Some reasons for not trusting Europe For those who desire an effective political representation the heavy weight of bureaucracies can be considered to be their enemy. Government administrations, agencies and the European administrations and the parliament are populated by people who are supposed to serve the people of the regions they administer. Getting cocky and arbitrary Instead of the requisite humble position of a civil servant, that is a servant of the people, these individuals take up, more and more the attitude of peacocks, putting on stage managed shows of their pretty feathers. In particular the "leaders" and "senior management" act as if they are the tyrannical leaders of some ill-defined republic where expensive inquiries and production of paper substitute for real action. Mmm, elections are coming up, don't rock the boat The all too chummy relationship between the EU Parliament and the European Commission is a typical mixing of murky common interests. An election is coming up for the MEPs and, as a result, they are definitely losing their edge in representing the interests of the people. They don't want too much trouble on the issue of failures at the Commission. A little show piece, some Cabaret perhaps, but real action, no. Massive failures This is in spite of the fact it is becoming increasingly obvious, to normal people, that this commission is less effective than the Santer Commission which was sacked. It has fallen short on important counts including a failure to adequately report financial corruption as well as stop it in a practical fashion. It is all enquiries, audits, paper, paper, procedures, shuffling, nods and winks; and the European public simply see time pass. The other massive failure of this Commission has been the cover up and failure to bring about effective action to stop the horrendous child abuse in Central Europe. This concerns racial discrimination and educational denial. In addition, the new administrative "reform" signed off by Neil Kinnock is described by Commission staff as a disaster which has destroyed, almost completely, the old collegiate staff system and crippled the competence of the Commission to undertake responsible functions. No, no, it ain't that we didn't know it's that someone else started it! An Origami Culture The relevance of the commission and parliament declined significantly as they increasingly substitute paper for real action on the ground. This Origami culture generates papers whose content reflects greatly the competence of the writers who seem not to have any notion that action is something practical, it is something which enhances or changes things. In the meantime Romano Prodi preens himself and in a crass subtlety shifts the commission position from one of not knowing anything to calmly informing the European parliament that he, and members of his commission, cannot be responsible for something happening because it started under another Commission. The MEPs nodded sagely, many seemed to be completely mesmerised by Prodi's impressive tail display and many even accepted this peacock feed. To normal people, it is evident that any commission is responsible for anything happening during its mandate or anything not finished in previous mandates. So it does not matter when anything started, the procedural cycle has to be completed and action taken. It is completely self-evident that these people are indeed responsible for having not given enough importance to serious issues. Normal people understand this. But the half-talk, double-think and basic dishonesty which passes for serious discourse in the Union nowadays is devoid of any such logic. Well it's all about the constitution you know? There is a grotesque logic widely circulated in the European and  British media, that the European parliament wants to avoid thumping the commission because there is an urgent "need" to agree on the European Constitution; who says so? This is a totally absurd justification for tolerating bad administration, corruption and human rights abuse. So now it is the Constitution at any cost? Besides the chronic weaknesses in that bad constitutional proposal (now there's some volume of paper!) the Commission, which, as we have seen, is broadly ineffective, is the very institution which will administer the constitution and, indeed, will be strengthened by it. So using the constitution as an excuse not to sort out the commission is the height of political irresponsibility. The reality The reality is that the MEPs all want to get re-elected, even although they are not exercising their responsibilities adequately in controlling the commission. It spins both ways. The MEPs, for example, knew about the human rights abuse in Central Europe and after consulting with the commission just welcomed the guilty governments with open arms in their accession vote. Patrick Cox, the ever-grinning President of the European Parliament, really has not shaped up nor acted like a responsible President. He should not have wasted public money running around European Referenda and enthusiastically shaking the hands and welcoming dubious right wing politicians to Europe. Politicians who actively manage the funding of atrocities worse than Joerge Haider ever imagined. He should have spent more time doing his home work covering more sober matters such as checking up on just what the Commission has been keeping under wraps on finance and on the horrendous human rights abuse affecting little children in central Europe. But that might have become embarrassing and require some sort of action, like asking one or two questions. The Prodi factor Most are aware that Romano Prodi is likely to run in the Italian national elections and could end up as the Prime Minster of Italy. This means Prodi and a wad of people within the Commission already "show" a political colour. Naturally those on the European parliament who empathise with that colour want to protect Prodi, no matter what he does. This axis, within the parliament, will also protect whoever Prodi indicates should be protected amongst his colleagues. This is one reason why Prodi is particularly and openly defensive of Solbes. This unhealthy and grubby nature of party politics obscures matters and invisibly controls things which should be handled in an open and objective fashion. So the theory of an objective and independent parliament overseeing and controlling the commission, in this case, is something for the peacocks. People? What are they? The overall ability of the current parliament and commission to substitute needed actions by paper, feather displays and handing out peacock feed to each other makes the whole set up smell of corruption and double dealing. This parliament and the commission have forgotten about their responsibility to the  people. It is something akin to the "administration" in pre-revolutionary France. Oh well, never mind, I still have my head and the pension is good! An opportunity to start to clean up Brussels Well, with an election coming up it at least gives us the chance to replace our MEPs. The British electorate would benefit if they elect people who undertake to do a better job in separating their interests from the commission and keep the commission under control. Another improvement would be to vote in independents, not party hacks, who promise, in Brussels, not to join "groupings". We need people who vote, on all things, in line with the sense of their constituency wishes and, of course, according to their conscience.