I won't even pretend to know all the issues, so someone in the know educate me. Is Sarkozy just another neocon globalist or are his reforms necessary? What little bit I do know suggests the French economy has long since stagnated and is now threatening to sag under the weight of its socialist obligations.

http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=157032

I'll say one thing. French workers are far more eager to strike than any other nation's labor force. They will pull the trigger over and over again. Is this because they have so frequently won their concessions through industrial action?

Ty Webb wrote:I won't even pretend to know all the issues, so someone in the know educate me. Is Sarkozy just another neocon globalist or are his reforms necessary? What little bit I do know suggests the French economy has long since stagnated and is now threatening to sag under the weight of its socialist obligations.

http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=157032

I'll say one thing. French workers are far more eager to strike than any other nation's labor force. They will pull the trigger over and over again. Is this because they have so frequently won their concessions through industrial action?

It's complex. There are several problems at once.

I don't like Sarkozy but he's right about the pension system. It has to be reformed. Why? Because like in the other developped countries, people live older and there are less births. The working generations aren't completely replaced when they retire. The current pension system creates a deficit.
The politicians before him haven't had the courage to handle this problem because it leads to social conflicts but we must do something while we still can or we won't have any pension at all. This country has to change!

The University problem is more a dilemma.

For the rest, I disagree with Sarko. The article you've posted sum the situation up very well!

Sly Bug wrote:

Ty Webb wrote:I won't even pretend to know all the issues, so someone in the know educate me. Is Sarkozy just another neocon globalist or are his reforms necessary? What little bit I do know suggests the French economy has long since stagnated and is now threatening to sag under the weight of its socialist obligations.

http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=157032

I'll say one thing. French workers are far more eager to strike than any other nation's labor force. They will pull the trigger over and over again. Is this because they have so frequently won their concessions through industrial action?

It's complex. There are several problems at once.

I don't like Sarkozy but he's right about the pension system. It has to be reformed. Why? Because like in the other developped countries, people live older and there are less births. The working generations aren't completely replaced when they retire. The current pension system creates a deficit.

And from what my friend in France tells me, the system seems to unfairly favor certain bureaucrats and unions (mostly the transportation unions), not to mention allowing many people to retire on a pension as early as 50. That sound right?

The University problem is more a dilemma.

We certainly know about that one here. Private corporation involvement with universities is already out of control here and has become a fait accompli. The result is a tremendous influx of cash into public universities looking at massive budget deficits and constantly swelling student bodies, but of course the trade-off is private, profit-driven meddling in what should be "pure" areas of research and study.

I hope France can stave off the worst of that. It's too late here, I'm afraid.

Thanks for the response, Sly!

and there's another thing to consider,
this is the first big reform Sarkozy tries to puts on, appart rising his personal income of 170% !!!
so a lot of people disagree with his reform, just because it's him and his arrogant way of doing things...and they want to let him know that they'll never give up.
SCrew him anyway, he's a fucking twat head, more interested in personal enrichment, luxury and self-esteem than anything else...

Ty Webb wrote:Is Sarkozy just another neocon globalist or are his reforms necessary?

My understanding of it, which is pretty limited but then perhaps a little better than the average non-Frenchie, is that both parts of the above statement are roughly right.

He is a neo-con (particularly Thatcherite) prick, and about the worst thing that could happen to France right now. Most French people I know admit that certain reforms are necessary - it's just that Sarko's going the wrong way about doing them i.e. like an arrogant neo-cunt who has little or no regard for quality of life when he can trade it in for money. It's basically a case of there being some problems with the current system, and Sarkozy focusing solely on these whilst ignoring its strengths and advantages, aiming to dismantle the whole thing rather than give it a polish and a lick of paint.

Sarko loves his free market laissez-faire capitalism, and his cocaine (allegedly). Rather than looking to the many European Socialist governments fostering healthy economies whilst still providing excellent social care, he's busy masturbating over Reagan and Thatcher. I can't remember the exact figures, but recently he did something along the lines of and as transparent as this:

Cut 11,000 jobs in education
Cut 11,000 jobs in the civil service
Created 22,000 jobs in the military

Yay!

It is my prediction that if he's given enough time, Sarko will rip that country to shreds almost exactly as Thatcher did here 25 years ago.

the French are always striking because;

they're lazy...
[/controversy]

OUlllalalaaaaa
tu cherches la merde toi ?????

crevecoeur wrote:OUlllalalaaaaa
tu cherches la merde toi ?????

Indeed! I'm feeling slightly malevolent today...

Stuff like this makes me proud to be half French.

The fact that French are always on strike is a bit of a myth now. It was true in the 60s or 70s but not now. It has been said that during these last years, trains and urban transports had 1,5 day of strike/year.
Of course there will be more than 1,5 day this year but I can understand them: they sign a contract that says they are paid less than in private companies, that they work on sundays and bank holidays without earning more money, etc. but they can retire after 37,5 year of work. Then, the President says he can change the rules now, which means people who were planning to retire in a few months have to work two and half more years without any profit.

When I was living in Canada, I understood what it means to be French: they signed a law allowing 15 year old kids to go to jail with adults. In France, there would have been a lot of demonstrations. In Canada, I only heard two or three journalists saying it wasn't fair to mix kids and adults. There are a lot of things I dislike in France, but I like that, the fact that there are people who are ready to fight against what they feel is not right.