Edward Rothstein takes on the draft EU ‘constitution’ in today’s New York Times. Diamond Giscard’s tawdry efforts are treated with the contempt they deserve:

“The [Constitution’s language] is not the Jeffersonian language of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” with its allusions to the Enlightenment, nor is it the language of the Bill of Rights, which limits government power. This is the language of interest groups, which enshrined as constitutional rights will end up guaranteeing the ruling bureaucracy its right to daily bread.”

That’s well said. This shabby document is, in reality, an attempt to impose the corporatist view of government on an entire continent. Corporatism is, of course, a variant of fascism.

Now there’s something for Martin Jacques to discuss.