Elections next week

[quintett op.57]

In France, my country, we might elect for president a woman who assumes her solution to unemployment is to raise the salaries.
Is it possible in your countries?

[Iconito]

Raising salaries raises production costs which, in turn, raise prices... and soon you're in inflationary Hell... At least, that was IMF's advice for keeping Argentineans' salaries frozen for nearly a decade... On the other hand, in spite of having followed IMF's advice (on this and many other matters), Argentina's economy crashed spectacularly in 2001. Of course, IMF is not the only one to blame for that (so IMF says...)

Anyway, France is not Argentina and I know absolutely nothing about economy... I thought the solution to unemployment was creating jobs (allez savoir! )

[MishaK]

Raising salaries raises production costs which, in turn, raise prices... and soon you're in inflationary Hell... At least, that was IMF's advice for keeping Argentineans' salaries frozen for nearly a decade... On the other hand, in spite of having followed IMF's advice (on this and many other matters), Argentina's economy crashed spectacularly in 2001. Of course, IMF is not the only one to blame for that (so IMF says...)

Well, freezing salaries and cutting down government expenditures during an economic downturn is a wonderfully idiotic idea which only accelerates the country's misery by reducing domestic demand. It was a disaster for Argentina and the IMF is very much to blame. The IMF made this brilliant move after the Asian markets crisis as well. Only the countries that ignored their advice escaped the worst of the economic downturn. Joseph Stiglitz has written extensively about this. If you judiciously raise salaries in a country with lagging domestic consumption, the additional disposable income can spur domestic consumption, thereby increasing demand and creating jobs. But it has to be done carefully, selectively and with the knowledge that it is a solution that cannot fix inherent structural unemployment issues (e.g. resulting from the death of the coal and steel industry or resulting from systemically bad public education).

I find Sarkozy's anti-immigrant stance repelling. I don't know enough about Bayrou. Royal seems competent, but she's trying too hard to please everyone in her campaign so far and as a result is making her platform sound unfocussed. Sarkozy at least has the advantage of boldly saying what he thinks, even if it's sometimes idiotic.

[Hector]

This is not a Second or Third World country you are talking about, here, but one of the most sophisticated, if not the most sophisticated, on the planet.

You do not seriously think that the Ecole d'Administration will allow any idiot to cock-up the country do you?

This time the French have managed to find a particularly charmless bunch and Jean Marie Le Pen. Elect the Fascist bastard. The shock will kill him and we'll all be rid of him.

The downside will, of course, be rioting in the streets but, with a bit of luck, this will be limited to Paris!

Either way we get bright, pretty, young, qualified, talented Frenchmen and women coming to work over here, thus adding to the multi-racial pot that makes my Nation prosper.

Unfortunately, Thierry Henry cannot play for England but, no matter, he can still play for Arsenal!

Vive l'emigres

[Todd]

I hope Ms Royal wins, not for any specific policy reason (I'm not French, after all, and don't really concern myself with French domestic policy), but because then when I read articles about French politics there'll be a nice picture to look at.  Sarkozy is just not as pleasant looking.  Superficial?  Sure.  But then, there hasn't been an attractive female national leader since the Iron Lady.

[MishaK]

You do not seriously think that the Ecole [Nationale] d'Administration will allow any idiot to cock-up the country do you?

Bayrou is not an ENA grad and he wants to shut down the school because he says it's "elitist".

But then, there hasn't been an attractive female national leader since the Iron Lady.

Sorry, but if you think Thatcher was attractive, you should get your eyes checked.

[knight66]

But then, there hasn't been an attractive female national leader since the Iron Lady.

I am thinking that the men in white coats will be round for you shortly.

Mike

[Todd]

(Looks like no one downloaded the free irony detector from The Onion?)

[knight66]

The scary thing is that a number of men did find her attractive..allegedly.

Mike

[Hector]

Bayrou is not an ENA grad and he wants to shut down the school because he says it's "elitist".

Sorry, but if you think Thatcher was attractive, you should get your eyes checked.

It is.

You're right but she enthralled Tory MPs because she reminded them of their nanny's.

"Oooh, smack me again, matron!"

[knight66]

There is also that famous quote about her from, I think, Mitterrand. "She has the lips of Marlyn Monroe and the eyes of Caligula." He seemingly was unable to detect that she had the heart of Stalin.

I heard a stand-up suggest there would be a really great turn out from the working man to her funeral, all queueing up so they could piss on her grave. I have a lot of sympathy with that idea. I remember where I was when I heard the news that her own party had given her a good stabbing and thrown her out. Of course what followed was the glove puppet from the grey swamp.

As to the elections in the UK, the most interesting place to watch will be Scotland to see whether the SNP make their breakthrough or whether Tory and Labour make a pact to run it between them.

Mike

[Danny]

Jean Marie Le Pen might win election in France?  I thought he stood no chance of winning. 

[Hector]

Jean Marie Le Pen might win election in France?  I thought he stood no chance of winning. 

Indeed, the pollsters got this one wrong as he was on 11% where he was predicted to get 14%.

Amazing that such a sophisticated Nation can muster 11% for a neo-Fascist!

This was his last throw of the dice. He cannot, surely, survive until the next Presidential election unless, of course, God doesn't wasnt him

[carlos]

Probably Sarkozy will be the next president, and he'll
made an alliance with Le Pen. He need his 11%, and
will turn to the right more each day.

[knight66]

I do sometimes think you are only able to view politics through a very distorted mirror. Le Pen's supporters, if they want a vote at all in the second round will have no option but to plump for Sarkozy, but that is a different matter to some unholy alliance.

Mike

[carlos]

Well, we'll see. Sarkozy don't need an alliance with
Le Pen now. He knows that on the ballotage Le Pen's
people will vote for him. But after the election..

[MishaK]

Well, we'll see. Sarkozy don't need an alliance with
Le Pen now. He knows that on the ballotage Le Pen's
people will vote for him. But after the election..

He won't need them after the election either. What he will need is the votes of Bayrou's UDF.

[Danny]

Indeed, the pollsters got this one wrong as he was on 11% where he was predicted to get 14%.

Amazing that such a sophisticated Nation can muster 11% for a neo-Fascist!

This was his last throw of the dice. He cannot, surely, survive until the next Presidential election unless, of course, God doesn't wasnt him

I heard that his daughter might run.  I guess it will be France's version of the Mussolini's.

[knight66]

I heard that his daughter might run.  I guess it will be France's version of the Mussolini's.

But first do we get to hang him from a lamp post?

Mike

[Danny]

But first do we get to hang him from a lamp post?

Mike