France Decides 2007

France Decides 2007

www.msnbc.msn.com

France goes to the polls on Sunday in the country's tightest presidential election for 26 years. Voters will select two finalists for a run-off on May 6 amid high levels of suspense and second-guessing.

No candidate is expected to get the 50 per cent needed to win the presidency outright – something not seen since Charles de Gaulle won the first election of the Fifth Republic in 1958. So the race for the Elysée palace looks set for a second round.

The question gripping France and attracting attention across the world is which of the 12 candidates will reach the next leg. French opinion polls are notoriously unreliable and the race is considered wide open with about a third of voters still hesitating.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This looks like it will be a very interesting contest, I don't think anyone knows exactly how this will turn out, other than the almost assured need for a runoff election.

www.msnbc.msn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

What's MORE interesting is that no one on the planet cares who runs France. It's a has-been, or never-was, country. (and a lost cause IMHO)

Everyone on the planet wants to dictate how America runs itself. Everyone wants to say who should be president of the USA.

Heck .. even here at ATS .. 'who should be president of America' ....
even though France and other nations have elections.

No one cares who runs France.

Whoever wins couldn't possibly be worse than Jacque Chirac!

Hopefully France will choose someone with a better attitude towards the United States.

Originally posted by RRconservative
Whoever wins couldn't possibly be worse than Jacque Chirac!

Hopefully France will choose someone with a better attitude towards the United States.

And of course, his attitude towards the U.S. has absolutely nothing to do with how the U.S. acted towards France.

France has ALWAYS been our ally, it IS important who wins this next election, especially since one of the front runners, Nicholas Sarkozy, is a neocon and we certainly don't need any more neocons anywhere in govt.

Originally posted by forestlady
his attitude towards the U.S. has absolutely nothing to do with how the U.S. acted towards France.

Yeah .. how we acted towards France .. like saving their butts during WWII.

France is a socialist nightmare. It is in a downward spiral. It is a secular-humanist hole. It HATES everything America stands for. You betchya FRANCE is to blame.

Chirac is/was a freak'n snob. His sniveling, rude, anti-American drivel is also to blame.

But no worries ... with immmigration so out of control into France, and the way they let their elderly die in heat waves, the France of today will be gone in ~ 30 years. It'll be replaced by a young, undeducated, Islamic nation bent on shiria law and domination.

Flyer's Fan, have you ever been to France? I have, a number of times, all through France and I've known many, many French. I find them to be polite, and very nice people. The U.S. saving France in WWII is overhyped - the Germans were already losing the war when we came in and FRance had quite an underground resistance that was very brave, it wasn't like they did nothing.
And have you forgotten that without France, the U.S. would NEVER have existed? They financially backed us in our Revolution.

The reason for so many elderly dying in France had nothing to do with the French govt. Most homes in France are quite old and have no air conditioning. There really wasn't much they could do. That summer and others have been the result of global warming, the temperatures were freakishly high and very unexpected.

The French don't hate Americans, in fact they rather like us and feel akin to us because we both had Revolutions in our country and became a democracy. This, in spite of the fact that both our govt and many of our citizens have openly insulted France. Remember Freedom Fries?
Now, when it comes to our govt, they hate Bush-Cheney, as does the entire rest of the world. They see Bush as an out of control cowboy who doesn't give a damn about international diplomacy. Well, what can you expect when the president of the U.S. gets off the plan in Paris and comments to an aide, "The trouble with the French is that they have no word for entrepreneur." A perfect example of how little the average American actually knows about France.

As for immigration into France; well, the U.S. is doing the very same thing, yet I don't see you predicting the fall of the U.S. because of it.

The French govt is a different story, but one man's opinion does not a consensus make. And there are many U.S. citizens who really don't know much about France, if anything, yet still hate the French and are quite biased towards them, as your post proves.

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Originally posted by forestlady
his attitude towards the U.S. has absolutely nothing to do with how the U.S. acted towards France.

Yeah .. how we acted towards France .. like saving their butts during WWII.

France is a socialist nightmare. It is in a downward spiral. It is a secular-humanist hole. It HATES everything America stands for. You betchya FRANCE is to blame.

Chirac is/was a freak'n snob. His sniveling, rude, anti-American drivel is also to blame.

But no worries ... with immmigration so out of control into France, and the way they let their elderly die in heat waves, the France of today will be gone in ~ 30 years. It'll be replaced by a young, undeducated, Islamic nation bent on shiria law and domination.

No one cares who governs France

Speak for yourself.

[edit on 22-4-2007 by INeedHelp]

Originally posted by FlyersFan
What's MORE interesting is that no one on the planet cares who runs France. It's a has-been, or never-was, country.

How many time sahve you visited france? And what qualifies an entire nation to become 'has been'?

Heck .. even here at ATS .. 'who should be president of America' ....
even though France and other nations have elections.

Really? I thought America was the only free country in the world

No one cares who runs France.

Maybe you don't, but i am sure the french would.

Try to leave your bubble once and awhile, the real world is nice

Originally posted by forestlady
Flyer's Fan, have you ever been to France?

yes.

The U.S. saving France in WWII is overhyped

:shk: No, it isn't.

The reason for so many elderly dying in France had nothing to do with the French govt.

They pride themselves on their socialist state and yet they allow tens of thousands of elderly to die in a heat wave. It had EVERYTHING to do with the government.

have been the result of global warming,

now THAT excuse is funny!

Remember Freedom Fries?

Yep. And freedom toast. Excellent ideas. Funny ... and got the point across.

They see Bush as an out of control cowboy who doesn't give a damn about international diplomacy.

So what? We don't care what the has-been socialist nightmare of France thinks. BTW - The french gov't would LOVE to see us fall. So of course we don't give a rats backend if they are miffed at us.

Oh .. and calling someone in America a cowboy is a COMPLIMENT.

As for immigration into France; well, the U.S. is doing the very same thing, yet I don't see you predicting the fall of the U.S. because of it.

That's because this thread is about FRANCE. But yes, I have predicted that unchecked illegal immigration will indeed be the downfall of America. I've said it many times on this site.

Originally posted by pstiffy
And what qualifies an entire nation to become 'has been'?

Take a history class. They were important a few hundred years ago.
Now.. they are nothing. And what little they are will be gone soon.
HAS-BEEN ... was important and now isn't.

Originally posted by pstiffy
Try to leave your bubble once and awhile,

Not that it's any of your business and not that it matters one iota ....

My travels have included - Canada, Venezuela, Boliva, Yugoslavia, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France, Lichtenstien .. and I lived in Japan for three years.


[edit on 4/22/2007 by FlyersFan]

So it will be Sarkozy on the right vs. Royal on the left for the runoff election, with Sarkozy expected to win.

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Originally posted by forestlady
Flyer's Fan, have you ever been to France?

yes.

The U.S. saving France in WWII is overhyped

:shk: No, it isn't.

The reason for so many elderly dying in France had nothing to do with the French govt.

They pride themselves on their socialist state and yet they allow tens of thousands of elderly to die in a heat wave. It had EVERYTHING to do with the government.

have been the result of global warming,

now THAT excuse is funny!

Remember Freedom Fries?

Yep. And freedom toast. Excellent ideas. Funny ... and got the point across.

They see Bush as an out of control cowboy who doesn't give a damn about international diplomacy.

So what? We don't care what the has-been socialist nightmare of France thinks. BTW - The french gov't would LOVE to see us fall. So of course we don't give a rats backend if they are miffed at us.

Oh .. and calling someone in America a cowboy is a COMPLIMENT.

As for immigration into France; well, the U.S. is doing the very same thing, yet I don't see you predicting the fall of the U.S. because of it.

That's because this thread is about FRANCE. But yes, I have predicted that unchecked illegal immigration will indeed be the downfall of America. I've said it many times on this site.

Originally posted by pstiffy
And what qualifies an entire nation to become 'has been'?

Take a history class. They were important a few hundred years ago.
Now.. they are nothing. And what little they are will be gone soon.
HAS-BEEN ... was important and now isn't.[edit on 4/22/2007 by FlyersFan]

Dude, I've TAUGHT history and have studied world history for 42 years, so don't tell me to take ahistory class. Just because I have a different view from your doesn't mean I'm uneducated or a moron.
And if you're going to insist that the French govt LET thier citizens die, then you must also remeember at the lax attitude of the U.S. govt over Hurricane Katrina victims, many of whom are still living in temporary housing with no jobs.
If you went to France with the attitude you have, it doesnt surprise me that you perceive France as anti-American. I wouldnt like you coming to my country and badmouthing it.
Why do you have such vitriole against France?? No govt is perfect, including the U.S. and I could understand if you disliked the FRench, etc. but why so much hatred and vitriole against France? What's happening with you that you need to spew such invective against an ENTIRE group of people, probably none of who you know??? You mean to tell me taht every last French person hates America and wants to see us fall? I just can't buy that. You can never describe any group of people as all being the same on any issue.
You keep saying "no one cares about France". Have you ever considered that maybe some of us here don't care to hear YOUR biased, cynical view?

Forestlady your bigoted preaching against all conservatives is tiresome, redundant and outright ignorant.

The French conservative party is going to win this election.. because Socialism destroyed France.

Its down the the conservative and Socialist party.

Oh, I mean "neocon"

Liberals: Embracing hypocritical ignorance.

PS.

Dude

FF is a woman.

[edit on 4/22/2007 by Rockpuck]

I've actually been following this the last few days, I actually nearly
forgot about it, as you don't generally hear alot about it for the most part.

I figured Sarkozy and Royal would make it through to this round.
Personally I want Royal to win, as I think she'd be the better president,
but I'll just have to see what the French want, and who they end up
choosing.

Originally posted by forestlady
Have you ever considered that maybe some of us here don't care to hear YOUR biased, cynical view?

That's YOUR problem. If you don't want to hear people with views that are different than yours ... get off the chat forums.

I repeat - France is a has-been country. It has doomed itself through failed socialism and massive non-assimulating immigration. 1/5 of those living in France can't even speak French. In 30 years, it will be an entirely different country (and not for the better).

The purpose of socialism is to take care of everyone. France let it's elderly die by the tens of thousands. The purpose of capitalism and democracy here in the USA is NOT to have a nanny-state. therefore- you pointing your finger at the USA and Katrina and trying to compare it to the massive death toll in French heatwaves doesn't make sense. So much for your alleged studies and teaching of history. You are comparing two totally different political process. (BTW .. tens of thousands didn't die in Katrina either. )

BTW .. Rockpuck is right ... I'm a WOMAN, not a dude.

ON TOPIC -

If it were so important of a place then ATS would be having 'be faux-president of France' elections instead of faux-president of the USA. I repeat - it's a has-been country.

Originally posted by Rockpuck
The French conservative party is going to win this election.. because Socialism destroyed France.

Socialism has destroyed France. You are sooooo right. If they are smart they will vote in the conservative party ... but that's only if they are smart. Time will tell .. won't it?? Oh well .. they made their bed ... they are the ones that have to sleep in it.




[edit on 4/23/2007 by FlyersFan]

Originally posted by djohnsto77
So it will be Sarkozy on the right vs. Royal on the left for the runoff election, with Sarkozy expected to win.

I think its utterly amazing when between Sarkozy promising to reduce taxes and relax the labor laws and Royal promisinf to protect workers compensation and increase government spending there's any question who of the two should win election.

Sure a statement like "protect workers compensation" sounds real nice but if youve been paying any attention at all to Frances unemplyment and their riduclous labor laws you'd see all this Socialist candidate wants to do is drive France further into the ground by jacking up unemplyment even more if at all possible and by impoverishing the nation.

What does Royal want to do about the radical pockets of Asian immigrants? Does she want to promise them all the full benefit of government spending all the while allowing them to close their neighborhoods off to French law and French life except for the occasional outing to riot and torch cars?

Its absolutely amazing to me and it seems like common sense that the people will vote for someone with a little bit of reason and logic on their side but Im afraid that as soon as the idiot voters hear promises of "free" money with increased government spending theyll all pretend the nations problems dont exist and vote for the Socialist.

If she does win there simply isnt any hope for France's future. We'll have to see an outright rebellion to get any change through.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
Take a history class. They were important a few hundred years ago.
Now.. they are nothing. And what little they are will be gone soon.
HAS-BEEN ... was important and now isn't.

Then why are you whining about them?

What constitutes them to be something, in your mind? Interventionist foreign policy and constant headline making? That's a country out of control, imo.

France is mature with better public services than the US by a long shot, and a richer culture than you can appreciate. Whom are you to call a sixth of U.S GDP in a much smaller area, nothing?

This is precisely the kind of spoilt-brat attitude that causes you to lose support in the first place.

Originally posted by SteveR
Then why are you whining about them?

This is a discussion board. This thread is about FRANCE.
Discussing how France has FAILED isn't whining. It's discussing.

France is mature with better public services than the US by a long shot,

'mature'? Secular humanism/socialism doesn't equal 'mature'.

'better public services'? Yeah ... the riots .. the anti-jew bigotry ... the tens of thousands of dead elderly ... the socialist premise of not working ... better public services my backend.

French - rather riot than work
France – economic basketcase
France – vegetating catastrophe
France
Gang Violence
Heart of Eurabia
Murder of Jews in France

and just for fun

and a richer culture than you can appreciate.

Snobbery will get you no where. And you have no idea what culture I appreciate. BTW .. France's 'rich culture' at this point is nothing more than Anti-American secular humanism. That's not rich .. that's pathetic.

Godless does not equal 'richer culture'.

This is precisely the kind of spoilt-brat attitude that causes you to lose support in the first place.

blah blah blah .. and yours is the exact kind of SNOBBERY that earns France the reputation it has.



[edit on 4/23/2007 by FlyersFan]

France and the United States have been at loggerheads in their respective foreign policies since the founding of the United States way back when...

Yes, they did indeed save our butts during our successful revolution and breakaway from England. Then they imeadiately reversed themselves over the course of the next decade, culminating in the brief undeclared naval war during the last part of the 18th century. Look up a gentleman by the name of Tallyrand, and this will give at least a glimpse of Frances attitudes towards the United States at this point in our relationship. Basically the only reason France helped us was to put one in the eye of John Bull. Not that it wasn't useful, 'cause it was obviously.

We've been exchanging glares basically ever since. Napolean III and President Lincoln exchanged hard glares during the civil war for Napoleans actions in Mexico. On and on, until WWI when we were actually on the same side...for a while. When the shooting stopped, another disagreement on the terms of the Versailles Treaty concerning war reparations, or rather the magnitude of said reparations. France and Britain basically swore to end the threat of Germany forever by reducing them to impotence (we all know how well that worked).

World War II was the beginning of the end of Frances overseas empire. After the capitulation to Nazi Germany, the colonies started to go their own way. Then the US and allies liberates France, in some eyes, and not just French eyes, an unforgivable sin. Take that however you wish.

We've basically been at loggerheads ever since...nothing new, obviously. France has its ideas on what constitutes foreign policy, as we've got ours. Never the twain shall meet, save by accident.

The term secret gov't isn't a new one, the French invented it. Power circles within power circles. Sound familiar?

It'll be interesting to see who wins the election, since they seem to be diametrically opposed in attitudes towards gov't. handouts. Interesting indeed.

We disagreed, I did anyway, with Frances attitudes towards the evil clown that was in power in Iraq prior to Gulf War Two. They disagreed with us, how is this, given the mutual history of the two nations, at all odd. It's weird...we love things French, yet many of us can't stand the French. They love all things American, yet many of them can't stand Americans.

Strange. Nothing new, and won't change anytime soon.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
blah blah blah .. and yours is the exact kind of SNOBBERY that earns France the reputation it has.

I'm not french or even european, hunny, just injecting some common sense into this ignorant tirade..

You clearly don't know what I mean by culture


Psst..

"The first round of France's presidential election has set the stage for an epic duel between left and right, and between two sharply different visions of the modern post-industrial state, whose outcome is likely to determine the future of Europe."

That's nothing?

www.upi.com...



[edit on 23/4/07 by SteveR]