France

[snapper]

I've always assumed that virtually anything Hollande promised was up for grabs once he got into power.

What? He lied?

[kato]

I did a bit of digging, but I could not find a single reference (on the beep or elsewhere) about Hollande making it easier to immigrate to the UK (also I find it a bit questionable how much a French President can influence this anyway).

The idea isn't about external immigration, it's British right-wingers claiming a "socialist" French President will make rich French people flee the country. To Britain, of course.

The second issue actually is about immigration, and mostly tethered on Martine Aubry probably heading Hollande's cabinet. British right-wingers claim that she wants to ease ways for immigrants to illegally cross the channel. What she wants to abolish are laws that currently make it illegal to give an illegal immigrant in France food.

[Double Edge]

We cut the highest rate of tax in the last budget to 45% (from 50%). M. Hollande proposes to increase the highest rate of tax in France to 75%. Where will they go?

French money will go to the tax shelters in the Channel Islands :)

[Double Edge]

Dont be daft Benny , we welcome them with open arms :slap:, straight on to benefits ,

You have got to be kidding me, France is the promised land when it comes to 'striaght on to benefits'. The fact that they just voted in a centre left govt is because that Sarkozy cut them off. Sarkozy was threatening the French way of life.

Imma wonder how many Brits are going to take advantage of that.

so i heard on the beeb , i'll try to get a link

This is going to be good :Dancing-Banana:

[Double Edge]

I think Hollande will get a big surprise when he moves to forefill his election promises.

Not anywhere near the one i got reading that.

One thing is it will be very interesting to see how it turns out. I of course believe that France will head down the toilet. I may have to change my veiws on the world if Hollande's government manages to improve France's position. I can't see this happening though.

The French will be happier once their 'way of life' comes back.

[tankie]

I did a bit of digging, but I could not find a single reference (on the beep or elsewhere) about Hollande making it easier to immigrate to the UK (also I find it a bit questionable how much a French President can influence this anyway). THe only statement regarding immigration were about France's like this one:
France: Hollande, Sarkozy quizzed on immigration - CNN

That was before Hollande won , i heard ref to it on the beeb news and it made me sit up , like you i cant find a link , but it was quoted , or is dementia setting in :insane: ;)

[tankie]

You have got to be kidding me, France is the promised land when it comes to 'striaght on to benefits'. The fact that they just voted in a centre left govt is because that Sarkozy cut them off. Sarkozy was threatening the French way of life.

Nope not kidding ya D/E , the uk is the capital of welfare immigration , thats why they were jumping lorries on the frog side to get out of there and get in here , the land of free milk n honey + and i aint never heard of them trying to go back

[dave lukins]

The French will be happier once their 'way of life' comes back.

What way of life would that be DE... bicycles and berets? ;) Seriously, do you think the 6.5 million votes to the NFront is of any concern?

[Double Edge]

If Hollande get his way they will be rushing out in the opposite direction.

Its so hard to say good bye <sniff>

[Bigfella]

What? He lied?

Maybe, maybe not. Campaigning politicians generally set out policies they would like to enact or that they would like you to think they will enact. As it turns out government is rather more difficult than opposition (imagine!) and it is frequently difficult, impractical or impossible to enact such promises. It is standard practice in Australia (and I suspect elsewhere) for incoming governments to declare thet they've suddenly found a horrible mess they could never have forseen and they will have to set aside all their promises. A recent Australian PM actually invented the term 'non-core promise) to describe the stuff he was lying about.

I imagine that Hollande will find implementation somewhat harder than promising - even if his party wins a majority in the legislative elections.

[USSWisconsin]

Lies, bigger lies, and damned lies - thats what the politicians normally have to offer - but I hadn't heard about core lies. What are the other lies called? fringe lies? edge lies? marginal lies? slithering mud eel lies?

We had an interesting political circus here this week, three other liars running against the incumbant liar in office on a governer recall election - the governer got 2/3 of his financial support from out of state, and outspent the others by a long shot - he won too. The idoits running against him collected millions of dollars, 900,000 signatures and then ran three choices? Hmm and the outcome wasn't predictable? Their still holding out their hats too - and the one who got the most most votes in the recall (on the side that didn't win) was the sleaziest one too, they wouldn't have won with one choice either. I got a nice thing in the mail to light my fireplace with today - telling me that our governer is creating lots of new jobs (Wisconson is last in new jobs - #50) - my question is in which country? Oh and he had his hat out too... Yah right there''s a manhole down the street, he can climb down there and collect my donation - I'll flush twice.

[Double Edge]

What way of life would that be DE...

lets see, 5 weeks paid vacation, early retirement (50ish) with a good pension.

bene's, bene's, bene's and more bene's..

The French way of life emerges out of those conditions...you get the idea.

Those were the good old days :)

and no tankie i don't think the UK comes anywhere close to that, not since maggie, fortunately

Seriously, do you think the 6.5 million votes to the NFront is of any concern?

heh, you do realise that a centre-right president has been kicked out in favour of a centre-left one. If France wanted more right wing they would have voted for Sarkozy again. And as we found out their answer is NON!

I would think the FN does not figure much in that context. And haven't for the last twenty years..they're like a third wheel, figuratively & literally. How many protest votes does the FN attract, i wonder ? Could those votes have helped Sarkozy ? The FN are a ball & chain for the right, because they have two fronts to battle, sometimes they win otherwise not, and more times they lose. The FN is great for the Left.

Sarkozy has a lot of haters out there, its really personal more than anything.

[kato]

I would think the FN does not figure much in that context.

FN's politics mellowed out a lot under Marine Le Pen. They're perceived right-wing, sure, but they're more along the ultra-conservative islamophobe anti-european line nowadays. Just not really accepted in that fold by other parties in Europe, mostly because the party of course still contains the same nazis and racists that it contained under her father.

[snapper]

To my mind the Frog FN is 'national socialist' in a very true sense. Sure they want to get out of the euro etc but most of their domestic policies are more Hollande than Sarkozy.

[Double Edge]

FN's politics mellowed out a lot under Marine Le Pen. They're perceived right-wing, sure, but they're more along the ultra-conservative islamophobe anti-european line nowadays. Just not really accepted in that fold by other parties in Europe, mostly because the party of course still contains the same nazis and racists that it contained under her father.

They steal votes from the right. They split the right vote, they are a liability.

Whats that whooshing sound ? Why its Ross Perot sucking votes away from the Republicans

Same thing