Comments on: Sharon, Kevin and the Socialists

By: kev

kev — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:58:12 +0000

Something for the record about the complaints from “the third district”. Actually, it should read ‘one man’ from the 3rd district – a man who (not) incidentally was one of the staunchest anti-EU diehards before the 2003 double-debacle. But that is how it works – today, the former diehards want a uniformly Europhile PL. They don’t want EU-critical voices reminding voters of their own past discourse, causing them to wonder about U-turns and converts. Haunted by their own past voices, which they have denounced by acting as if they were always pro-membership, they tried to frantically purge the purified party of ‘nasty eurosceptics’ who wouldn’t shut up. It’s like having closet gays campaigning against gays. The politics of expediency is one step away from despotism.

But what about the other side? It is indeed sad to see Europhiles getting “Europe” all wrong. The phrase alone, “European Parliament”, should hint at what we’re dealing with here. But no! So misrepresented and ill-perceived has this emerging federation been, that its parliament remains, to their mind, that of a “trading club” and is called ‘European Parliament’ just for kicks. This explains why we’re living worlds apart while breathing the same air.

I have yet to see a comment that says: ‘I am a Europhile because I want a ‘United States of Europe’ that is strong and powerful, and centrally-controlled for utmost effect globally.’ In this case, although I cannot agree that a powerful federal state necessarily benefits its citizens, I would be obliged to respect such an opinion. It is rational and there is much to debate on these lines. But reading some of the comments here and on timesofmalta.com only underlines how puerile and brainless the debate has come to be.

By: kev

kev — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:06:02 +0000

Amanda, it wasn’t that hard – I used an abacus instead of my fingers.

By: Amanda Mallia

Amanda Mallia — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:44:52 +0000

kev – Have you got nothing better to do than count words (and ones on a comment, at that)? Doesn’t your housework keep you busy enough?

By: John Schembri

John Schembri — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 19:07:03 +0000

If one wants to get a PL candidate elected all one has to do is get the candidate attacked by the PN supporters (Jason Michallef). If the anti-PL media do not want the candidate elected, all they need to do is shower the poor candidate with praise (George Abela). Ironically, Daphne is indirectly helping Sharon in her personal campaign.

If Labour supporters did not find any qualms accepting Joseph they wouldn’t find any difficulty voting for Sharon. After all, both of them campaigned against Malta’s EU membership.

By: kev

kev — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:13:03 +0000

@ Anna – “Amanda, I think his obsession includes chucking in proper nouns, bombastic adjectives and looooong incoherent sentences.”

You’re very wrong. It must be succinct. It’s got 197 words and that’s just three words short of the limit imposed by tat-Tajmz.

By: Fausto Majistral

Fausto Majistral — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:13:41 +0000

@ Robert Spiteri

If I’m calling you anything, it’s “dull”. Doesn’t need much checking out, just noting the cliched and mediocre use you make of an established rhetorical device to push the bollocks claim that Muscat would do anything for a candidate who’s conveniently serving as a lightning-rod for a certain kind of criticism.

By: Brian*14

Brian*14 — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:20:21 +0000

@Kev – Yes, Kev, “Partnership”, that’s what it was called. As to its meaning, well, you ought to ask either Sant or Sharon for clarification, because I for one never got it.

By: edgar gatt

edgar gatt — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:19:57 +0000

Fausto Majistral. You believe that Ellul-Bonici lost her chance to ever serve as an MEP. Here I tend to disagree. I believe that the majority of PL voters are still against EU membership and with Sharon’s history of being so very anti EU, she stands a very good chance of getting their vote.Do not forget, that Alfred Sant is still writing articles saying that the EU membership was a bad decision.

[Daphne – You know, in situations like this the backstabbing comes from the competition. The competition for a Labour MEP candidate is not Nationalist MEP candidates but other Labour MEP candidates. I would suggest that the campaign against Sharon Ellul Bonici is largely driven by hostility and antagonism from her competitors within the Labour MEP fold. Any votes she gets, they lose.]

By: Gerald

Gerald — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:50:34 +0000

It’s obviously the usual spin story which we have come to expect from Ivan Camilleri every now and again when he’s not copying and pasting EU reports for the benefit of The Times’ readers.

By: Robert Spiteri

Robert Spiteri — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:18:24 +0000

@ Fausto Majjistral

If you are calling me a Labour supporter and not a PN supporter, send me your email and I will forward you my details for you to check out. I am sure you have the ways and means.