France's Election is Today

[ConstantineX]

Bizarre French Electorate

The choice is essentially between socialist Segolene Royal and more conservative Nicolas Sarkozy. There are other candidates who might make it into the runoff if they are lucky; it depends on the coalitions voters choose to take - these include the centrist Bayrou and the international embarassment to the French, Jean-Marie Le Pen, known more for his rightist views on French immigration than economic reform.

[ConstantineX]

The primary issue in this election is economic malaise. It has defined the candidates and the election - the French economy's annual growth rate is lowest amongst the OECD nations at 2%, and the youth unemployment rate of 25% exarcebates the pressure from immigrants in its banlieues, or urban slums.

This article to me clearly highlights the failures of the concept of "enlightened" democracy and the bizarre reasoning of the French electorate. Many of the French believe that the government is some sort of bottomless trough; they believe France's public-sector failures and its decreased global stature are more criticisms of "inefficiency" in government spending rather than structural problems - indeed, the French want the government to spend MORE, addicted as they are to their 35 hour work weeks and long vacations. According to this article,
there's a French word for the belief, debloquer, the belief that the state "does not make Paul worse off by giving it to Peter" - instead, they "unblock" the pent up money somehow.

There doesn't seem to be any tangible hope of relief in sight; just last year, French protestors took to the streets burning cars in protest of a new law that allowed just temporary, short term workers to be fired more easily. With regards to France's declining competency in the sciences, Mme. Royal in the recent publication of Nature believes that the system can be targed with "more support" with "rational, optimal use of resources". Hmm. On the other hand, Nicolas Sarkozy, while admitting the need for more labour flexbility, has promised French farmers higher tariffs and believes that while more general adoption of free-market principles must be encouraged, it must be "regulated" and "controlled". Indeed, he espouses "family capitalism" - whatever that is.

I wonder what it's like to be living as a student in France - reading about a once great power becoming more marginalized culturally, through immigration, and economically, through its failure to reinvent itself. It's tragic to me, having loved reading stories of Napoleon and Louis XIV as a kid. It has also really awakened me to the strength the US posseses in its heterogenous nature - the French believe somehow France is an exception, special, and they accept bad economic policies in the name of class solidarity in the language of the revolutionary principles that has made the nation famous. While Paris' lights and Bourdeaux's wines will always be famous, if Sarkozy (and real reform) doesn't win the day, France will likely be a a very different place in the future.

[hmkpoker]

I'm rooting for Royal. I want that country to plunge head-first into the crapper as soon as possible, and I would love for a woman to help them do it. Especially before our presidential election.

[hmkpoker]

I'm surprised that French public spending is 55%. Isn't the USA's somewhat close to that, like 40%?

[ConstantineX]

Hmm, according to a graph I just recently searched it's 30%. But I think it helps immensely these are mainly contracts to be competed for by private companies. And the days of companies wedding themselves to expensive pension plans (read GM) are over.

[Arnfinn Madsen]

Their politics wasn't originally a failure, they have just failed to reform unlike many other countries. Thus they have ended up in a situation where the politics is out of touch with the current reality. Other European countries saw the warning signs, but i.e. France and Germany just ran straight into them. In both countries they still lack public awareness of the magnitude of the problems and thus politicians calling for big changes aren't getting elected. Their culture is not willing to take impulses from other cultures, so the "enligthment" is a slow process.

In the US you are in the beginning of the same process, unsustainable fiscal and foreign policy out of touch with current reality and unwillingness to take impulses from abroad, heading into the same trap. Your mentality is more similar than it is different. So I advice not to mock them as you will end up with a foot in your own mouth.

[hmkpoker]

[ QUOTE ]

In the US you are in the beginning of the same process, unsustainable fiscal and foreign policy out of touch with current reality and unwillingness to take impulses from abroad, heading into the same trap. Your mentality is more similar than it is different. So I advice not to mock them as you will end up with a foot in your own mouth.

[/ QUOTE ]

I really with the English language did not use the same pronoun for the second person singular and second person plural. This sentence makes no sense.

[Arnfinn Madsen]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

In the US you are in the beginning of the same process, unsustainable fiscal and foreign policy out of touch with current reality and unwillingness to take impulses from abroad, heading into the same trap. Your mentality is more similar than it is different. So I advice not to mock them as you will end up with a foot in your own mouth.

[/ QUOTE ]

I really with the English language did not use the same pronoun for the second person singular and second person plural. This sentence makes no sense.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, see that now. Just meant that speaking to French people isn't that different to speaking to Americans. You have different "golden cows" that can't be slaughtered that probably needs to be, but the public awareness isn't there. You aren't living in a progressive country politically, so you aren't in a position to mock the France for not being neither.

[MidGe]

First round of elections only. IT will be Sarkowshy vs Royale, I hope, in the run-off!

I hope Le Pen doesn't get a guernsey this time!

[hmkpoker]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

In the US you are in the beginning of the same process, unsustainable fiscal and foreign policy out of touch with current reality and unwillingness to take impulses from abroad, heading into the same trap. Your mentality is more similar than it is different. So I advice not to mock them as you will end up with a foot in your own mouth.

[/ QUOTE ]

I really with the English language did not use the same pronoun for the second person singular and second person plural. This sentence makes no sense.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, see that now. Just meant that speaking to French people isn't that different to speaking to Americans. You have different "golden cows" that can't be slaughtered that probably needs to be, but the public awareness isn't there. You aren't living in a progressive country politically, so you aren't in a position to mock the France for not being neither.

[/ QUOTE ]

You are never speaking to "Americans" unless you are publicly addressing large groups. ConstantineX (who I think is libertarian-leaning) and myself are both Americans, but we do not represent the status quo (which is what/whom you were addressing)

I mock the USA for their retarded policies on a regular basis; much moreso than any other country in the world. I am in every position to mock France all I want.