Strike Two: The Dutch

Last week Gerard Baker predicted in the Weekly Standard the Dutch vote following the French vote on the EU constitution was pivotal to stopping the...badness of a French "non" vote.

His conclusion at that time was this:

In short, if you think that what Europe needs is more regulation, more social protection, and less competition; if you think it needs to build up and strengthen the supranational state with political institutions accountable to almost no one; and if you think the world needs a united Europe led by a narrow group of politicians intent on challenging U.S. power, then you are definitely hoping the constitution beats the odds and clears all the popular hurdles that await it in the next year. If, on the other hand, you doubt the merits of that sort of Europe, you may be offering a silent prayer, perhaps for the first time in your life, that you are in solidarity with a majority of French opinion at least for one day this coming weekend.

I don't like admitting I agree with the French. Nor do I like admitting that now, I agree with the Dutch, who, as I saw live at 4am this morning, voted No or rather "Nee".

The Big story in that AP piece? A revelation by the Prime Minister of Holland:

Balkenende acknowledged the huge gap that has emerged between the politicians and the electorate.

Yeah...Shocking. Simply Shocking.