I'll be president of Europe if you give me the power - Blair

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Source: The Guardian

Former PM consults old Downing Street allies on campaign for new EU role

Tony Blair has been holding discussions with some of his oldest allies on how he could mount a campaign later this year to become full-time president of the EU council, the prestigious new job characterised as "president of Europe". Blair, currently the Middle East envoy for the US, Russia, EU and the UN, has told friends he has made no final decision, but is increasingly willing to put himself forward for the job if it comes with real powers to intervene in defence and trade affairs.

Blair, who is being actively promoted by the French president Nicolas Sarkozy, recognises he would need to abandon his well-paid, private sector jobs if he won. His wife Cherie - often portrayed as seeking ever more wealth and well-paid consultancies for her husband - is understood to be supportive of him accepting the job.

Some Blair allies also say that he now recognises that as envoy in the Middle East he is not going to be allowed to become the key player in furthering Israeli-Palestinian talks this year, and will be reduced to a role of supporting political development in Palestine and boosting its economy.

The president of the European council of ministers is a post created under the Lisbon treaty. The president will be the permanent chair of the council of ministers, Europe's chief decision-making body.



Read more: http://politics.guardian.co.uk/tonyblair/story/0,,2251169,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

[CJCRANE]

1. Please, no nt

[clixtox]

38. Back in your crate FiFi...

Bad dog!

[MADem]

2. Gee, so Bush's brand new rightwing No More Freedom Fries buddy, Sarkozy, is pushing

Bush's OLD pal, Tony We Use The Same Brand Toothpaste Blair for this jazzy job...

Powers to INTERVENE in defence and trade? Hmmmmmm!

Doesn't look like a sure bet, that...

It is thought that the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, is not persuaded of the advantages of a Blair presidency. The Christian Democrats have recently been politically weakened in state elections, and fear a Blair presidency might strengthen the German Social Democrats. Neither the Germans nor the French would push Blair if they believed his appointment was going to be opposed by Gordon Brown.

Blair himself is still doubtful that the role of council president will become a powerful job, saying he senses that even pro-Europeans might recoil from ceding power from the nation state.

[Karenina]

3. I don't think so.

:puke:

[lebkuchen]

6. The UK isn't even on the euro

Blair is sleep-walking.

Not to mention, Europe is so enthusiastic about the US elections because it can't wait to see the end of Bush. What makes Blair think he isn't part of that overriding continental sentiment?

[Karenina]

32. Hubris?

:shrug:

[tularetom]

4. Power to do what? Kiss the boy king's ass on behalf of all of Europe

I would not trust that dildo as far as I could throw him. I don't know how the selection is made but I hope it's one nation one vote. Otherwise Sarkozy could ram this thing through even without the support of the UL+K (which I'm not sure Blair would receive).

[lebkuchen]

7. The French would probably burn Sarkozy out of his honeymoon home

That should be perfectly clear to him already.

[muriel_volestrangler]

31. It's qualified majority voting

which is horribly complicated, over the next few years:

The Reform Treaty will introduce a new voting procedure in the Council of the European Union for legislation which do not require unanimous decisions. This so-called "qualified majority" is reached when a majority of all member countries (55%) who represent a majority of all citizens (65%) vote in favour of the proposal. When the Council is not acting on a proposal of the Commission, the necessary majority of all member countries is increased to 72% while the population requirement stays the same. To block legislation at least 4 countries have to be against the proposal.

The current Nice treaty voting rules (that include a majority of countries (50% / 67%), voting weights (74%) and population (62%)) will remain in place until 2014. Between 2014 and 2017 a transitional phase will take place where the new qualified majority voting rules apply, but where the old Nice treaty voting weights can be applied when a member state wishes so. Also from 2014 a new version of the 1994 "Ioannina Compromise" will take effect, which allows small minorities of EU states to call for re-examination of EU decisions they do not like.<24>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Lisbon#Voting_in_the_Council

As proposed by the Convention, the Constitutional Treaty establishes a permanent President of the European Council, who will take on the work currently assigned to rotating Presidencies. Article I-22 sets out the tasks assigned to and the arrangements for the election of this new figure in European politics.
He/she will be elected by qualified majority, for a term of two and a half years, renewable once. In the event of an impediment or serious misconduct, the European Council can end his or her mandate according to the same procedure.

http://europa.eu/scadplus/constitution/europeancouncil_en.htm#PRESIDENT

[AndyTiedye]

5. NOOOOOOOO!

Do they have Diebold voting machinez in Europe? No other way this could happen, is there?

[FreakinDJ]

8. Bush's lap dog - Tony Blair is finished politically

He took his party right down the toilet endorsing Bush's genocide in Iraq.

Besides Bush is so well hated in Germany (and all Europe for that fact) he "Out-Ranked" Adolf Hitler as Most Destructive Leader amongst German school children

[jody]

9. IMO Europe deserves George W. Bush as president of the European council of ministers.

:rofl:

[FarCenter]

10. I doubt that it would be popular in Frankfurt, Paris and Milan

Aren't the Europeans a little pissed at the City of London for stiffing them with all the bogus mortgage securities?

[KoKo]

11. Blair and Bush on Watch List for War Crimes against Humanity...

Blair's ego is the same size as Bushies... BECAUSE neither has yet been held accountable for their evil deeds.

[SpikeTss]

12. Tony Blair is the right man

to start a war of aggression against Russia or Iran.

But seriously: Will he have enough time for a presidential campaign while standing before court in The Hague for his war crimes in Iraq?

[Spinzonner]

13. Oh, go sell your soul (what's left of it) to Carlyle, Tony

[xxqqqzme]

14. Oh, dear lord NO!

I cannot imagine the population of EU being thrilled by this. Poodle boy is only marginally more popular than *.

[dipsydoodle]

15. If you just happen to meet the turd

please tell him to go procreate.

[AngryOldDem]

16. Uh....no, thanks. n/t

[mac2]

41. I'm so thankful Blair's not on our CSPAN any more

My cable dollars to pay for him to lie.

[MasonJar]

17. Hey, Europe, do NOT give that bag of pebbles any power.

[biermeister]

18. alex jones was right!

[nealmhughes]

19. How about Vaclav Havel, eh? Or go really retro and float Otto Habsburg!

[Zorra]

20. That would be about as stupid as electing Bu*h for a second term. n/t

[ConcernedCanuk]

22. And that happened - scary . . .

.
.
.

[pleah]

21. New World Nazis trying to gain even more control. GFDI!

[mamameow]

23. now who's crazy?

if eu voters vote this war criminal into office, then they are as nuts as our right wing who voted bush in (sort of).

[goforit]

24. So you're appointing yourself, eh? Go to hell Mr.poodle !

[Ghost Dog]

25. Forget it Messers Blair and Aznar. Two down, one to go...

[sendero]

26. Am I the only one..

... that thinks this is highly unlikely?

Blair isn't just a pariah in Britain, he's a pariah in Europe.

I don't see this happening.

[tabasco]

45. No, you're not the only one.

This will never happen, IMO.

[fshrink]

27. For a few bucks Poland would take him.

That'd be a perfect match.

[mac2]

35. Yes and Blair is now a Catholic

I'm not sure even the Polish deserve to be stuck with Blair.

[MrsBrady]

28. no way, man n/t

[Dover]

29. "Permanent Chair"? So now there are permanent positions?

Is this position appointed or done through election, or what?

[mac2]

36. The royal elites of Europe are back

[muriel_volestrangler]

42. It's for two and a half years; appointed by member governments

under qualified majority voting - see reply #31. In comparison with the present 6 months rotating presidency, two and a half years is 'permanent'.

[yy4me]

30. I think I'm getting paranoid. This strikes me as some sort of a

set-up. ****'s co-moran to be President of all Europe? One rules one side of the pond, the other rules the other side of the pond. Now, let me see. When is this due to be considered? Enough time left to stage some incident big enough to require **** to declare martial law?


Geeze, can't we get away from all the maniacal idiots once and for all? 2009 can't come soon enough.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

33. He's delusional

Britain hates him, and the rest of Europe hates him even more. I'm for a European state in the guise of a democratic republic, but Blair can fuck off.

[MarkR1717]

37. Blair won 3 elections. Retired undefeated. Revisionism. nt

[mac2]

40. Do you think the Brits had a choice like we did with Bush?

They forced him out even though he "won" a 3rd election. He was of the Labor Party and doesn't run for election but is picked as the party leader. They certainly didn't want Conservatives in power. Problem was he wasn't a Labor guy at all but a "Conservative in Labor clothing". Much like our Democrats who are really Republicans.

[mac2]

34. Let's not mention that the Europeans never voted

to become a EU. They didn't approve the EU Constitution since it left out rights.

The EU voted for the same currancy to do business not government by the few behind closed doors.

The President of the European Council of Ministers is a post under the Lisbon Treaty. So what I was not democratically created by any people. The few elite met and decided. It is an illegal union. Just like the one Bush is trying to create in this hemisphere called the Americas Union. Did you vote on that or gave anyone else power to do it? Nope.

It is treason against the various countries and people involved.

Why are we approving of Blair being head of any illegal union? He lied us and them into war. He is a war criminal.

[allalone]

39. day late and a euro short, blair

you can see how giving one person power worked out here.

[Massachusetts]

43. Cheeky, who woulda thunk it?

[bdamomma]

44. he is rather delusional isn't he?