Tim and Tim on the Treaty

Tim Garton-Ash on the European Reform Treaty today:

To my left, there squats this monstrous 312-page spotted dick, plus copies of earlier treaties without which it cannot be understood; to my right, an elegant, pocket-sized, burgundy-coloured volume of just 60 pages, which contains both the Declaration of Independence and the 220-year-old constitution of the United States of America, with all subsequent amendments. "We, the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity..." begins their effort. "His Majesty the King of the Belgians..." ours begins, and proceeds, through a thicket of presidents and crowned heads and a reference to completing "the process started by the Treaty of Amsterdam and by the Treaty of Nice", to this inspiring first article: "The Treaty on European Union shall be amended in accordance with this article."

He's not all that enamoured of the European effort, as you can see, suggesting perhaps that the American example would have been a decent one to follow. There's also another Tim, myself, who has commented on this subject. A letter in the Daily Telegraph:

Sir - Can I suggest that, if Jack Straw desires a written constitution for the EU (report, Aug 27), he contact our American cousins? They have a simple, logical document that has worked well for the past 214 years or so. They also have that period of case law from the Supreme Court that sorts out the various details and conflicts. And their method of governing much of a continent does seem to provide a vibrant, wealthy society. Such issues as subsidiarity are already dealt with. Why not simply adopt the thing wholesale? After all, if Britain is to have political union with Sweden, why should it not also have it with Minnesota?

That was published in August 2002. Obviously I must try harder, being only five years ahead of a Guardian columnist simply isn't acceptable.

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