's when the EU will make huge leaps and bounds in terms of becoming a singular voice, with all the people united behind it.