We are often told by our politicians that the unpopular laws they pass in their national Parliaments are decided by Brussels.
But wait a minute. How is the EU-legislation passed? Well, essentially it is passed by the leaders of the governments at meetings in Brussels and Luxembourg.
In a time of crisis cuts and restraints are on the agenda. They agree on what they think they have to do as responsible leaders to get the economy back on track. The measures adopted are, of course, not always popular. And so, back in their home countries austerity measures become the work of EU, whereas the more popular measures are to be credited to the government. After all they are thinking in terms of votes. They want re-election. Fair enough, but then they can't complain that people are not supporting the European ideas.
My Uncle Jack says that it works in a similar way in his family. When the kids asks his wife for things she thinks they should have, her answer is "yes". When they ask for things she think they shouldn't have, her answer is "ask your Dad".
As a responsible father he tries, he says, to make the decisions he thinks are best for the kids and for the family as a whole. "But then again", he says "I don't have to stand for re-election as a father".
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