Eurocrats are the masters now

[ProtestantsRUs]

It's not politicians who are the King of Kings. There is only one King, and His name is Jesus Christ.

[ElDuorPaso]

A passionate member of parliament!

Why? Because the guy gets up and speaks like its a room full of politicians.

[Alienami]

I am American and the fact that there are so many empty seats puzzles me. At least in our seats sit empty men with empty heads, empty promises and empty ideals.. you know, ..Liberals.

[Independence4Britain]

Well, the EU parliament has an awful lot of Einsteins there. It's obvious because only they can come up with so many bogus ways in which to obtain more and more taxpayer's money for doing something utterly useless. They all have master's degrees in said subjects you know. I really don't see how empty men with empty heads could do all of that.

[jbryant13]

I don't know the in's and outs of the EU - but have you ever watched "special orders" speeches on CSPAN. They are done after the regular sessions are over. Anyone can get up and speak about anything. Usually the only people there are an acting "speaker of the House" , the person giving the speech, and a couple of administrative people. Sometimes they can go on till midnight. It all gets put in the official congressional record.

[Lehi007]

hahahaha, funny but true

In my country (Belgium), parliaments (we have fifteen of them) are always very empty, interspersed with newspaper-reading politicians (just enough so the session must not be canceled) - and yes they virtually all left-wingers too (or rightists in favor of abortion, government intervention in every aspect of life, etc)

[bbphnix]

@Lehi007 that's terrible;

in my country..... there's a video on failblog of one of our parliamentarians watching porn during a parliament meeting;

fucking fags; it's disgraceful how the people that are supposed to govern other countries are some of the worst those countries have to offer

[Kosakken]

I love Daniel Hannan so much...... But I have to disagree with him on this particular point about the cell phone charges.

The cell phone companies have for a very long time been exploiting their costumers with complex contracts noone has the time to fully read before signing. The charges for inter-EU cell phone calls have far exeeded the expense untill now, and it has shown one of the ugly faces of real capitalism.

But it is still frightning that the eurocrats have this kind of power!!

[herculese220]

You missed the point, He's talking about the balance. Only 10% of the people in Britain travel overseas, the remainder who live on council estates, face higher call charges, to balance the lower international tariffs, so by a swing of 90% the 'ugly faces of real capitalism' make a vast profit, from what seems like a benevolent act. wakey wakey !

[z2b]

You missed the point:

The principle at stake and the underlying premise of Henans speech is that the government does not have the right to tell businesses how they are to run themselves, nor consumers who they are to patronage. People must be left free to make their own decisions. In a free market (a truly free market) when a company overcharges for a service or good an opportunity is created for competition. Free up the markets and if there is gouging it will soon pass anyway.

[Kosakken]

I should have mentioned of course, that I live in Denmark with only about 5 million other people. This has made our country uninteresting for many kinds of free market operators and prey to many kinds of monopoly abusers.

I still stand by my wiev, that for Danish consumers, this is a positive rule. And I repeat my statement that the Eurocrats should not have the power to make such a rule, wheather it is good or bad.

And Danish monopoly problems should not force new rules onto British merchants

[herculese220]

If that was the point, then I totally agree. But the guy I was talking to was saying something else.

[MyoldSKOOL]

this guy is good and has good knowlage not afraid to speak how it really is men further up the ladder don't like it!

[rudeboy80]

To see a video where EUSSR MPs get caught red-handed abusing their expense allowances, do a YouTube search for "expense allowance abuse meps".

[ariksan]

Amazing how the European parliament disrescpects the opposition. Where is everybody? Why are there so many empty seats?!

[gbrady3434]

I am appalled to see so many empty seats! They should either allow the homeless to make better use of those seats or reduce the pay for those absent.

[MooseOfReason]

bEurocrats. :)

[TheAtheistKnight]

A government should serve the people but no matter where I look the politicians seem to think the people are here to serve them.

I couldn't agree with Hanann more.

[doverlin]

We Eurocrats . . . we nobleman of privilege. We do hereby declare by decree (not quite, but almost) that the law of the land shall be . . . subservience. Obey or be swatted by the baton of our enforcers (your police or constables).

[TejasLibertarian]

Mr. Hannan,

Please emigrate to Texas.

[lives2live]

I'll immigrate when you secede

[rayme4raw]

I'll race you to Texas if they secede. Texas is now largely a Democratic state, but 50% of Texas Republicans in a recent poll support secession.  I never thought of living in Texas, but I'll live where there is Freedom over Tyranny any day.

[KtLM97]

You said it. I'll risk the hurricanes and tornadoes.

[Alienami]

I live in the Florida Keys, we seceded (albeit not very seriously....) in 1982 and call ourselves the Conch Republic.. Look it up on Wikipedia. The Upper Keys has seceded from the Lower Keys now also..

[shaurz]

Does anyone ever attend the EU parliament?

[Stevenhiggles]

Plz school Obama!!!!

[Galerius292]

Or as M. Tullius Cicero put it: Qui Bono?

[BlueSkies360]

I like the name he used.. what was it ..eurorats, eurotax.. urocrats oh... eurocrats.. thats it!

[NOislamification]

lol. he does have a way with words.

[happyfred3]

EUROCRAPS!!!

[LeGioNoFZioN]

excellent point. I really dig this guy.

[averylbrooks]

He makes a great point.

[JibblesTaint]

lol, where is everybody else?

[calisto625]

Just what I was thinking. Were are all the other MEPs?

[stopularno]

More people there than in the US Congress on any given day lol