Barroso withdraws his commission!

[Umengus]

I'm happy. I don't like this commission and I hope that the composition will change. But it's clear that Barroso is not a smart guy because he didn't change Buttiglione.

[opebo]

Its cool that in one part of the world they won't put up with guys like this.  Here in the US they're running the show!

[minionofmidas]

I hoped he'd get voted down...maximum humiliation.

[Bono]

Barroso did not choose Buttiglione. Berlusconi did. Individual governments choose comission members. Then the President of the EC has to distribute them.

I think Barroso should stick with Buttiglione. It's an outrage that the left acts as if they were the truth bearers. This is why no sane person buys that the left is half libertarian. Buttiglione stated perfectly that he would not let his personal convictions get in the way of his job. The left simply cannot accept that anyone disagrees with them.

[Jens]

Buttiglioni is unpopular because he has opinions that is the direct opposite of the new EU-charter (second part of the EU-constitution). And no, it is not his view on homosexuality, it is the idea that women has to subdue to her husband and stay home and take care of the kids. That (plus his other very oldfashioned statements) angered everybody exept the EPP-ED. It isn't a leftwing conspiracy.

[Michael Z]

Put it this way. Say you have a defense minister who says he is a total pacifist and believes we should get rid of armed guards and plant lots of trees on our borders and put up a big sign saying "Please don't invade us, we are peaceful, let's be friends and join hands" with a big picture of smiley happy children holding hands while flower children dance around the trees singing Ring-A-Ring-A-Roses and a nudist colony established around the ministry of defense.  Chances are that people might, just might, regard this person as somewhat inappropriate for the position of Defense Minister. Equally, to have somebody who regards feminism, homosexuality, abortion premarital sex, etc, etc, as immoral in charge of home affairs and justice suggests a fairly clear clash of interests.  (Ok, it's an exagerrated comparison, but I simply couldn't resist.)

Besides, to hear some members of the right accusing the left of illiberalism (especially in the light of Buttiglione's views) is a simple case of the pot calling the kettle black.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Barroso did not choose Buttiglione. Berlusconi did. Individual governments choose comission members. Then the President of the EC has to distribute them.

I think Barroso should stick with Buttiglione. It's an outrage that the left acts as if they were the truth bearers. This is why no sane person buys that the left is half libertarian. Buttiglione stated perfectly that he would not let his personal convictions get in the way of his job. The left simply cannot accept that anyone disagrees with them.

Have a problem with an ELECTED Parliament holding an UNELECTED official to account?

[Jens]

Put it this way. Say you have a defense minister who says he is a total pacifist and believes we should get rid of armed guards and plant lots of trees on our borders and put up a big sign saying "Please don't invade us, we are peaceful, let's be friends and join hands" with a big picture of smiley happy children holding hands while flower children dance around the trees singing Ring-A-Ring-A-Roses and a nudist colony established around the ministry of defense.  Chances are that people might, just might, regard this person as somewhat inappropriate for the position of Defense Minister. Equally, to have somebody who regards feminism, homosexuality, abortion premarital sex, etc, etc, as immoral in charge of home affairs and justice suggests a fairly clear clash of interests.  (Ok, it's an exagerrated comparison, but I simply couldn't resist.)

Besides, to hear some members of the right accusing the left of illiberalism (especially in the light of Buttiglione's views) is a simple case of the pot calling the kettle black.

LOL. Good one. I can really see those  hippies jumping around . In real life, the leader of the, at that point, second largest party in DK once said that our military should be replaced with an answering machine saying "We surrender" in Russian, by the way the same person who later was jailed for tax evation.

[Bono]

Barroso did not choose Buttiglione. Berlusconi did. Individual governments choose comission members. Then the President of the EC has to distribute them.

I think Barroso should stick with Buttiglione. It's an outrage that the left acts as if they were the truth bearers. This is why no sane person buys that the left is half libertarian. Buttiglione stated perfectly that he would not let his personal convictions get in the way of his job. The left simply cannot accept that anyone disagrees with them.

Have a problem with an ELECTED Parliament holding an UNELECTED official to account?

No, I have a problem with the reason they do it. besides, the reasons they were elected had nothing to do with european policy, they were elected for national reaons, to think they have some sort of legitimacy to what they are doing.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

No, I have a problem with the reason they do it.

And I have a problem with a man who has said that Single Mums are "Not good people" enforcing Equal Rights legislation.
BTW, Mandy was interviewed on Newsnight last night and he was grinning more than usual.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Wrong. What's the point in having a European Parliament if it cannot discuss European Policy? What's the point in having a legislature to check the executive if it is not allowed to check the executive?

[Umengus]

Barroso did not choose Buttiglione. Berlusconi did. Individual governments choose comission members. Then the President of the EC has to distribute them.

I think Barroso should stick with Buttiglione. It's an outrage that the left acts as if they were the truth bearers. This is why no sane person buys that the left is half libertarian. Buttiglione stated perfectly that he would not let his personal convictions get in the way of his job. The left simply cannot accept that anyone disagrees with them.

Barroso was stupid because he didn't change the attribution of Buttiglione. The left (and liberals) can not accept a very conservative guy at this post of justice.