So the date is set.

We are to have our little referendum on the “Fiscal Treaty” on the 31st of May.

In the coming nine weeks we are going to be bombarded with more lies, threats and propaganda than ever before.

Now by my understanding, this treaty ties us into honouring financial restrictions and rules as laid down by Brussels.  They will have the ability to set our financial targets and if we don’t honour those targets we can be liable for massive fines.

This is not some new law we are talking about.  This is the Irish Constitution which is supposed to represent the identity and aspirations of the Irish People.  Once it is in, it is in and cannot be removed.  The only way to remove it is by another referendum and that is never going to happen.

Already they are starting on about the “benefits” of voting yes.  Already that cunt Lucinda Creighton is mouthing off saying that amending the Constitution was a big choice for voters and that, while it was not for the Government to issue ultimatums, she felt “very clearly that it is in our interests to vote Yes”.  In other words, we are not going to threaten you but you had better vote yes, or else.  But then she would say that when she has her snout firmly in the cash trough that is Brussels?

I can guarantee that we are to hear endlessly about how a yes vote will be great for business and that it will guarantee jobs and prosperity for the future.  We will hear how we will gain gratitude and respect from the people of Europe for saving the Euro.

We will also hear how a no vote will mean that we will not be able to borrow on the international market, the cash machines will run dry, our teachers and nurses won’t get paid and that ultimately the sky will fall in on us.

What they won’t tell us is that we are not just tying our boat to the Titanic, we are welding it firmly to the hull.  Brussels will have the ultimate control over our financial affairs and this handing over of sovereignty will actually be embedded in our constitution. They will have the final say and there won’t be a thing we can do about it.  We are handing all our keys over to Brussels and independence will become something for the history books.

Brussels doesn’t give a flying fuck about Ireland.  They are interested only in their Euro and their ultimate dream of a United States of Europe.  If sacrificing the people of Ireland to permanent austerity is part of the price for stability, then so be it.  If we complain, then all they have to do is to tighten our belts by another couple of notches.

They will say that there is no alternative.  I will say there are many alternatives.  We can simply vote no, and Brussels will just have to grin and bear it.  As we will still be part of the Euro they will have to treat us with a little more respect if they want their precious currency to survive.  We can vote no and withdraw from the Euro.  OK, that would mean some difficult times, but the Euro has done us no favours in the past.  If we hadn’t been in the Eurozone, it is very unlikely we would be in the terrible mess we are in now.  It as the low interest rates demanded by Germany and France that allowed us [and the Greeks] to borrow so much.

I just can’t help but think that asking us to vote yes is like asking us to marry our rapist.