Lisbon Treaty

The Lisbon Treaty is very interesting because as commerce and industry continues to become globalized, a more encompassing form of government becomes more likely, at the expense of the historical culture of individual countries. America will have to make decisions on this topic, as the drive to combine Canada, the United States of America, and Mexico into one governing entity develops. It is undwerway now, with not much publicity or participation by the general citizenry.

Good morning, Ruth. Glad to see you weighing in.

For those in the US who think there are no parallels, NAFTA was a start. This is about trade, climate regulation and monitoring, mutual defense, immigration / guest worker / mutual workforce, and other issues. Canada and the US have had agreements on Social Security and Canadian retirement for years ... this often goes unnoticed.

This also affects the global concept of "super powers". A significant, centralized, allied nation body can have the unified power to challenge what the US feels is its single nationl "super power" status.

It is interesting that Ireland is the only nation of the current 27 that requires a vote of the citizenry on this treaty -- the rest, where a vote is required, were able to do it in the national assemblies. The EU Constitution fell because of citizen vote. It may be a lesson to us as the US election approaches.