Rubbish and its removal is central to any local government; clean streets, well lit - these are prime local issues to be settled by local democracy. Nothing could illuminate better the threat lowering over the United Kingdom and its governance from ratification of the federal European Constitution, than the rubbish going on about the rubbish in Naples.
Berlusconi, (repeatedly indicted criminal saved by ad personam legislation), threatens to bring the people onto the streets, but all he can bring onto the streets is rubbish. Bossi, former communist and leader of the Northern Leagues of racialists and separatists, calls for guns to be used - over rubbish.
The Prime Minister of a sovereign European state is already driven to seek votes of confidence in the Chamber of Deputies (lower house) and in the Senate (upper house) of the Italian Parliament, over rubbish.
Romano Prodi, with far faster political reactions than the United Kingdom's lumbering, state authoritarian, Honecker-style, Labour Leader, has organised his local council leader successor (currently Mayor of Rome), and is hoping to go fry better fish in Brussels and Berlin.
President of Europe is one thing, while clearing up criminal elements' interference with local rubbish collection, or low-level Vatican attacks on anti-discrimination measures against the way people choose to live - a moral and cultural concern, never a political matter - is wholly another.
State-level politics is about economics, foreign policy, the migration of peoples, the relationships of power and individuals and the collective. Not about rubbish, or homosexuality for that matter.
And Prodi, advised by the ultimate Dottor' Sottile, Amato, (who has jailed the real threat to life-style in Italy, the 70 mafia black economy criminals imprisoned since he became Minister of the Interior), is wholly willing to leave the local government of the European Region of Italy to those politicians fitted for it.
Assured in his leaving a tidy desk for his successor as regional mayor, (and head of a consolidated, centre-left, pluralist political party), he can turn his energies and extraordinary political capacities to gaining the prize for which Blair signed the United Kingdom into regional local governance and which, despite Blair's ultimate political act, the betrayal of his country, is not Blair's to grasp or even claim.
If the United Kingdom Parliament permits the ratification of the European Union Constitution signed by Blair in his overweening ambition, and counter-signed by Brown in his mannerless cowardice, it will be left to deal with rubbish, without even the consolation of the presidency of the new European state and a part to play in real politics.
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5 comments:
In Germany (not sure about elsewhere) the natives have to separate their rubbish - paper, plastic etc. But it seems that now only one box will be needed! I leave your correspondents to suggest a suitable label.
I can't believe that there is (such) intelligent life in Hatfield (Herts). Tell me it isn't true!
Are you back from your travels Nomad? or looking through a window at the world?
Label in German? An extremely long compound noun with interestingly dispersed upper case letters - but a better grasp of German than mine is yet is needed.
Many relatives and friends live in the central and north Hertfordshire Garden conurbation, S of K.
Hallo, HG: Yes, I'm back in my hideout for the immediate future, the wanderlust having been gratified for the moment. While away I have been popping in here (and there!) from time to time but refrained from joining in the fun as I was unsure when next I would have access to a computer. It has been very interesting reading back through all the fun and games I seem to have missed in the blogosphere over the past few months, but I think I am now back up to speed on most of what has been going on. Plus ca change..
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