Category "Tombé pour la France"
The Woerth-Bettencourt affair made the French suspect corruption inside the government and, as the spiral of revelations wouldn't stop, Sarkozy couldn't find any better than blaming immigrants and, just to make sure he's made enough noise, the "French of foreign origin". So, now hundreds of Roma are being deported (even though they're European!), parents whose children miss school could be financially penalised and go to jail, but it is also said that french people of foreign origin would be stripped of the french nationality if they try to kill policemen. I don't see how that would increase security in France. Since then, the UN condemned Nicolas Sarkozy's policies, the international press condemned Nicolas Sarkozy's policies, even the Pope condemned Nicolas Sarkozy's policies!
The masks have fallen. Nicolas Sarkozy is ready to dangerously stir xenophobia in France, and to attack the basic principle of republican equality, just to get re-elected in the next presidential election. It's just revolting and I will be on Saturday September 4, on the Place de la République at 2pm to protest with the Human Rights League.
Sarkozy is still very low in the polls and since the huge defeat of his party last March for the regional elections, it now appears possible to beat him in the 2012 presidential election. Moreover, the economy is not going well and he's about to cut public spending and social rights, but not the "tax shield" (a law he implemented, that prevents very rich people from paying too much taxes). However, people could very well re-elect him if he keeps stirring tensions as he's doing right now. Yes, we found our George W. Bush, our own worst President of the Republic!
I love insults, so when I can put one, even several in a title, I sure do it.
I didn't want to talk about the vapid psychodrama surrounding Nicolas Anelka ans his alleged words towards France's football team coach, Raymond Domenech, but since the President of the Republic commented them, this story has taken an ironic, if not cynical, turn.
First, Sarkozy saying that this kind of insults are "unacceptable" although he himself answered a man "Fuck off you idiot", this is "tasty"!
But the worst thing is that Brice Hortefeux, can be sentenced for words recognized as "racially offensive" and stay in the government, although Nicolas Anelka can't get mad at his coach and gets fired from France's team that, by the way, doesn't depend on the President of the Republic.
And everyone is focusing on this non-event. The crucial retirement reform is already forgotten, the new political movement launched by Sarkozy's rival, Dominique de Villepin, has been totally overshadowed, etc.
The Irish will have voted yes, in the end. The Lisbon Treaty is on its way to enter into force by the end of the year.
Now the question is: who is going to get the job of permanent President of the European Council created by the Treaty? Everything tends to say that this choice has already been made. The first Europresident would then be... suspens... Tony Blair.
Tony Blair. The man who followed George W. Bush into Iraq, who committed to give a pro-european feeling to his country but quickly gave up, whose country has not even accpeted the euro, and so on. To my eyes, it's really the worst choice that could be made, only because it would give the image of a Europe submitted to the United States, although one of its vocations is its independence.
When Tony Blair quit Number 10 to give his seat to Gordon Brown, he was named Middle East Peace Envoy for the Quartet (United Nations, United States, European Union and Russia). This choice was already a big mistake: Who could think that a man who took part to an unjustifiable war could help peace? By the way, you can see the results: Israel attacked Gaza last December and January, and a government opposed to a Palestinian state got elected in Israel. The situation has deteriorated.
But this is not the most ironic thing. Tony would like the EU's top job but something makes him hesitate. What could that be? A conflict with some leaders? The will to change the definition of his job, in order to make Europe stronger? A matter of conscience regarding Iraq??? Well, no, again, Mister Blair surprises us:
Meanwhile, Blair is said by some to have had some reservations about the presidency post, chief among them that he would earn less money than he does now giving speeches and other private work, and that the job would involve a lot of bureaucratic grind. But he would still earn about £250,000 a year with generous EU tax allowances, have a staff of at least 20 and a splendid Brussels residence.
Of course! Blair hesitates because he's offered ONLY £250,000! Well, let him say no to the job! Europe is an ideal. It needs to be carried by people who have a vision for it, not by some guys looking for attention and money!
How can we stop him? I know there's a website and an online petition taht I have already signed, at stopblair.eu. I'm wondering if I can do more, like... sending a letter to the head of State or government? To my MEP? Subscribing to the "No to Blair" Facebook group? Any ideas?
French politicans are talking a lot these days. Anyway, these words, from Green MP and former presidential candidate Noël Mamère, go straight to the point and regard another former presidential candidate, Ségolène Royal, who is from the Socialist Party, a traditional ally for the Greens:
Ségolène Royal, we don't want her!
Fuck, I really missed ségobashing...
At least, Martine Aubry, leader of the shattered Socialist Party in France, a has humour:
I don't shave the morning.
She was referring to a famous quote of incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy who said, while he was Interior Minister:
I think about the presidential election... and not only when I'm shaving.
(Via
Buzzle.)
Ecology is not only about promoting local products, small cars or the chabichou (name of a local cheese).
Jean-Vincent Placé, deputy national secretary of the Greens, reacting to socialist ex-presidential candidate Ségolène Royal's words against the carbon tax.
There are many French people, including people with long-term diseases, who need to work in order to get better.
Quote by Frédéric Lefebvre, spokesman for President Sarkozy's UMP party, who wants to give "the right" to work to people on sick leave.
For the departure of our Minister of Justice, Mme Rachida Dati...
Especially dedicated to JU.
A bien regarder, j'aime ta position
Les jambes croisées, jupe ou pantalon
Rachida, mon p'tit chat
T'as besoin que d'un seul doigt
Pour m'envoyer en prison
Et me filer 100 coups de bâton
Ca m'donne envie de dominer
C'est tellement bon de tout controller
J'ai comme une soif de pouvoir
J'veux rendre les choses obligatoires
Oh oui oh oui je veux gouverner
Votez pour moi vous serez récompensés
Je vais transformer le pays en charnier
Et vous exploiter pour ensuite vous supprimer
Rachida, femme de loi
Je crois qu'je suis jalouse de toi
Moi aussi je veux etre ministre
Délégation de l'Antéchrist
Ma première loi sera d'obliger
Les gens comme toi a se déshabiller
La deuxième loi en vigueur
De castrer tous les chasseurs
Lyrics by Sexy Sushi
More than thirty years after his death, French singing legend Claude François' disappearance is still a mystery. The official version claims he electrocuted himself by repairing a bulb while taking a bath, but there's still doubt, as some think this explanation is too stupid. Thus, La Mauvaise Langue claimed:
Indeed, Claude François wasn't openly GAY which explains the lack of understanding from some people. However, it's also been said that late Claude Français, R.I.P., had been wildly receiving anal sex from a Senegalese, which would have cause inner bleeding then death. Which raises some doubts regarding the deceased's very intelligence. Was he stupid enough to change a light bulb naked in his bath...
To what I replied:
I heard he had electrocuted himself with a vibrator. But I have always wondered: in those days, did you have to plug vibrators?! Because it's not really practical, or you need one, or even several extensions. But it's still not very credible, you're not gonna put on a 5000V dildo and then dive into your bathtub... unless you're trying to make a statement to posterity. Claude François's death is even stronger than thse Da Vinci Code.
I searched Internet quickly but I have only found teenagers claiming that their teachers supported the vibrator theory to them. Like what, we really need to reform the Education Nationale in France, if teachers don't even respect the official version! I also found the hypothesis of the one-litre glass bottle which would have exploded Cloclo's arse (after this one, I guess, inserted it in himself, or let someone else insert it, or even unfortunately fell on it), causing internal bleeding, which meets La Mauvaise Langue's idea.
Some other people claim he's not even dead, that he left for a desert island with Elvis, Marylin and huge champagne boxes...
But the best one is Maxim's, from Agoravox, who claims Cloclo was a secret agent whose songs contained hidden messages (thinking of it, singing "If I had a hammer", in the middle of the Cold War, was it some kind of praise to the communist regime?!) and was killed by one of his dancers (the "clodettes"), who was also a secret agent and knew that the light bulb in the bathroom was bugged and linked to secret services in South Balouchistan! She would then have modified the small machine in order that it electrocutes the French 70ies' idol. Really, congratulations to Maxim, I would never have thought of it, and this is probably the most credible theory.
I'm glad I can vote in the UK, where the choice is rather simple. If I had to vote in France at the european elections, I would stab myself in the eye. I would hesitate between the Socialist Party and the Left Front, for many reasons.
First of all, we are in the middle of a crisis for neoliberal capitalism. We need MEPs capable of imposing an alternative or at least, of objecting to the destruction of public services, social rights, and so on. From that point of view, the Left Front is much more credible than the Socialist Party, which supports or used to support free-market initiatives. Nevertheless, the Socialist Party seems, under Martine Aubry's influence, to slide more to the left. Unfortunately, Aubry uniting pro-free-market and anti-free-market politicians, she seems pretty shy on the subject. It was clear when she introduced the economic recovery plan the socialists would have implemented, had they been at power: the plan lacked ambition and innovation. Besides, a number of economists, including the eminent Jacques Sapir, called for the French to vote for the Left Front.
However, on the left, the Socialist Party seems to be the only one to send some of its members to the European Parliament. The european elections' ballot system is intricate and, according to me, not really representative. The Left Front is a new initiative, moreover it is competing with Besancenot's New Anticapitalist Party, and the points they will score may cost the Left some precious seats. Also, I'm pro-european and the Socialist Party seems to be mroe encline to build Europe than the radical Left. Likewise, Mélenchon's positions seem to me too radical sometimes, i.e., his total lack of empathy for the people of Tibet against China. Finally, the Socialist Party managed to agree with the other left-wing parties of europe on a common policy platform, which is a very good initiative.
Now, there's one thing, which is not serious but still a bit important, and it is the personalities of the leaders. Martine Aubry, the Socialist Party's leader and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, one of the main leaders of the Left Front, look, at first sights, like old farts, they even look a bit like yokels, but that's actually why I like them! When Martine goes to the market with french cook Jean-Pierre Coffe, prepares some little dish and concludes with "and now, let's have a drink!", you'd feel like spending all your Sunday afternoons with her! Same thing with Mélenchon, when he says "My name is Mélenchon, and is not subject to jokes" ("-chon" sounds indeed a bit like "con", which means "idiot" or "cunt") or when he tells his stories with a subtle smile, I really enjoy it. Likewise, in their positions, both Aubry and Mélenchon are devouted to diverging but pious approaches. Aubry seeks to ressuscitate the first opposition party, which is gonna be far from easy, "an impossible mission" said health minister Roselyne Bachelot. Whereas Mélenchon wants to create a movement at the left of the Left to turn it into the majority in the opposition.
Can't they just ally?!