Thinking Right

By jbmlaw

May 7, 2007 8:31 AM | Link to this

Good morning all. I add one note to Jim’s excellent essay - Mr. Sarkozy also proposes to make it easier to fire employees. That was the idea that frightened the leftists so, but it is the ossification of the employment market that has caused the massive unemployment rates there - who would expand if it requires bankruptcy to reduce the work force?

By Politics Aside

May 7, 2007 9:02 AM | Link to this

Ossification? Pardon his french.

Of course, in France, “take this job and shove it” only went to number 41 on the hit parade, (with a croissant).

And then there’s the sex factor. The french obviously invented sex. And did anyone see what a total babe the socialist candidate is? If that’s communism, then you can sickle my hammer any night, honey.

What’s amazing is that the newly elected French President got away with calling the Socialist doll a “Nape’ crepe suzette” during a televised debate.

Imus should try France. He’s rude enough.

By getalife

May 7, 2007 9:10 AM | Link to this

Chirac jr.

Nothing changed except the wingnuts flip flopping again and love France now.

Stick with a position. They flip flop like their candidates.

Geez®

By Aquagirl

May 7, 2007 9:24 AM | Link to this

I’m going to get a big bowl of popcorn and watch news coverage of the French union strikes. Seeing a Parisian trucker washed across a street by a fire hose is more entertaining than HBO.

Next thing you know, the French will actually start fighting invading armies. Then maybe we won’t have to go save their bidet-washed hindquarters when they’re occupied by other countries.

By @@

May 7, 2007 9:34 AM | Link to this

Jim, speaking of unions and the damage that they can do to a country’s economic well-being, there is a need for new and innovative ideas. The old union ideas just aren’t working.

Although I’ve never been a member in a union, my curiosity has compelled me to keep an eye on this guy:

Andy Stern with the Service Employees International Union SEIU is at war against the United Health Workers-West in California.

He’s coming up with new ideas which allow corporate America and workers unions to collaborate in the interest of global competition with China.

But what is it the old status quo union mindset offers in response?

And documents I’ve obtained suggest that regardless of the image crafted by his own brilliant public relations, Stern has tread a route common among men who’ve suffered crippling late-life personal setbacks. He’s become ornery in his old age.

Ornery? Ornery?

Who’s the ornery one?

Oh, and for the Democrats online?

Stern appears to have the support of the Democrat’s in California’s legislature.

I like new ideas. They’re rad man.

By Van

May 7, 2007 9:43 AM | Link to this

Hmm, we are going further left and France is going further right. When France elects a President that openly likes the US, maybe we are not the world scum some lefies in mid-town would have us believe.

Talk about a strange world we live in. Must be a sign of the end of days?

By Split Infinitive

May 7, 2007 9:47 AM | Link to this

Is it illegal immigration, or is it the natural cycle of population migration that occurs because mankind itself is migratory. You may as well appeal against the wildebeasts, (said Sherman).

We expand. We seek new horizons: To boldly go where no homie has gone before.

The reason europe is very important to us is that immigrants dont need a visa to visit the USA from France or England. Thus Pakistan can send Al Queda conspirators to Paris as immigrants and then inevitably on to New York, and never have to talk to an official.

What would we do if an Al Queda couple came to the US and had a baby which would become the first Jihado-american citizen?

This extreme example illustrates how any country evolves into government versus the people, against the people, and in spite of the people, (instead of a government “of the people, by the people, and for the peeples”).

The law that confers US citizenship on immigrant newborns needs to be changed. There should be no “born citizens”, all babies should have to take a civics test, recite the pledge of allegience, and sign an affidavit to obstain from sex till marriage (or getting an appointment with the DC madam).

Then welcome a broad.

By Southern Democrat

May 7, 2007 9:55 AM | Link to this

Two curious statements that make me question our conservative friends’ views of economics and international relations:

“Europe is far more significant in our past than in our future”

Perhaps you should check the GDP of the European Union (led by a resurgent German economy) as compared to the U.S. I anticipate a surprise. Also, inter alia, the EU’s strict adherence to Kyoto and this administration’s foot-dragging will give the EU a leg up when widespread carbon emissions trading begins. For those unfamiliar with the EU, no Member State’s national laws can directly conflict with an EU law (it’s a quasi-federalist system), so focusing on individual Member States in any realm besides foreign policy is not providing the full picture.

And this:

“France’s unemployment rate is about 8.4 percent, one of Europe’s highest. The young, and immigrants, can’t get work because it’s virtually impossible to fire anybody in France once they get a job.”

Besides the usage of the pronoun “they” for the singular “anybody” (a pet peeve of this former English teacher), the logic of this statement is inherently flawed.

The ability to fire one to hire one, based upon my math, maintains the status quo in employment numbers.

By Split Infinitive

May 7, 2007 10:05 AM | Link to this

Be nice to France. They finally forgave us for calling our breakfast rolls the “croisandwich”.

It’s a new era. Maybe they’ll finally show American Men where the GiGi-spot is.

By getalife

May 7, 2007 10:23 AM | Link to this

Iraq War Hampers Kansas Tornado Cleanup

Meanwhile, the little king is having tea with the Queen.

By Redneck Convert

May 7, 2007 10:25 AM | Link to this

Well, I’m with Wooten on this election in France. It won’t be long now till the no-goods are all fired and their jobs shipped overseas. I hope the bosses all look right sorrowful when they give them the pink slip. The people that stay in jobs will work longer for less money. France will get rid of pensions and make the old coots save their own money for retirement. The people that run the companys will make 500 times what the workers make. It won’t be long till we see the books being cooked and bigwigs arrested for fraud. It’s all part of Capitalism. You got to take some bad with the good. Workers will need to get their own health insurance, and Those People that invaded the country will all keep their jobs but be scorned by respeckable people. While making less. There will be about 40 million French with no health care. Kids will have to start out at McDonalds or Wendys instead of at a desk in some corporation.

Yep, the Republican Party done took over France! And they said we was on the skids! To sellabrate, I may get a big order of French fries today. It’s good to see that God made another miracle and turned France into a God-fearing country that hates libruls and Those People. Did you ever notice that this Sarkozy looks a lot like Ronald Reagan? The Lord sure does work in strange ways! Who would have thunk a new version of Reagan done took over France? Anyway, I expect to see about 400,000 French troops in Iraq in a couple months. Sister Dusty will be so happy she’ll start buying French cheese and wine again.

By Mother Earth

May 7, 2007 10:32 AM | Link to this

Split - where did you come up with this?

“The reason europe is very important to us is that immigrants dont need a visa to visit the USA from France or England. Thus Pakistan can send Al Queda conspirators to Paris as immigrants and then inevitably on to New York, and never have to talk to an official.”

A foreign visitor from France or England most certainly does have to “talk” to an official when entering the country.

I’ve have friends from England and when they visit the country, they just don’t walk off the plane and into the country — it is a very long, tedious process.

By Dennis

May 7, 2007 10:34 AM | Link to this

Mr. Wooten writes, “…Europe is far more significant in our past than in our future….”

Mr. Wooten, that, is one dumbass statement.

You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.

By getalife

May 7, 2007 10:34 AM | Link to this

Gingrich To Conservatives: Don’t Talk About Iraq, Katrina, Walter Reed, Attorneys, Or Bush

Of course, Matthews threw softballs in their debate.

Freaking corporate media.

Geez®

By Van

May 7, 2007 10:35 AM | Link to this

Southern Democrat

You maybe right, but in my mind, being able to fire one dead head and hire one eager kid right out of University is a positive step to me.

By Mother Earth

May 7, 2007 10:38 AM | Link to this

Get a life - yes you are right about Jim’s statement, that simply shows his ignorance as well as his arrogance. Southern Democrat nailed it above.

By Mother Earth

May 7, 2007 10:41 AM | Link to this

Dennis, I’m sorry, it was you who commented on Mr. Wooten’s statement, sorry about that.

Getalife, keep up the good work. :-)

By getalife

May 7, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this

Jim is the AJC’s paid troll.

A gop hack, if you will.

Party over country is what Jim is all about.

Well and the money.

God have mercy on his soul †

By Southern Democrat

May 7, 2007 10:53 AM | Link to this

Van,

I agree that willing workers are a positive economically, but, in a quasi-socialist state such as France, which is the bigger economic drain, a lazy wage earner coupled with an eager immigrant or a lazy unemployed person and an eager, lower-paid immigrant?

This is my big problem with the so-called economic growth of the Clinton-Bush years… job growth was stagnant and is now decreasing… how are we going to support the crush of the Baby Boomers’ retiring if we aren’t creating jobs and having substantially more controlled immigration?

By getalife

May 7, 2007 10:57 AM | Link to this

I think Biden’s plan is the only plan that may work in Iraq

A unified Iraq is a wet dream.

By Jim's a Cherry Picker

May 7, 2007 11:10 AM | Link to this

Hi Jim,

I agree with a lot of what Sarkozy has been saying, and do think it’s time for the Frogs to can the three hour lunches and get to work. But don’t be counting your chickens before they hatch. His election isn’t some kind of affirmation of “conservatism”. They’re still French, after all.

Like Newt before him, many a revolutionary wanna-be has said big things, but failed to implement them. We’ll check back after the dust from the riots has settled.

PS: Regarding saying big things but not implementing them (1), don’t forget to check Bush’s approval ratings this week. A new low.

PPS: Regarding saying big things but not implementing them (2), check out the transcript from Newt’s appearance on Face The Nation (getalife posted the link). It’s a hoot…

By Van

May 7, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this

Southern Democrat

Job growth is stagnant? The unemployment rate is 4.5%, the government added 25,000 jobs, overall 88,000 new jobs last month. Strongest gains were in health and business. The average work week is around 33 hours and average factory work week is just over 40 hours, while average wages went up .2% in April.

With a low unemployment rate, it appears there is work for anyone that wants to work. True, you may not get that management job right away, but there is work available.

By Jack

May 7, 2007 11:26 AM | Link to this

Yes. There is plenty of work if you want to be one of the working poor. NAFTA saw to that.

By harold

May 7, 2007 11:30 AM | Link to this

hopefully this new guy will clean up le tour du france.

Christian Prudhomme, Jean-Marie Leblanc, Le Equipe… all corruptly antiamerican!

off with their heads!!!!

By Southern Democrat

May 7, 2007 11:31 AM | Link to this

Van,

You are absolutely right and I did not qualify my above statement correctly. What I meant to say is that job growth in manufacturing and skilled labor, the traditionally most reliable trades for the 50% of America that doesn’t go to college, has been stagnant and is now waning.

I agree that we are at virtually full employment and I don’t want to sound too Chicken Little, but the rising costs of living coupled with the lack of jobs in the above sectors make for a dangerous situation for the non-college educated who make up the backbone of the American work force.

By harold

May 7, 2007 11:32 AM | Link to this

but seriously, did france just deploy diebold electronic voting or what?

By harold

May 7, 2007 11:36 AM | Link to this

well well, what a surprise.

this WAS the first time france ever used electronic voting for the presidential elections.

HUH.

By harold

May 7, 2007 11:38 AM | Link to this

and Nicolas Sarkozy, the guy who was the leader of the ministry of the interior who voted to approve the electronic voting machines, just happened to get elected president.

HUH.

if only hitler had thought of electronic voting!!!!!

By Jackie

May 7, 2007 11:41 AM | Link to this

Approximately 2 million BS degrees are awarded in the USA each year. In order to maintain growth, approximately 180,000 NEW jobs must be produced each month to maintain parity. The cost of education has gone through the roof, older workers do not want to retire at the age of 65 and younger workers are told they are not educated enough to handle the jobs being created in today’s economy. Illegal aliens, H1B visas and the spread between executive and average worker pay being abused are examples of major problems with the purported strong economy in this country. Why are we borrowing so much money from the Chinese military to finance of purchase of goods and to fight the war in Iraq?

By jm

May 7, 2007 11:56 AM | Link to this

Funny thing about electronic voting, Governor Charlie Crist of Florida has carried out his campaign promise to make sure there is a paper trail in elections Confetti Time

I wonder if Sonny will get the hint.

By harold

May 7, 2007 11:58 AM | Link to this

only if we tell Sunni Perdue that the electronic voting paper trail will be printed on paper watermarked with a bass fish

By Van

May 7, 2007 12:08 PM | Link to this

Southern Democrat

I do agree. Without a manufacturing and skilled workforce to support the “old” time factory jobs, we are at jeopardy.

On this we agree. I think that the method to remedy this might differ, but we do agree. We need to bring back the to the US the ability to manufacture enough steel and other metals for the domestic market and for export.

We need a workforce that can take the raw materials and produce the needed products for the domestic market without harming the foreign producers(tariffs and other duties).

I do not think we will see a return to the glory days of high wages in these fields, not until we can reestablish our dominance in manufacturing again.

By getalife

May 7, 2007 12:30 PM | Link to this

Van,

Those jobs have been outsourced overseas.

I did see a steel factory rehire and crank back up production for the new owner.

China.

Geez®

By French ways

May 7, 2007 12:43 PM | Link to this

and then there is the food. American food vs French food.

Food in the USA is hormone-fused dung. American Pallets are basically bio-sewers and waste treatment facilities.

French tongues and lips and mouths are delicate instraments of plaizzure!!!.

By Dave

May 7, 2007 12:45 PM | Link to this

After watching the French elections I noticed a great similarity between France’s socialists vs. Conservatives and our Democrats vs. Republicans.

The Conservatives say: I will change this and fix that and we will have a better life.

The Socialists say: The conservatives will cause you to Die!! In fact if they win, we want you to riot! This is because they are evil, selfish and racist.

I do not see much difference. Conservatives offer a plan, Socialists want people to die if they don’t get their way.

By DebbieDoRight

May 7, 2007 1:05 PM | Link to this

Job growth is stagnant? The unemployment rate is 4.5%

4.5% of the newly unemployed. After a certain amount of time, the government stops counting people unemployed for a substantial span of time. They simply drop off the list.

By Daedalus

May 7, 2007 1:07 PM | Link to this

Memo to Republicans:

Sakorzy was not elected because France is now enamored with the US, President Bush or his policies.

Sakorzy was elected on one issue: immigration. He called unemployed frenchmen of arab descent “scum” and was rewarded with almost half the labor vote which in France, which always voted for the socialist candidates in a bloc before.

The average working-class Frenchman does not want to lose his 35 hour work-week or socialized medicine and retirement — he just wants to keep the dark-skinned ‘foreigners’ from stealing his job.

Sound familiar? It should.

Sakorzy will be like President Bush in one respect — he will be an incredibly polarizing leader.

By ABS

May 7, 2007 1:35 PM | Link to this

Dave, Wasn’t it Guiliani who mentioned the other day the old conservative mantra that if you vote for a Democrat, there will surely be another terrorist attack? The ol’ vote Democrat and die routine? Or something like that…..

By DavidS

May 7, 2007 1:42 PM | Link to this

Jim Wooten wrote, “Sarkozy vowed to fight unions and the 35-hour work week, which makes it virtually impossible for the French to compete with China, India and other highly productive countries.”

Unfortunately, Mr. Wooten prefers that France, the U.S. and other industrialized countries reduce labor and environmental standards to become more competitive with China, India and other “highly productive” third-world countries.

Here’s a basic economics lesson for Mr. Wooten, jbmlaw, and other so-called free traders to help them understand how these countries became so “highly productive”.

Alan Blinder had a very interesting op-ed in the Sunday Washington Post about “free” trade and job outsourcing. He has been attacked lately for being an economist who is actually pointing out that “free” trade may not be the perfect thing its fundamentalist proponents have been saying it is. Yet, Blinder still falls prey to one of the most insidious distortions that rationalizes “free” trade orthodoxy: the distortion surrounding “comparative advantage.” Blinder, invoking “comparative advantage, writes

“The basic principles of free trade that Adam Smith and David Ricardo taught us two centuries ago remain valid today: Just like people, nations benefit by specializing in the tasks they do best and trading with other nations for the rest.”

But here’s the problem — Ricardo’s “comparative advantage,” which when it works does bring on beneficial specialization, isn’t what’s going on most of the time with “free” trade today. Let’s turn it over to U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) to explain exactly what I mean, because this is really a critical point. In his book “Take This Job and Ship It”, Dorgan explains what the theory of “comparative advantage” is:

“Time and time again, companies decide that they can move their jobs to Mexico, China, Indonesia, or other countries to save costs and boost profits…Economist say it is just something called ‘comparative advantage’ in action [and cite] the theory developed by David Ricardo in 1815 [who] used an example of trade between England and Portugal…The English-Portugese example described a natural comparative advantage each has with respect to the raising of sheep and the growing of grapes. It has to do with the climate and the soil, etc.”

Then Dorgan shows how this is exactly what isn’t going on today:

“Let’s look at the way trade is today…Say a Chinese manufacturing company sells the toys it produces to a U.S. retailier. While there is an advantage to producing toys in China, it is not a ‘comparative advantage.’ Governments create the advantage. One allows its labor force to be exploited for low wages. The other turns a blind eye as jobs are sucked from its workforce. It is not some natural “comparative” advantage. It is a manipulated trade advantage…[When] the Chinese government decides it is okay for children to work, or for workers to be put in unsafe workplaces, or for companies to pollute the air and water, or to fire or jail those who try to start a union, those are political decisions made by a government. Yes, they can create an economic advantage. But it is not a *natural comparative advantage. Manufacturing is less expensive in China precisely because workers are exploited…When the political system of a country creates the artificial advantage for gain, say, through repressed labor rights, it has nothing to do with Ricardo’s theory. And yet economists continue to connect it to Ricardo’s theory.*”

I want to repeat: THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY FUNDAMENTAL POINT TO UNDERSTAND because “comparative advantage” is the entire basis for all the rationales spewed by today’s “free” trade fundamentalists. All of their arguments for job outsourcing and against labor/human rights/environmental protections lead back to the idea that today’s version of “free” trade rewards “comparative advantage” when in fact, as Dorgan so eloquently explains, it rewards manipulated/artificial advantages that create races to the bottom.

The fact is, those pushing for basic labor, human rights and environmental standards are the ones most interested in respecting Ricardo’s theory of “comparative advantage.” I’ll say that again…those pushing for basic labor, human rights and environmental standards are the ones most interested in respecting Ricardo’s theory of “comparative advantage.”

If global trade had basic standards, then we would be closer to a situation where natural advantages (soil, geography, minerals, etc.) or even human-supported positive investments (education, infrastructure, etc.) would create real comparative advantages, rather than today’s situation where artificial negative problems (bad labor, environmental, or human rights protections) create manipulated advantages.

To maintain and increase our ability to compete with “highly productive” countries, rather than changing our values and lowering our standards, we could be working to raise the bar for others. You wouldn’t take your clothes to a laundromat that dumps its waste in your backyard. In the same way, as the largest customer in the world for most exporting nations, we can decide, via our elected representatives, which countries we’ll do business with based upon their labor and environmental standards — and we should.

By Dusty

May 7, 2007 1:57 PM | Link to this

Liberals, poor babies, can’t you even CELEBRATE one thing? I did not find one liberal enjoying the idea of a friendlier France.

I suggest you drop all “evil” and depressing words such as: voting machines, unemployment rates, quasi-federalist system, arrogance, quasi-socialistic, Frogs, ChickenLittle, Hitler, etc.. Also, drop all posts by Doomsday Daedalus and DebbieDoDabble.

Here’s the new blog SURGE, liberals. Jim Wooten writes, “…for now, let us cheer. France has elected its version of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher.”

VIVA LE FRANCE!!!

By Van

May 7, 2007 1:58 PM | Link to this

DebbieDoRight,

Only the ones not actively seeking jobs are dropped off the list.

Yes, those that give up are not counted.

By jm

May 7, 2007 2:06 PM | Link to this

Van - that is not entirely true. Governments use unemployment claims as a primary means of counting unemployment. If you have exhausted your unemployment, you are removed from the rolls and no longer counted as “unemployed”, regardless of how hard you are looking for a job.

By ABS

May 7, 2007 2:06 PM | Link to this

Dusty, Since the neo-cons love France now, can we drop the whole “freedom fries” thing, or are you going to wait to see if this “conservative” is going to send troops to Iraq.

By Brad

May 7, 2007 2:14 PM | Link to this

DavidS,

Great post at 1:42.

By Jackie

May 7, 2007 2:18 PM | Link to this

Unemployed people are not counted. Unemployment is only an estimate of those persons actively seeking employment and those currently unemployed. Those that have used all their unemployment benefits, passed the time unemployment remains or have not been employed within the last six months are part of the survey.

By Curious Observer

May 7, 2007 2:39 PM | Link to this

The French election signals a coming of limitless business opportunities for US companies. I foresee

• Thousands of French pickup drivers in need of “3” stickers and new ladders to stack on the cab • A run on yellow magnetic “Support the Troops” decals • The need for flimsy tents to house the newly homeless and jobless • Technology transfers to support the soon-to-be-implemented capital punishment initiative in France. The price of baskets to catch severed heads will go out of sight. • Thousands of sales of firearms to anxious and newly freed French drivers who want to pack heat to protect themselves • The need for hundreds of Atlanta and LA police officers to take care of those lawless jaywalkers and protesters, not to mention the influx of Southern women to teach the fine art of grits-making and consumption.

And that’s just the beginning.

Welcome to France, y’all. The redneck conservatives are coming to the rescue.

By Ashley

May 7, 2007 2:40 PM | Link to this

We have a tendency to look at cherry-picked statistics. To get the big picture, we need to look at a number of metrics, not just the ones that make our guy look good or look bad.

Some ideas:

These are just a few that come to mind.

By Real Men Hate France

May 7, 2007 3:06 PM | Link to this

You people are showing your georgia ignorance with the ill assumption that this mans brand of “right wing” and ours here at home, are the same. They arent even close.

Stop posting and get back to your room. The nurse will be by on medication rounds soon.

By BPJ

May 7, 2007 3:15 PM | Link to this

Sarkozy’s form of “conservatism” includes support for universal health care paid for by taxes. Not exactly your typical US Republican.

Where Sarkozy will make changes, one hopes, is in France’s over-regulated labor market, where it is so hard to fire anyone that businesses are reluctant to create new jobs. That’s a reform this US Democrat can endorse.

As for those who still rattle on about France being “chicken,” I have this response: Afganistan. That’s right, remember the place where the Taliban hosted Al-Qaeda? France helped us invade, and, 5 years later, they still have a couple thousand troops there. Most of the chickenhawk France bashers would be afraid to go there. France, like most of the world understood the case for going to war in Afghanistan. The case for war in Iraq was, to put it mildly, less compelling.

By Van

May 7, 2007 3:17 PM | Link to this

Ashley,

For a round up of the current metrics try this website

By getalife

May 7, 2007 3:36 PM | Link to this

Try this one Van

Geez®

By Dave

May 7, 2007 3:58 PM | Link to this

Oh looks like the “entitled” are upset in Paris and have burned over 500 cars because of their loss in the election.
This is what happens when you create a group of people who vote themselves money. They have been spoiled to expect getting their way. They are a mass of spoiled children who never were told NO. Socialism has only one way of succeeding. Kill those who oppose you. 100 million dead and counting. How can you local socialists(progressives) think this is a good thing?

By JP

May 7, 2007 4:07 PM | Link to this

I loved what Bill Maher had to say about you French-bashers this week:

“What can you say about a country that was too stupid to go along with our brilliantly-conceived and flawlessly-executed war on Iraq?!”

Bash France all you want, righties. Don’t expect everyone to jump on your bandwagon.

By getalife

May 7, 2007 4:07 PM | Link to this

Vietnam Part II.

The Iraq do nothing government is taking two months off while the surge in American and Iraqi casualties escalate.

The oil law is blocked and it can’t be won no matter how troops die for this illegal occupation.

A united Iraq is a wet dream and Biden’s plan may work.

Meanwhile, the little king is sipping with the Queen and another US town is destroyed.

God save America †

By Dusty

May 7, 2007 4:09 PM | Link to this

ABS@2:05

We covered the “freedom fries” thing yesterday.

No, I am not worrying about the “conservative” sending troops to Iraq. I am celebrating the election of Mr. Sarkozy. France is moving away from socialism and that is good news.

By JP

May 7, 2007 4:12 PM | Link to this

Glenn Greenwald destroys the “Brit Hume is a journalist, but Keith Olbermann is a hack!” meme today. Well worth a read for open minds.

By ABS

May 7, 2007 4:17 PM | Link to this

Oh, I’m sorry Dusty, I have a life and wasn’t blogging yesterday like you were.

Your so called French “conservative” is more socialist than any of us “liberals” here are. Try again.

By Van

May 7, 2007 4:34 PM | Link to this

Two points I would like to bring up.

“France also has a serious problem with immigration — and many of those who fear that France is losing its distinctiveness because of illegal and uncontrolled immigration, which they attribute to an increase in crime, favored Sarkozy.”

1) Is this a result of an unchecked immigration policy, like the lefties favors here?

2) Your so called French “conservative” is more socialist than any of us “liberals” here are. Try again.

This maybe true. But then again, how far left are their lefties, I mean socialists? Why would anyone want a socialist political party anyway, where has it succeeded?

By ABS

May 7, 2007 4:43 PM | Link to this

Van, The point is that while the neo-cons here are “Vive la France” ing it all over the place, they are too stupid to realize that the most conservative Frenchman is usually (and I said usually) going to be more “liberal” than most of us “liberals” here. Being a conservative in Europe is far different than being one here.

Dusty’s comment that she was celebrating France’s movement away from socialism just shows the neo-cons view of the world as small and ignorant.

By ABS

May 7, 2007 4:49 PM | Link to this

Van, Think of it this way…for example, Germany, Angela Merkel is a far more “conservative” than Gerhard Schroeder was but Germany is still pretty much a socialist state.

By French ways

May 7, 2007 4:51 PM | Link to this

The Chinese advantage in cheap labor will always eclipse our capital markets. The reason they work so cheap is that after they work an entire shift, a half hour later they turn around and work it again…all for a cup of rice…and they LIKE it!!

The only labor force more efficient than that is the French-Chinese in Free French Indochina. But that’s another story for another group of morons. sorry.

Did anyone get a load of that French Socialist Candidate. hello linda.

By Jackie

May 7, 2007 4:57 PM | Link to this

The Sunni Vice-Premiere of Iraq stated that he wants a timeline because the Maliki government is not functioning.
He has recommended that the Sunni coalitions pull out of the Iraq government. John Boehner (R-OH) declare that there must be a “Plan B” in place if no progress is shown by Sept. One has to wonder if the GOP is worried about their employment status in 2008? Maybe this is a early indication of “cut-and-run” by another name?

By The Closer

May 7, 2007 4:58 PM | Link to this

Of course we got a load of that little hottie. But you know what, she only got 48% of the female vote in that election. She campaigned on her gender and reached out to women and they rejected her.

Dont be shocked to see the same here in the US with Hillary and Barack. You have to have more than the same genitalia or skin color to win office. There must be good ideas on policy and substance to the person, or you will be soundly rejected, as she was.

YES RUDY IN 2008

By French ways

May 7, 2007 5:02 PM | Link to this

Well taken, Jackie!! Victory has never been defined in the reality on the ground in Iraq. The mission of US troops has never been defined in a way that would match the conditions on planet earth.

You are witnessing the pablum of the entrenched repukes, who leech our precious bodily fluids.

By French ways

May 7, 2007 5:07 PM | Link to this

Now just a doggone minute, Closer. Are you suggesting that the DC madam would have been elected as she is the opposite of every quality you say was rejected by womankindershernin? Come to think of it, I WOULD vote for the DC madam, there’s something in her eyes, a passion a determination to succeed that I dont see in any candidate. I wonder if she’s got a goil for moi.

By Curious Observer

May 7, 2007 5:15 PM | Link to this

Let’s see, now, the largest Sunni bloc in the Iraqi government will pull out if the constitution is not revised to prohibit a partitioning of Iraq into Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish states. The Sunni leader of the bloc is refusing to meet with President Bush, stating that a meeting would be useless under the circumstances.

Yet, some of the clearer thinking is that the only way to quell the civil war is precisely to create such states, with the central government functioning in a federal role.

Meanwhile, the vacationing parliament has failed to take any action on an equitable distribution of oil revenues among the three major sects.

Yep, sounds like the surge is working.

By Dusty

May 7, 2007 5:31 PM | Link to this

Poor ol’ ABS,

I will celebrate the lost election of the French SOCIALISTS while you sit around like a grumpy old liberal with a bunch of other grumpy liberals. (Are there any other kind?)

Don’t forget now.

VIVE LA FRANCE !!!

By JoeD

May 7, 2007 5:44 PM | Link to this

No one called wooten on his inane statement that SarKozy without a majority in Parliament will be like “George W. Bush in Washington- a voice without the power to implement the change he advocates”. What? The man had six years of Republicans in the majority and couldn’t implement anything of substance. The only change Bush is now advocating is the end of the Democratic majority, which he obviously won’t be able to do before the end of his term. Bush is a lame duck right now. Sarkozy hasn’t even taken office and Jim is comparing him to our pathetic leader. Give him a chance. And Jim, it’s over. This administration is toast. Bush is just phoning it in now.

By Jackie

May 7, 2007 5:55 PM | Link to this

As long as there are neo-cons that still want all of us to believe their lying eyes, we will continue to capital and treasure. The neo-cons are still trying to get us to believe that Bush did the right thing, but the liberal media exposed the plans carefully laid out by the current regime. How could we be such traitors?

By Dusty

May 7, 2007 5:58 PM | Link to this

Jackie @5:55

Just say cut-n-run and that covers it.

By Jackie

May 7, 2007 5:59 PM | Link to this

Sorry for the omission. We will continue to lose capital and treasure is the corrected statement.

By Jackie

May 7, 2007 6:05 PM | Link to this

@Dusty

Is the GOP doing a cut-and-run? Try the statement, stay-and-die to maintain a government and people that do not want to be occupied by the USA. What training can we give our troops to keep them from being killed and maimed in carrying out a failed policy?

By Captain Freedom

May 8, 2007 9:17 AM | Link to this

The Captain is especially pleased that he no longer need apologize for using that damnable French language. Bien.

By WTF

May 8, 2007 1:57 PM | Link to this

I think those of a conservative bent on this site who are excited about the new President of France are going to be sorely disappointed. A conservative in France is much more like the Democrats of the US. And for all of those posters here who “hate” France, I’d suggest that you go for a visit and see what you actually think rather than regurgitating some ignorant, ill-informed half-truths. France is a very prosperous country no matter how you choose to denigrate them just because they don’t agree with the US on everything.