Lisbon Treaty // Current TV

The French Connection with guest Jim Corr

Daryl Bradford Smith from www.iamthewitness.com interviews renowned musician Jim Corr... more

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The EU finally gets Lisbon; Thanks Vaclav Klaus

Josh Heller at Current_Comedy and I are conducting a joint investigation into Czech President Vaclav Klaus. This is what I wrote for him post: "Dissent in 2.0, the internet versus Václav Klaus"
The Czech President, Václav Klaus, has been doing his best to hold up the EU’s Lisbon Treaty for a while now, but today he finally ratified it. He’s famously skeptical of the EU, but plenty of people put plenty of pressure on him. Lisbon aims to further unify the EU – giving Europe a President and a “foreign representative” for example. Václav Klaus, notably, is not Václav Havel – the only other post-Soviet Czech President who confusingly also happens to have the first name “Václav.” Havel, a rock star on the diplomatic circuit, is much more liberal – Klaus is considered much more conservative. -AF
Josh goes looking for an anti-Klaus meme, but instead just finds humorous dissent (yes, that's the Czech President on toilet paper). But what about Klaus the politician? Foreign Policy's Passport blog describes him as a "legendary euroskeptic" and points to their article "The Other Vaclav":
Although mostly known outside his country for his skeptical views on global warming (environmentalism, in his opinion, is "the most prominent antiliberal, populist ideology of the contemporary world, comparable to communism and Nazism.) Klaus is one of the most important figures in post-communist Czech history, and the Lisbon battle is just the latest in a long series of controversial stances in his career. But lately, this lifelong iconoclast appears more and more as a tragic political figure. He is now totally isolated in Europe, shunned by most EU politicians, who view his obstructions as proof of his, and his country's, lack of democratic credentials.
Both Vaclavs, Klaus and Havel were there when the Soviet system collapsed. And both of them quickly made the transition into the new fledgling government. Havel, the poet-President, however, left the game. Which left the Czech Republic in the hands of Klaus, who served as Czech Prime Minister during his rule, and had long been Havel's rival. The NY Review of Books has a great short piece on "Vaclav vs Vaclav":
The two Václavs, it can be said, represent two poles of the broad Czech democratic center. Havel, the more liberal, believed that a new political culture should emerge from a rich and diverse civic society, with a healthy degree of decentralization and strong regional governments. As president he argued for policies that supported the nonprofit sector and mitigated the worst effects of rapid privatization. Klaus, an economist and admirer of Friedrich Hayek, Milton Friedman, and Margaret Thatcher, was a market fundamentalist who believed in a strong central government in the hands of strong political parties. The political friction between the two men was exacerbated by a clash of personalities. Beneath their quite different exteriors—Klaus abrasive to the point of arrogance, Havel polite to the point of shyness—each man had a firm will that made their differences seem inevitable and irresolvable.
So now the EU has finally gotten its Lisbon treaty, and Klaus seems to have used it to upstage his former rival's global presence. But still no meme for Vaclav Klaus. (If only he had a different first name!) Recently on the Current News Blog: - Election Perspective: New York and New Jersey by ScorpioGee - Hamas has a new rocket? - USS New York arrives in New York (Video) - Tomorrow is election day - Clinton's 11 foot statue in KosovoJosh Heller at Current_Comedy and I are conducting a joint investigation into Czech... more

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7 stories you missed this week: Vaclav Klaus, Google Books, Silvio Berlusconi, Alan Grayson and more

It seemed like a slow news week and then all of sudden NASA blew up the moon and Obama won a Nobel and, well, News! So here are some other things that slipped under the news radar.

Vaclav Klaus is the President of the Czech Republic, and after Ireland voted to accept the EU's Lisbon Treaty (in effect a constitution for Europe) his signature is the last thing Europe needs for Lisbon to become a reality. Well, he just pushed it off again this week. Read more at FP Passport: Klaus adds another hurdle

Google doesn't want you to freak out about Google Books. They just settled a big lawsuit with publishing industry groups and co-founder Sergey Brin wants to be clear with the public that the technology will not completely devalue books for the authors and publishers. Read Brin's op-ed at the NY Times: A Library to Last Forever

The health care debate continues! Oh you didn't hear about it? There may well be a Senate vote next week, but this week the Congressional Budget Office said the Baucus plan could actually cut the deficit. Read more from the AP: CBO: Health Bill costs $829 billion over decade

Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who faces at least one charge of corruption, lost his immunity to prosecution while in office. He said he felt 'invigorated' and vowed to fight. Read more from the BBC: Defiant Berlusconi vows to fight

A new game in the UK called Internet Eyes is turning Britain's thousands of CCTV cameras into a game for profit. Spot a crime - win up to 1000 pounds! More from FP Passport: New internet game offers cash prizes for spotting crime

Oh, and, lots of other people won Nobel Prizes this week. See the list at: nobelprize.org

Finally, this video has been making the rounds today. Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) stood on the floor of the House and took a shot at the GOP, telling them that Americans don't care about their feelings (they care about health care!). Whether you agree with him or not, it's a refreshingly sincere voice in the politics of late. Crooks and Liars has the video: Rep. Alan Grayson: I Will Not Apologize- America Doesn't Care About Your Feelings

Any other stories you think we missed? Submit them at Current News and let us know!

Some of our other stories from the week:
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- Did the US capture an Iranian nuclear scientist? – Reasons to think they did
- Love in Gaza: A Palestinian couple marries against all odds
- Death Penalty in the US: Ohio halts executions
- Oktoberfest in Palestine – Taybeh Brewery (Video)It seemed like a slow news week and then all of sudden NASA blew up the moon and Obama... more

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Gay marriage, not in Italy

Portugal, a Catholic country, has legalized marriage between gay, to compensate the... more

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"Final word on British law from British" promises Cameron

David Cameron has laid out the Conservatives stance over the Lisbon Treaty in the wake... more

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Cameron shuffles Euro policy around after Lisbon Treaty gets green light

David Cameron's political rivals are having a field day after the Tory leader... more

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Czech court to examine the Lisbon Treaty

Czech Republic — Czech President Vaclav Klaus is the only European leader who... more

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Europe in the making

The long making of the European Union should receive a fresh impetus after the... more

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'Dithering' Cameron urged to speak out on Europe as Tory referendum row overshadows start of confere

David Cameron's bid to depict his party as a united government-in-waiting was... more

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Irish Vote Yes This Time

After a humiluating defeat in last year's referendum, this time Ireland backed... more

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The EU and water privitization

The bastards even want to privitize RAIN.

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Date set for Ireland's second referendum on Lisbon Treaty.

The second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty is to be held on Friday, October 2nd,... more

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Sarkozy on first visit to Ireland

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is to make his first official visit to Ireland on... more

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E.U. Constitution architect proclaims democracy irrelevant

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, the architect of the European Union... more

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EU Leaders put pressure on Cowen to keep treaty alive

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen was facing huge pressure from EU leaders last night to save the... more

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Ireland in crunch EU treaty vote

People in the Irish Republic are voting in a referendum on whether to ratify the... more

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The French Connection with guest Jim Corr

The EU finally gets Lisbon; Thanks Vaclav Klaus

7 stories you missed this week: Vaclav Klaus, Google Books, Silvio Berlusconi, Alan Grayson and more

Gay marriage, not in Italy

"Final word on British law from British" promises Cameron

Cameron shuffles Euro policy around after Lisbon Treaty gets green light

Czech court to examine the Lisbon Treaty

Europe in the making

'Dithering' Cameron urged to speak out on Europe as Tory referendum row overshadows start of confere

Irish Vote Yes This Time

The EU and water privitization

Date set for Ireland's second referendum on Lisbon Treaty.

Sarkozy on first visit to Ireland

E.U. Constitution architect proclaims democracy irrelevant

EU Leaders put pressure on Cowen to keep treaty alive

Ireland in crunch EU treaty vote

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