Of Laws and Men

So far I have only looked at apparently bad reasons to vote one way or the other in the Lisbon treaty referendum. This reflects the fact that most discussions that I have heard feature only bad reasons on either side. However, in making one's decision, the bad reasons on either side are irrelevant, I suggest. One reaches one's decision based on the weight one attaches to the various good reasons. There are good reasons to vote yes as well as good ones to vote no.

" It's a no-brainer" say some. I disagree; there are in fact very few "no-brainers", perhaps especially not in politics, and certainly not in constitutional politics.

Even in general, one should be careful of cosy consensus, as these celebrated quotations illustrate:

If we are all in agreement on the decision - then I propose we postpone further discussion of this matter until our next meeting to give ourselves time to develop disagreement and perhaps gain some understanding of what the decision is all about.

(Alfred P. Sloan)

If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking.

(George S. Patton)

(Note to Lucinda Creighton T.D.: now would not be a good time to observe that both of these quotations were by Americans, and dead ones at that.)