Comments on: No EU -> No more Chirac? http://www.californiapatriot.org/blog/2005/05/29/no-eu-no-more-chirac/ news and views from uc berkeley Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:32:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: B.A.D. http://www.californiapatriot.org/blog/2005/05/29/no-eu-no-more-chirac/#comment-992 B.A.D. Mon, 30 May 2005 23:28:59 +0000 http://www.californiapatriot.org/blog/2005/05/29/no-eu-no-more-chirac/#comment-992 “It is your sovereign decision, and I take note,” Chirac said. “Make no mistake, France’s decision inevitably creates a difficult context for the defense of our interests in Europe.” I certainly hope that's a translation or context issue. I hope France's leader doesn't refer to France's elections as "your" decisions. “It is your sovereign decision, and I take note,” Chirac said. “Make no mistake, France’s decision inevitably creates a difficult context for the defense of our interests in Europe.”

I certainly hope that’s a translation or context issue. I hope France’s leader doesn’t refer to France’s elections as “your” decisions.

]]> By: patr http://www.californiapatriot.org/blog/2005/05/29/no-eu-no-more-chirac/#comment-990 patr Mon, 30 May 2005 08:37:39 +0000 http://www.californiapatriot.org/blog/2005/05/29/no-eu-no-more-chirac/#comment-990 Here are some good Wikipedia links for further research: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_France">General French Politics</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Pen">Le Pen</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Front_%28France%29">National Front [his political party]</a> Here are some good Wikipedia links for further research:
General French Politics
Le Pen
National Front [his political party]

]]> By: patr http://www.californiapatriot.org/blog/2005/05/29/no-eu-no-more-chirac/#comment-989 patr Mon, 30 May 2005 08:34:02 +0000 http://www.californiapatriot.org/blog/2005/05/29/no-eu-no-more-chirac/#comment-989 From the little that I know about French politics, I can tell you that Le Pen is most definitely not a mainstream conservative. You might not believe it, I couldn't at first, but Chirac is actually part of the center-right coalition in France. Le Pen is part of the far-right European ultra-nationalist movement that really has no counterpart in the United States (and hopefully will never). Pat Buchanan is like a hippie compared to these people. They are violently opposed to immigration (openly xenophobic), capitalism, and globalization. Le Pen also opposed the Iraq War and had a close relationship with Saddam Hussein. He would certainly be no friend to America. Today's "No" vote was mostly supported by the far right and far left (Marxists). This isn't to say that it was the wrong decision. I like this blog for UK/European issues: <a href="http://samizdata.net/blog/">Samizdata</a>. These bloggers are comprised of the Margaret Thatcher style of British conservatism and libertarianism. Their consensus is that France made the right decision for the wrong reasons. See: <blockquote>He has a point, although I am struck by the fact that in France, much of the hostility to the constitution is coming not from pro-free marketeers, as is the case in many respects in Britain, but from those who fear that the process will open up France's high regulated, high-tax economy to the icy winds of laissez faire. The ironies abound.</blockquote> So basically, France opposes the EU because it is not socialist enough, while the UK opposes it because it is too socialist. It wil be interesting to watch how this story develops. Also, this <a href="http://www.reason.com/0310/co.mw.liberty.shtml">woman</a> is probably France's only hope. She's one of the few pro-American and pro-capitalism political leaders. She's around our age and she already has quite a following. Let's wish her luck; she's gonna need it. From the little that I know about French politics, I can tell you that Le Pen is most definitely not a mainstream conservative. You might not believe it, I couldn’t at first, but Chirac is actually part of the center-right coalition in France. Le Pen is part of the far-right European ultra-nationalist movement that really has no counterpart in the United States (and hopefully will never). Pat Buchanan is like a hippie compared to these people. They are violently opposed to immigration (openly xenophobic), capitalism, and globalization. Le Pen also opposed the Iraq War and had a close relationship with Saddam Hussein. He would certainly be no friend to America.

Today’s “No” vote was mostly supported by the far right and far left (Marxists). This isn’t to say that it was the wrong decision. I like this blog for UK/European issues: Samizdata. These bloggers are comprised of the Margaret Thatcher style of British conservatism and libertarianism. Their consensus is that France made the right decision for the wrong reasons. See:

He has a point, although I am struck by the fact that in France, much of the hostility to the constitution is coming not from pro-free marketeers, as is the case in many respects in Britain, but from those who fear that the process will open up France’s high regulated, high-tax economy to the icy winds of laissez faire. The ironies abound.

So basically, France opposes the EU because it is not socialist enough, while the UK opposes it because it is too socialist. It wil be interesting to watch how this story develops.

Also, this woman is probably France’s only hope. She’s one of the few pro-American and pro-capitalism political leaders. She’s around our age and she already has quite a following. Let’s wish her luck; she’s gonna need it.

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