4 ms·

Pretty naieve view to accept an effectively unaccountable body of such incredible size. Almost every policy is without a voter mandate.

icebraining 8y ago
You don't have to accept it to recognize that it can do good things.
Kurtz79 8y ago
You could say the same about your own country's government. Do you get a vote over antitrust regulations enacted by your own government? You usually vote a party which might (or not) have a high-level guidelines over a few select policies, but otherwise trust them to make the best decision based on how their political view matches with yours. You elect EU parliament member the same way, and you are free to vote otherwise if you do not like their work (and yes, the actual effect of your individual vote is statistically irrelevant, just as the vote for your own government).
- easytiger 8y ago
  So you think scaling that up to a massive scale where a handful of interests, namely France and Germany, have near complete sway over the agenda makes sense?
  - Kurtz79 8y ago
    France and Germany have the most members, but not nearly enough to take decision by themselves or have control of the agenda. Besides, the point is moot, because parliament members tend to group themselves based on shared political views, rather than by country. That countries with more population should have more representation and more weight in the decisions, to me makes sense.
    - easytiger 8y ago
      > France and Germany have the most members, but not nearly enough to take decision by themselves or have control of the agenda. I can but laugh
peteretep 8y ago
I wonder if that’s why the policies are generally so sensible?
- easytiger 8y ago
  Except that is a fiction you have created because it meets some presupposed view you have. The EU, application of legislation regarding technology is almost entirely designed to attack those companies on the basis they don't recognize revenue in France, Germany.
  - peteretep 8y ago
    And you think asking the public for their opinion would mitigate rather than aggravate that?!

icebraining 8y ago

You don't have to accept it to recognize that it can do good things.

Kurtz79 8y ago

You could say the same about your own country's government. Do you get a vote over antitrust regulations enacted by your own government? You usually vote a party which might (or not) have a high-level guidelines over a few select policies, but otherwise trust them to make the best decision based on how their political view matches with yours. You elect EU parliament member the same way, and you are free to vote otherwise if you do not like their work (and yes, the actual effect of your individual vote is statistically irrelevant, just as the vote for your own government).

easytiger 8y ago
So you think scaling that up to a massive scale where a handful of interests, namely France and Germany, have near complete sway over the agenda makes sense?
- Kurtz79 8y ago
  France and Germany have the most members, but not nearly enough to take decision by themselves or have control of the agenda. Besides, the point is moot, because parliament members tend to group themselves based on shared political views, rather than by country. That countries with more population should have more representation and more weight in the decisions, to me makes sense.
  - easytiger 8y ago
    > France and Germany have the most members, but not nearly enough to take decision by themselves or have control of the agenda. I can but laugh

peteretep 8y ago

I wonder if that’s why the policies are generally so sensible?

easytiger 8y ago
Except that is a fiction you have created because it meets some presupposed view you have. The EU, application of legislation regarding technology is almost entirely designed to attack those companies on the basis they don't recognize revenue in France, Germany.
- peteretep 8y ago
  And you think asking the public for their opinion would mitigate rather than aggravate that?!