Only 18 months until France rises again.

[Manny]

French president Jacques Chirac today gave a speech about France's malaise.

Jimmy Carter did that, too. He didn't actually use the word malaise in his speech, but then again he's not French and it's a French word. 18 months later came the inauguration of Ronald Reagan and morning in America. Deregulation, confidence, lower taxes, a tough and focused foreign policy and America was back in a leadership role in the world.

I hope France finds its Reagan. They're a lot more fun when they're the good guys.

 

[geni]

French president Jacques Chirac today gave a speech about France's malaise.

Jimmy Carter did that, too. He didn't actually use the word malaise in his speech, but then again he's not French and it's a French word. 18 months later came the inauguration of Ronald Reagan and morning in America. Deregulation, confidence, lower taxes, a tough and focused foreign policy and America was back in a leadership role in the world.

I hope France finds its Reagan. They're a lot more fun when they're the good guys.

France has a tough and focused foreign policy. Something more akin to thatcher would probably be a better choice (ie someone ready to take on the unions).

 

[CBL4]

Chirac is was not an idiot. He predicted the riots:

“IN THE deprived suburbs, a kind of soft terror rules. When too many young people see nothing ahead but unemployment after they leave school, they end up rebelling. For a time the state can struggle to impose order, and rely on welfare benefits to avoid worse. But how long can this last?”

Thus one rational analysis of the forces that lie behind the riots, car-burnings and street battles with police that have broken out, first in the banlieues of Paris and then right across France, every night for the past two weeks (see article). It is an analysis that points to a pressing case for action to build a greater sense of identity with French society among the rioters, most of whom are second-generation Muslims of north or west African origin. It also highlights the dispiriting effects of high unemployment as something needing urgent attention.

Yet what is most depressing about the words quoted above is that they were written over ten years ago, in January 1995, by a leading centre-right politician named Jacques Chirac. Mr Chirac has been France's president since May 1995, surely long enough for him and his various governments to do more to help the “deprived suburbs”. But almost throughout his time in office, French unemployment has hovered close to or above 10%; the average rate of youth unemployment has lately been over 20%, one of the highest in Europe; and unemployment among young Muslims in the banlieues has generally been twice as high again. This week the president said little or nothing to echo the forthright views he expressed in 1995: he confined his scant public remarks on the riots to a simple call for the restoration of law and order.

http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=5136305

CBL

 

[CapelDodger]

France has a tough and focused foreign policy. Something more akin to thatcher would probably be a better choice (ie someone ready to take on the unions).

More importantly, ready to take on the farmers.

 

[CapelDodger]

Chirac is was not an idiot. He predicted the riots:
http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=5136305

CBL

And, as President, did nothing at all about the situation. Chirac is, and always has been, a greasy, self-regarding empty-suit. France deserves better, but a divided Left made it a choice between him and Le Pen (who only got 12%, which shows how far down the evolutionary chain the French regarde him). They system, and a self-regarding Left, cheated the electorate of a decent option.

 

[BobK]

I heard a rumor that the French gov. is in secret negotiations with the rebels about a possible surrender. Not sure who's gonna surrender tho'.

 

[Flo]

I heard a rumor that the French gov. is in secret negotiations with the rebels about a possible surrender. Not sure who's gonna surrender tho'.

You're late. Manny has already noted last week that the rioters were too disorganized for our government to find anyone to surrender to.

 

[Orwell]

I hope France finds its Reagan. They're a lot more fun when they're the good guys.

France is already ruled by right-wing incompetent half-witted megalomaniac liars. Last thing they need is another "Reagan" wannabe...

 

[BPSCG]

France is already ruled by right-wing incompetent half-witted megalomaniac liars. Last thing they need is another "Reagan" wannabe...

They should be so lucky as to get a Reagan:

• US Unemployment rate, January, 1981 (Reagan inaugurated): 8.2%
• US Unemployment rate, January, 1989 (Reagan leaves): 6.0%

• US Inflation rate, 1981 - 10.36%
• US Inflation rate, 1989 - 4.81%

• Average US mortgage rate, January, 1981 (30 year mortgages) - 13.24%
• Average US mortgage rate, January, 1989 (30 year mortgages) - 9.68%

• November 4, 1979 - Iranian "students" take 66 US citizens, including diplomats, as hostages
• January 20, 1981 - Iran releases hostages on same day Reagan becomes president.

• December, 1979 - Soviet Union invades Afghanistan
• May 15, 1988 - Soviet Union withdraws from Afghanistan
• December 26, 1991 - Soviet Union dissolved.

 

[Jocko]

They should be so lucky as to get a Reagan:

• US Unemployment rate, January, 1981 (Reagan inaugurated): 8.2%
• US Unemployment rate, January, 1989 (Reagan leaves): 6.0%

• US Inflation rate, 1981 - 10.36%
• US Inflation rate, 1989 - 4.81%

• Average US mortgage rate, January, 1981 (30 year mortgages) - 13.24%
• Average US mortgage rate, January, 1989 (30 year mortgages) - 9.68%

• November 4, 1979 - Iranian "students" take 66 US citizens, including diplomats, as hostages
• January 20, 1981 - Iran releases hostages on same day Reagan becomes president.

• December, 1979 - Soviet Union invades Afghanistan
• May 15, 1988 - Soviet Union withdraws from Afghanistan
• December 26, 1991 - Soviet Union dissolved.

Don't go confusing the lad with facts that get in the way of his youthful omniscience. You're just going to drive him away. It's not like he's old enough to remember Reagan, anyway.

 

[Chaos]

They should be so lucky as to get a Reagan:

• US Unemployment rate, January, 1981 (Reagan inaugurated): 8.2%
• US Unemployment rate, January, 1989 (Reagan leaves): 6.0%

• US Inflation rate, 1981 - 10.36%
• US Inflation rate, 1989 - 4.81%

• Average US mortgage rate, January, 1981 (30 year mortgages) - 13.24%
• Average US mortgage rate, January, 1989 (30 year mortgages) - 9.68%

• November 4, 1979 - Iranian "students" take 66 US citizens, including diplomats, as hostages
• January 20, 1981 - Iran releases hostages on same day Reagan becomes president.

• December, 1979 - Soviet Union invades Afghanistan
• May 15, 1988 - Soviet Union withdraws from Afghanistan
• December 26, 1991 - Soviet Union dissolved.

You forgot to add:

May 1985 - Chernobyl nuclear reactor blows up

That happened on Reagan´s watch. So is that also his fault?

 

[Jocko]

You forgot to add:

May 1985 - Chernobyl nuclear reactor blows up

That happened on Reagan´s watch. So is that also his fault?

You know, 3 mile island had its crisis during Jimmy "Malaise" Carter's term. Is that the factoid you were trying to provide?

No one blamed Carter for that, and it happened HERE.

 

[CBL4]

You know, 3 mile island had its crisis during Jimmy "Malaise" Carter's term.

It was his fault. He had the skills and brains to prevent it. Why was a nuclear engineer in the White House instead of at Three Mile Island?

CBL

 

[Chaos]

You know, 3 mile island had its crisis during Jimmy "Malaise" Carter's term. Is that the factoid you were trying to provide?

No one blamed Carter for that, and it happened HERE.

My point is: you can´t simply attribute anything happening during Reagan´s presidency that you like to Reagan.

 

[Jocko]

It was his fault. He had the skills and brains to prevent it. Why was a nuclear engineer in the White House instead of at Three Mile Island?

CBL

Shhhhh, I'm trying to distract attention away from the fact that Reagan was the Soviet Premiere in 1985, and that several witnesses reported seeing him use his heat vision to cause Chernobyl to go critical.

 

[Jocko]

My point is: you can´t simply attribute anything happening during Reagan´s presidency that you like to Reagan.

Congratulations, you've added a caveat to the least relevant 10% of BPSCG's post. Feel free to take the rest of the day off.

 

[BPSCG]

My point is: you can´t simply attribute anything happening during Reagan´s presidency that you like to Reagan.

Time to bring out the old reliable make-the-lefties-froth-at-the-mouth machine:

Democrats lose entire continents to totalitarian monsters, lose wars to bloody tyrants, lose countries to Islamic fascists, and then insist that everyone recite the liberal catechism: "No one lost China," "Vietnam was an unwinnable war," "Khomeini's rise to power was inevitable." (Conversely, Ronald Reagan didn't "win" the Cold War; it just ended.) - Ann Coulter

Actually, if they don't like Reagan, the French (Remember France? What the OP was about?) might want to look across La Manche for their inspiration in another 1980's political figure, who took on her country's biggest problem - the labor unions - and won: Margaret Thatcher.

 

[Orwell]

Don't go confusing the lad with facts that get in the way of his youthful omniscience. You're just going to drive him away. It's not like he's old enough to remember Reagan, anyway.

Jocko, you wouldn't know facts if they hit you upside the cranium with an aluminium baseball bat! By the way, people on this forum typically don't think much of religion, so why are you people going around worshipping Reagan? Now you're attributing all kinds of myths and miracles to the man! What's next? Resurrection?

 

[Orwell]

Actually, if they don't like Reagan, the French (Remember France? What the OP was about?) might want to look across La Manche for their inspiration in another 1980's political figure, who took on her country's biggest problem - the labor unions - and won: Margaret Thatcher.

They could also watch The Wizard of Oz and be inspired by the Wicked Witch of the West!

 

[BPSCG]

May 1985 - Chernobyl nuclear reactor blows up

That happened on Reagan´s watch. So is that also his fault?

No, that was Bill the Cat, remember? He was working there, sent a photo of himself to all his friends back in Bloom County. Photo shows him leaning on a big lever at the reactor. Sign in the background says, "Warning!!! Do not lean on lever!!!"