Why I Love France, Part 2,365
Because they know when to throw in the towel. From yesterday's Wall Street Journal, in a piece entitled "French Strikers Begin to Relent":
In Marseille, the Force Ouvrière union said it would recommend that municipal workers suspend their strike and resume collecting garbage, which has been piling up in the port city for more than two weeks.
Union leaders said it would be tough to persuade workers to end all protests, especially if they failed to extract significant concessions from an intransigent Mr. Sarkozy.
At the Port-Jérôme-Gravenchon refinery, Mr. Delaunay, the CGT delegate, said it was equally hard to start and to end a social conflict.
"At least we put up a brave fight," the 48-year-old said. "We can be proud of what we did."
They don't say it, but you know that M. Delaunay finished his comment with a shrug and a drag on his cigarette. And his explanation was perfectly perfectly French:
"Call it weariness...After 12 days without pay, it's hard to remain upbeat."
Puff. Shrug. Sip of wine. Shrug.
They really know how to surrender, don't they? With style and a philosophical turn of phrase. The SEIU gang should be taking notes.
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Sep '10
Re: Why I Love France, Part 2,365
Practice makes perfect.
May '10
Re: Why I Love France, Part 2,365
I once stayed at a French-owned hotel in Philadelphia where the entire front desk staff is imported from France.
They greet you with calls of "Bon jour!!" and I answered back, "Guten Tag!" and they surrendered to me...
Jun '10
Re: Why I Love France, Part 2,365
But it was the french who fought the unions and americans who have surrendered in 2010..... ???
Jul '10
Re: Why I Love France, Part 2,365
"At least we put up a brave fight...We can be proud of what we did." - Henri Pétain
Re: Why I Love France, Part 2,365
So true, Mark! That's the great lesson here. If Sarkozy stands up to the unions and keeps his (laughably small, but major in the French context) austerity program on track, it will be a remarkable moment -- a "teachable moment," to use that awful lefty phrase -- for Americans. The French will be a step ahead of us.
Sarkozy, Cameron, Christie. All doing -- more or less -- the same thing.
Aug '10
Re: Why I Love France, Part 2,365
C'mon, the Dems have been spending our money for a long time and the Europeans have been practicing socialism for even longer but we've never, ever had someone as smart as Barack Obama spending our money. He knows how to make it work, he's a genius, he's the One! Can't you people see? He just needs more time! Utopia is right around the corner!
Oct '10
Re: Why I Love France, Part 2,365
The French themselves may have surrendered, which is no surprise given that they once lost a war with Haiti. But remember that they still have millions of "guest workers" encamped in their suburbs who can be counted upon to do the rioting for them in future.
Jun '10
Re: Why I Love France, Part 2,365
Rob Long
So true, Mark! That's the great lesson here. If Sarkozy stands up to the unions and keeps his (laughably small, but major in the French context) austerity program on track, it will be a remarkable moment -- a "teachable moment," to use that awful lefty phrase -- for Americans. The French will be a step ahead of us.
Sarkozy, Cameron, Christie. All doing -- more or less -- the same thing. · Oct 27 at 12:24pm
I have set up a small team here in NYC to undertake our animations. 3 young libs, 1 young conservative, and me the old fart. But to a person the young are not happy with th public sector unions and that is not to please me. They deal with the strikes and see the benefits.
And all went to good schools, and are on contract basis to a Taiwanese animation outfit. So they are not in the mood for bus drivers who retire at 50 complaining...
yes, rob, france may well have provided us a "teachable moment" and with his policies POTUS may have provided us the students.
Jul '10
Re: Why I Love France, Part 2,365
I asked a French friend if he was on strike this week, he said ….
“I think it is only a question of genetics, in france, we are on strike and after we are discussing”
How was the bread Rob?
Jul '10
Re: Why I Love France, Part 2,365
And here I thought it was the Irish who were crazy bastards. It seems the French have us beat.
Frenchman: "It is Unacceptable!!!!! You cannot raise my retirement age 2 years!!!!!! I will destroy the country!!!!!!!!!!!"
Government: "No"
Frenchman: "Sacre le Bleu! I will destroy the country!!!!!!!"
Government: "No, you won't"
Frenchman: "I will destroy the country, shut it down, bring the government to your knees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Government: "No, you won't"
Frenchman: "Okay. Pass the wine."
Artists are weird.
Aug '10
Re: Why I Love France, Part 2,365
When the union finally gets around to clearing the mountains of rotting garbage, they'll get time-and-a-half. Sounds like a good plan...