Socialist Segolene Royal was defeated by Conservative Nicolas Sarkozy in France's presidential election yesterday. In a 53-47 percent victory, Sarkozy claims to now have a "mandate for change." This sounds eerily familiar. Since when did 53% become a mandate? I thought when Bush said it, with an almost identical margin of victory three years ago here in the US, it represented fuzzy thinking and political maneuvering among Bush supporters. And that is almost certainly what Sarkozy is guilty of, as well.As a candidate of the anti-union party, Union pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP), Sarkozy has every right to be arrogant about his victory at least in one respect; he took almost 47% of the blue collar vote. In that sense, he looks like a French Ronald Reagan who has duped the working class people of France in the fashion Ronny did. Perhaps it had something to do with an unwillingness to vote for a woman as president. Immigration fears figure in there, too, as Sarkozy aims to make France, "less attractive" to immigrants.
Whatever the reason, the people of France can no longer point their finger and laugh at us for electing Bush. Well, maybe they can, since we did it twice. But they Frenchies pulled a boner here. I hope Sarkozy continues to mirror Bush and the Republican Party and eventually drops to a 27% approval rating. Given his anti-union, "free market" goals, I'm not interested in giving him a chance. But the French apparently are, and have. Not a "mandate" as he says, but he's the president now. Onward!
As for Segolene Royal, I hope she stays active in politics. I'd vote for her. One problem, though...if France isn't ready for a female president then we sure ain't. Maybe people should consider that when they vote in the Democratic Primary. The US isn't as open-minded as France, and Hillary Clinton is no Segolene Royal. Then again, that may save her as she tries to become the first female president of this country. Hillary doesn't have the scruples, integrity or brains of Royal, but she does want the presidency so bad that she'll say or do anything to get it. That may do the trick. It's worked so well for so many before her.
2 comments:
I hope Royal does try again, I heard a bit on NPR about her politics, and they seemed sensible, especially her plan to remove subsidies for farmers, considering something like 90% of the subsidies go to the top 1% of the producing farms, which means that the big farming aggregates get tons of money from the government, while Pierre and Marie get merde.
“Man is timid and apologetic; he is no longer upright; he dares not say "I think," "I am," but quotes some saint or sage”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
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