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Macron ou Le Pen? A Little Experiment for People Who Can’t Understand Either One
If your French, like mine, is spotty-to-nonexistent, I invite you to take a little test. Listen to the victory speeches that both Macron and Le Pen delivered this very evening. Watch their body language. Look at their eyes. Gauge their energy levels and the sounds of their voices. Ignore what they say — again, if your French is as spotty as mine, that’ll be easy — to respond to each at the most basic human level: Who makes you feel more alive? Who looks more like a leader?
My answer? Easy. Le Pen–by a lot. I’d been assuming until now that all the polls showing Le Pen would lose the second and final round of voting, which will take place early next month, have been correct. Now I’m not so sure. Le Pen, it seems to me, simply connects.
Le Pen–that’s my answer. Yours?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkQXXfs5_Lo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkGfVEIXK0Q
Published in General
Macron reminded me of Jeb Bush and his lack of energy in the first debate. On style points, clearly Le Pen.
I just listened to Hugh Hewitt this morning who clearly stated a preference for Macron as did all the journalists he interviewed. They are branding her as an anti-semite and far right nut job. Since Hewitt was among those convinced Trump couldn’t win, I’m not so sure his predictions have much validity. Huge money will be pouring into the Macron campaign, particularly from the EU. It’s fascinating to observe.
Well wow. Tucker Carlson has been having British journalist Katie Hopkins on his show. She says LePen isn’t “far right,” she’s just “of the right.” She goes on to say that Macron couldn’t protect a bowl of macaroni and cheese, and that he had to create his own political party because nobody would have him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xcvkr0IzBEo
I love this line.
Katie Hopkins is the greatest.
Me too! It’s even better in her British accent haha
This is a win already. le Pen loses, things get worse, and then what of her party? The “Centrists” refuse to even aknowledge the problems with their globalist agenda.
Yes I would agree. But the left are the ones absorbing Muslims into their coalitions. So it’s intertwined. Just look at the mayor of London, or should I now call it Londonistan? In this country the Dems nearly elected a Muslim to run their party. This is going to have grave implications for Israel.
Ever since I voted for Reagan I’ve been branded a far right nut job, and I just don’t care anymore.
I have no real understanding of French politics, but calling Le Pen a far right nut job just isn’t the disqualifying event it might have been 40 years ago.
As for the antisemitism, I’m also at a loss to understand how what seems to me real antisemitism (as practiced by ISIS and friends) gets a pass when compared to Le Pen and her evil paymaster Putin.
So the horror and outrage at foreign interference in elections only applies to our elections?
Given that LFN is essentially funded entirely Russia I don’t see this as all that big a deal in French politics.
They were persecuted for being different. Like homosexuals. And people with disabilities. Or even dwarves.
Seriously – this is the heart of it – that difference is intrinsic, meaningful, unchangeable, inferior and threatening.
Re why French Jews may not be into Le Pen (though really, you should ask them.)
From Tablet:
This article in the Atlantic gives the whole thing some historical context, ending with:
From Forward:
And of course there are wellwishers from abroad:
Finally – Buzzfeed reports from a Jewish community event in Paris, on the night of the election.
It’s hard to take reports of “hard right” groups and “xenophobia” seriously these days. But, as I said before, knowing more about Le Pen does show her to be worth worrying about. The trouble is, so is Macron. It isn’t “rightwing extremists” (by any definition) who have attacked and terrorized Europe’s Jews in recent years.
Essentially, the French election seems to mirror the American election (though we lack the historical baggage). Voters are caught between two terrible options. In either case, the effective outcome will depend as much on the coalition formed behind the French president as the victor.
Also, events. There are always surprises to come.
In any case, I’ll pray for the French: Jews, Muslims, and all.
Steyn was writing about Jews’ plight in France and throughout Europe long before Marine Le Pen. From 2012:
The aggressors were not Republicans. It’s a crazy, sad world in which someone like Le Pen must point that out.
Le Pen is no conservative in the American sense. She is a statist. Her positions:
That’s pretty much the definition of socialism. Of course a politician who has the opposite views would have no chance in a French election. But if you are actively, enthusiastically rooting for Le Pen, maybe you’re on the wrong website.
Was there a “conservative” in the French election as we understand it?
Apparently, enthusiastically rooting for the total dissolution of a nation’s culture through mass importation of new voters is now an “American Conservative” ideal. I know Ricochet is the right website for support of Open Boarders. That is well tolerated and promoted in these here parts.
So far as I can tell, support for open borders is a tiny minority position on Ricochet. The fact that such a minority is “tolerated” is, so far as I am concerned, a feature not a bug.
I am sad to report that contra my best information — all gained from what I had been certain were reliable sources, random Twitter users on the Internet — my cats weren’t remotely interested in the duct-tape crop-circles I labored for hours to fashion for them on the floor of my apartment. I tried many shapes and sizes. Not only were they not fooled, they were not even amused.
So alas I have no charming videos of my cats trapped in squares made of tape to share with you.
I do, however, have duct tape all over my floor. I would value any advice you’ve got about how to get it off again without losing my security deposit.
Our cat was not stopped by anything like that. Weird thought.
Aaaargh! Squares Claire, not crop circles, squares!
Better get more duct tape. Or more cats. Or, just to be safe, both.
The editors at NRO offer a balanced summary. More could probably be made of this segment:
In other words, if Macron wins this election, Le Pen will win the next one. One might think Fillon’s party would benefit, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Will the Republicains recover if freed of Fillon’s baggage?
Duplicate.
Have you tried rubbing a little tuna oil in the middle of the circle? Oh, you missed that part of the instructions? Catnip would probably work, too.
Ronsonol lighter fluid will take up that adhesive after the cats are finished having their high. Just be careful it doesn’t take up the finish on your floors, too!
Claire,
I will send you the special “Duct Tape Disclosure ” Form-AZ1000000123456789.5 from the Florida Association of Realtors/Florida Bar Association standard forms (current by the internet as of this morning). This, of course, will be of no value whatsoever in France. We in Florida have learned from experience that strategic investment in printer paper and toner/ink cartridge stocks allow us to make a profit no matter how irrelevant the activity.
I hope this helps you.
Regards,
Jim
PS – the cat videos were cute
Well, that’s rather irksome that you would tell someone he doesn’t belong here. Would you tell Rush Limbaugh that his views don’t fit on Ricochet? Rush Limbaugh has totally ridiculed Macron and has de facto supported Le Pen. So is Rush Limbaugh a Ricochet conservative?
I don’t have any opinion on how the French want to run their government and pay for their social support programs. There are plenty of politicians on both sides here in the US that have no intention of reducing Social Security or Medicare or corporate welfare. Statist is term that can be applied to politicians of all sides all around the world. No country fully implements a free market, but the restrictions placed are for individuals of that country to make. So whether the French prefer socialism over capitalism is no skin off my back.
Capitalism may be the most prosperous form of economic system but there is a higher priority than shear making of thirty pieces of silver. One’s culture and heritage is the most fundamental element of conservatism, not economics. If you are willing to trade your heritage, your religion, your values, your culture for those thirty pieces of silver, I would put to you that you are no conservative. You are a Libertarian who is mixed up.
That’s strange, because a lot of skin on my own back is at stake.