The EU Constitution might have been approved overwhelmingly by the people of Spain but based on this article, the citizenry of Spain knows little or nothing about the Constitution. According to a survey conducted by Spanish state pollster CIS, some 90% of the Spanish public responded that they knew little or nothing about the EU Constitution.
One should expect such a lack of knowledge especially when the Constitution is close to some 350 pages long. I guess when your making a superstate out of some 20 plus member-nations you end up with a gigantic document that only policy wonks are willing to read. Thank God for our short but concise US Constitution.
The article also featured a small chart showing the results of a Eurobarometer poll on the approval/disapproval of the EU Constitution throughout the various European nations which are holding referendums. While the oppose/support numbers are mixed, the one area that seems to be relatively high is the Don't Know block. Take a look for yourself.
As for me, I'm a self-avowed "No" voter. I just don't think a big conglomeration of nation-states under a single constitution will ever work. When push comes to shove, Frenchmen will be Frenchmen and Brits will be Brits and they will give less than a fig about the bureaucrats who sit on their Mt. Olympus in Brussels and dole out orders to the masses. Unfortunately, if the people throughout Europe don't wake up and learn more about the constitution they will surely lose their sovereign identity. Once they're immersed in the EU mega-state there's no way out.
While I'm opposed to the European Union construct, I still like Europe and see myself as an Atlanticist in the mold of Ronald Reagan, Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher who felt the US and Europe are stronger when they coordinate things together through institutions like NATO. I just don't feel that Europe or America can afford a mega-state that chooses to compete with the US rather that work with it. I want to preserve the relationship but the EU Colossus could spoil everything. Europe should continue to consist of individual states with their own language, culture, nationality and government rather than a "Big Box' Europe.
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