French presidential primaries

[Soldati Senza Confini]

I am more concerned about finding long-term solutions to existing problems that benefit industries and workers though, and minimum wage was a good solution to an existing problem. Should the minimum wage be raised? Yes, absolutely, because people need to live at least without fear of going homeless. Does it help businesses to raise the minimum wage? Sure, even if we take a hit on our pockets.

The problem is that businesses don't want to create jobs. A huge myth is that corporations are job creators, they're not. A job is expensive to maintain and always is a reduction in profits. The ideal company is one which could somehow be 100% automated, one which is all capital and no labor.

Corporations are going to hire as many people as possible and leave the rest to die if they can. Mini-max operations.

However, corporations, while they compose a large share of the market, is not by any means the overall total of an economy.

[Saiwania]

Corporations are going to hire as many people as possible and leave the rest to die if they can. Mini-max operations. However, corporations, while they compose a large share of the market, is not by any means the overall total of an economy.

If a business were able to get the same or greater amount of production or work done with fewer people, why hire more people? The one thing companies want to do more than anything else is reduce payroll costs, which is by far their highest expense. The private sector as it is, doesn't want to pay taxes, minimum wage, or dividends.

The trend I see is for all profit to be redirected towards only the owners of capital/assets, shareholders (investors), and high level executives which pay themselves high salaries which is of course, made possible by paying regular lower level employees peanuts, or automating as much as possible.

[Olerand]

Aelex is not gonna like this: Manuel Valls has pulled a Vichy

Manuel Valls says French Socialists are “finished” and runs for Macron

Manuel Valls is joining the Emmanuel Macron’s party, En Marche, as France goes to the polls in June he told RTL radio on Tuesday.

“I will be a candidate in the presidential majority,” Valls said. And “the Socialist Party is dead,” he added.

In doing so, the former Prime Minister formalizes the split of the third way liberal wing of the party and traditional Socialists.

It was the last days of March when Emmanuel Valls moved to openly endorse Emmanuel Macron. At the time, some Socialists were swift to express their “nausea” and “shame.”

It was not clear at the time that this endorsement was beneficial to the Macron campaign. The day of his announcement, Macron was swift to tell Europe 1 Radio that he did not plan to join forces with Manuel Valls. In fact, he said that the former Prime Minister never had a real job and started his career as a political attaché in 1983.

But, the former Prime Minister made part of a bigger movement. The same day, he was joined by the former defense minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. Their argument was that the first priority was securing a victory against Marine Le Pen.

In turn, the defection of cabinet members to the Macron camp urged a big share of Socialist voters to defect to Jean-Luc Melenchon.

Manuel Valls once fancied himself a future President of the Republic. He was defeated in the Socialist Party primaries by the leftist former education minister, Benoit Hamon, on January 29. While he was the presumed Presidential candidate of the Socialist Party, polls gave him 9%. The election of the leftist candidate Benoît Hamon, 49, reenergized the electorate with polls giving him 15-16%. Following rumors of an agreement with Melenchon, French spreads begun to rise, as it became clear that France could be facing a far-left versus a far-right contest.

However, the mass defection of Hollande’s cabinet to Emmanuel Macron projected the image of a collapsing Socialist Party. This could be seen as the beginning of the end for the reconstitution of the French left along different lines.

https://www.neweurope.eu/article/manuel ... ns-macron/

Pathetic, honestly.

Aelex is not gonna like this: Manuel Valls has pulled a Vichy



https://www.neweurope.eu/article/manuel ... ns-macron/

Welp that's interesting. Looks like LR might not gain the advantage in the AN

It's not Valls who's going to make a difference. But let's wait and see how many "left-wing" politicians are going to "the soup", as we say.

The more I've read about Macron's stances, the more I like him. I liked him from the outset because he was very cosmopolitan, but the more I read about him the more I find myself agreeing with his positions.

If I were French, I would have voted for him with few, if any reservations.

When I took the ISideWith Test, I only got 37% with him. I wouldn't vote for either Le Pen or Macron, but I do prefer Macron and I am slowly liking him more.

I just find it a shame that people are attacking his wife, calling her a "child molester" (I kid you not, I seen posts on social media).

They didn't get together until he was in prépa, so after he finished high school. I don't like him, but I won't support furthering these sick stories about him. Nor am I comfortable with this invasion of his private life. He has not committed a crime, and the rest of his marriage/relationship is none of our business.

Mhm, she's announcing it tomorrow. She has a three year old girl, and a divorce to go through. She's not that excited about politics at the moment, and it was a widely known that she was in politics because her grandfather wanted her to. This is a blow to the right of the FN.

Wow. So what does this mean for the future of FN?

It's a blow to the right. Marine was going to lead the party for quite a few years now. But Marion was always the right-wing alternative. Now...

Amusing: Deep in Macron Country

As I step off the train in Roquefort, southern France, I sniff the air appreciatively. It's so good to be out of the Paris bubble, meeting some authentic French people to answer the biggest question in European politics: why did so many people vote for Emmanuel Macron? Was it a lack of economic anxiety, or a lack of racism?

Either way, their concerns deserve to be heard. Some might find them unpalatable, but history has taught us that repressing such views only makes them more virulent. It might not be pleasant to hear them, it might offend our sensibilities, but we have to share our towns and cities with pragmatic centrists, so we must strive to understand them. Too often, during this French presidential cycle, an out-of-touch media elite has failed to understand these people, connected to the political process, broadly trusting of the mainstream media, and what has driven them to vote for a liberal, globalising ex-banker who wants to deregulate the economy.

[...]

Welp that's interesting. Looks like LR might not gain the advantage in the AN

Valls is a traitor, sabotaging PS in the legislature elections.

There's nothing to sabotage, he's trying to save his seat and his short-term political future.

"French presidential primaries"

The only thread in NS forums where you have American liberals/democrats using the same arguments of Trump, Pence, and the whole GOP

Personally I dislike Macron for the very same reasons I dislike American republicans.
If you're in favor of cutting French welfare and workers' rights, then you have to be even in favor of repealing Obamacare and cancelling minimum wage, since the rationale is the same.
It's a matter of coherency and intellectual honesty.

Context is important. The US is a comedy right wing shit hole. France is a bureaucratic mess marred by years of mismanagement. Besides, Macron would fit right in with the Democrats, since he's a social liberal who likes global free markets.

For a bureaucratic mess marred by years of mismanagement, we still have smaller budget deficit, public debt, and a much, much better social system than the right-wing shithole. Please don't further stereotypes. We need reform like everyone else, we're not a mismanaged mess.

I just checked a bit on his positions.

He seems to me like a run-of-the-mill "cut taxes, pro-business, increase defense" Republican.

In short, his ideas about the economy, cutting welfare benefits from the poor, and increase defense a pretty poor economic plan.

If anything, the poor already deal with enough shit to cut their benefits.

In so far as him being a "liberal"? No, not really. He's as economically liberal as much as I am a fascist. The only way he is an economic liberal, as he describes himself apparently, is that he wants less intervention from the government, but that's as far as I will grant him that much of a definition.

In no way, shape, or form is he a Republican. And he is an economic liberal. He's like New Labour if they didn't have to pay lip-service to Old Labour.

"French presidential primaries"

The only thread in NS forums where you have American liberals/democrats using the same arguments of Trump, Pence, and the whole GOP

Personally I dislike Macron for the very same reasons I dislike American republicans.
If you're in favor of cutting French welfare and workers' rights, then you have to be even in favor of repealing Obamacare and cancelling minimum wage, since the rationale is the same.
It's a matter of coherency and intellectual honesty.

That's not the same. Not at all. France has Europe's largest welfare state and once Macron is done with it will still have Europe's largest welfare state.

It's intellectually dishonest to claim that cutting and streamlining a bloated welfare system is the same as cutting health care for millions.

Bloated is an ideologically charged term to describe a State that cares for its citizens. Does anyone call America's social State (in as much as it exists) anemic?

Also, Denmark has Europe's most generous welfare State.

[Soldati Senza Confini]

In no way, shape, or form is he a Republican. And he is an economic liberal. He's like New Labour if they didn't have to pay lip-service to Old Labour.

When I mean "Republican" I mean from the US Republican party with the same agenda of cutting taxes, increase defense spending, and cutting social expenditures.

[MERIZoC]

I predict as bright a future for Valls as Blair had.

[Olerand]

In no way, shape, or form is he a Republican. And he is an economic liberal. He's like New Labour if they didn't have to pay lip-service to Old Labour.

When I mean "Republican" I mean from the US Republican party with the same agenda of cutting taxes, increase defense spending, and cutting social expenditures.

Which he is in no way similar to. The center and right in France always support cutting taxes (outside of budget crises), all the candidates supported increasing defense spending to 2% of GDP (and Socialist Hamon wanted 3%), and all center and right wing candidates support cutting social spending, as did the current center-left government.

These comparisons are really not accurate, the political situation is far too dissimilar. In no way, shape or form is Macron similar to an American Republican, he is at best a Democrat, and even that's a stretch, as he claims to admire Germany's social market model, not the Anglo-Saxon free market model. Even Fillon would, at best, have been considered an Establishment Republican, even though he ran on a hard-right campaign.

[Improved werpland]

Oh shit!

How likely is it Valls will go on an extended soul-searching vacation now?

[Arkinesia]

Context is important. The US is a comedy right wing shit hole. France is a bureaucratic mess marred by years of mismanagement. Besides, Macron would fit right in with the Democrats, since he's a social liberal who likes global free markets.

No, context is used as justification.
We have plenty pages of American democrats talking like Ted Cruz and Donald Trump. I can even use some of their quotes, adding " - Ted Cruz" or " - Donald Trump" and nobody would notice the difference.
I mainly read such thread because it's funny, but sometimes the situation is also very pathetic.

Check that, example:

No. He wants to cut France's bloated welfare state

This is just the first I did find, there are much better examples.

If reform doesn't happen, the current generation of French working people won't have a pension at all.

Would you rather that happen than something be done to correct the situation?

[G-Tech Corporation]

Oh shit!

How likely do you think it is for Valls to go on an extended soul-searching vacation now?

Hilarious, in my opinion.

[Neu Leonstein]

I'm a bit confused about the deadline for nomination for National Assembly candidates.

But anyway, Macron's party has a few: Macron team announces candidates for June parliamentary election

• 428 names, so not enough to run in every seat at this point, but they're apparently leaving the door open for some folks from other parties to come join
• About half from civil society without prior political experience
• Average age is 49
• Half are women
• 24 outgoing PS people, no conservatives
• At the moment they seem to be planning not to run in Valls' constituency

[Kilobugya]

I'm a bit confused about the deadline for nomination for National Assembly candidates.

According to http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/Elections/ ... -electeurs it's up to Friday 19th at 18:00 (so one week left).

[Bakery Hill]

How will the legislative election go?

[Kilobugya]

How will the legislative election go?

Hard to say since it's chaos, but I fear badly. I don't think anyone will have absolute majority, but Marcon's En Marche and LR will likely be the biggest groups, the FN will have a few dozens (perhaps 50) MPs, and the left, split in 3 (PS, PCF-FdG and FI) will have scraps

That's very sad, because with Mélenchon's 20% and the complete lack of adhesion towards Macron (despite his election, 70% of French people are opposed to his will to reform the working code, for example) we had an opportunity to get a very strong left in the AN, but for that we need unity, something which seems very unlikely to happen...

But well, one month left, and we will struggle until the last day, never give hope, never surrender !

[The Wolfiad]

Welp that's interesting. Looks like LR might not gain the advantage in the AN

Valls is a traitor, sabotaging PS in the legislature elections.

I agree, fuck that guy. Can't believe I used to admire him.

[The Holy Therns]

The Front National will seize power over France, whether the French want them or not, eventually. We just have to plan for long enough and execute whichever one can be carried out to perfection.

Oh honey.

[Vassenor]

The Front National will seize power over France, whether the French want them or not, eventually. We just have to plan for long enough and execute whichever one can be carried out to perfection.

That doesn't sound very democratic to me.

[The Wolfiad]

The Front National will seize power over France, whether the French want them or not, eventually. We just have to plan for long enough and execute whichever one can be carried out to perfection.

Mate if FN thugs can't even beat the fringe sect of trotskyists that go on antifa marches how can they take over a local town hall?

[Bakery Hill]

How will the legislative election go?

Hard to say since it's chaos, but I fear badly. I don't think anyone will have absolute majority, but Marcon's En Marche and LR will likely be the biggest groups, the FN will have a few dozens (perhaps 50) MPs, and the left, split in 3 (PS, PCF-FdG and FI) will have scraps

That's very sad, because with Mélenchon's 20% and the complete lack of adhesion towards Macron (despite his election, 70% of French people are opposed to his will to reform the working code, for example) we had an opportunity to get a very strong left in the AN, but for that we need unity, something which seems very unlikely to happen...

But well, one month left, and we will struggle until the last day, never give hope, never surrender !

Fuck's sake. If the left don't unite now, there's no hope of resisting neoliberalism, and the mantle of opposition passes to FN. Le Pen 2022 is the cost if this bickering.

[Washington Resistance Army]

The Front National will seize power over France, whether the French want them or not, eventually. We just have to plan for long enough and execute whichever one can be carried out to perfection.

That doesn't sound very democratic to me.

Saiwania doesn't care about democracy, it really just seems like he wants the memes to rule.

[The Holy Therns]

The Front National will seize power over France, whether the French want them or not, eventually. We just have to plan for long enough and execute whichever one can be carried out to perfection.

Mate if FN thugs can't even beat the fringe sect of trotskyists that go on antifa marches how can they take over a local town hall?

If Saiwania with his incredible insight into the political climate said it will happen, then gosh darn it it's gonna happen!

[Thermodolia]

Valls is a traitor, sabotaging PS in the legislature elections.

I agree, fuck that guy. Can't believe I used to admire him.

He's good looking but that's about it

[Parti Ouvrier]

Who will Macron's pick for PM be? I suspect it might be someone from Les Republicains.

[Geilinor]

Welp that's interesting. Looks like LR might not gain the advantage in the AN

Valls is a traitor, sabotaging PS in the legislature elections.

Eh. PS is a dead party, might as well hold the funeral and start over.

[Chessmistress]

No, context is used as justification.
We have plenty pages of American democrats talking like Ted Cruz and Donald Trump. I can even use some of their quotes, adding " - Ted Cruz" or " - Donald Trump" and nobody would notice the difference.
I mainly read such thread because it's funny, but sometimes the situation is also very pathetic.

Check that, example:



This is just the first I did find, there are much better examples.

If reform doesn't happen, the current generation of French working people won't have a pension at all.

Would you rather that happen than something be done to correct the situation?

Doing "something"?
So, as long as an unspecified "something" is done, then you're fine with it?
There are MANY VERY DIFFERENT "somethings" that can be done.

[Geilinor]

If reform doesn't happen, the current generation of French working people won't have a pension at all.

Would you rather that happen than something be done to correct the situation?

Doing "something"?
So, as long as an unspecified "something" is done, then you're fine with it?
There are MANY VERY DIFFERENT "somethings" that can be done.

Studying the possible solutions is a good thing. Ignoring the problem never works.