World News and Trends: Second Irish vote may lead to new EU presidential office
The European Union continues to push for agreement upon a new political leader despite initial oppition from Ireland
According to a Daily Telegraph article, "Secret talks to create a European Union President and Foreign Minister will begin in the New Year after the Irish government confirmed it would hold a second referendum on the Lisbon Treaty [the renamed EU constitution]" ("Secret 'EU President' Talks Begin as Ireland Agrees to Vote Again," Jan. 12, 2009).
Negotiations on these two new positions created by the Lisbon Treaty had ceased when the Republic of Ireland voted to turn the treaty down last June. A positive result is considered likely with special concessions to Ireland such as a permanent Irish European Commissioner and legal guarantees that the EU will keep hands off the country's military neutrality and tax, social and ethical issues. But that's a lot, and some observers question the long-term ability of the EU to fully honor these guarantees.
William Hague, British shadow foreign secretary and a member of the Conservative Party, stated: "It would be a serious mistake to take the Irish people for granted. It would be democratically illegitimate to start putting the renamed EU constitution into force when the Irish people have yet to give their democratic consent" (ibid.).
An editorial in The Times said that "the EU has many challenges, chief among them [is] understanding democracy" ("No Still Means No," The Times, Dec. 12, 2008). In other words, the European Union doesn't take "no" for an answer and is determined to press ahead in spite of opposition from concerned voters. (Sources: The Times [London], The Daily Telegraph [London].)
An Article from:
Good News Magazine: March - April 2009
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Jerold Aust
Jerold Aust has served in the ministry for 52 years, as a public speaker for 58 years, a published writer for 38 years, and is employed by UCG’s Media and Communications Services. He is a Senior Writer, interviewer, and editor for Beyond Today Magazine and has taught Speech Communication for UCG’s ministerial online program and the Book of Revelation for ABC.
Jerold holds a BA in theology from Ambassador College, Pasadena (1968), an MA in Communication from California State University, Fullerton (1995), a distance-learning Ph.D (2006), and a Famous Writers School diploma in non-fiction writing (1973). Additionally, he studied post-grad communication at University of Southern California (1995), radio, TV, voice-overs, and Public Relations at Fullerton College (1995-1996), and graduate communication at Wichita State University (1978). Jerold has taught communication at the University of South Alabama (7 years) and ABC (17 years). His published works include, Ronald Reagan’s Rhetoric: Metaphor as Persuasion and EZSpeakers: Public Speaking Made Easy in 7 Steps. Jerold's overarching goal is to share with humankind its incredible destiny!
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
