French appetite for socialism…

…has changed a lot since the Mitterand’s years and the party's leaders don’t seem to get it. They badly need to move towards modern Social Democracy and start embracing market economy, but they’re still light years before grasping that. Can they merge with Bayrou’s new centrist movement? I don't believe so. Can their current leadership turn things around? Don't bet on it.

My view is that Ségolène Royal was the sacrificial lamb on the French socialist party’s altar in its last-ditch stand to test the results of the status quo. Today the socialists must recognize that their “market” is gone, or at least has become too small to afford them a political majority. Their future leadership will have to radically move towards the center.

Go Sarko, go!

Now that he’s won the French presidency, Nicolas Sarkozy will have to shake things up and demand from the French that they seriously start working. This means that for his presidency to be a success, the entire population will have to embrace a bundle of sacrifices. First, the French will have to work more, something they expect a bit, but also work harder for more years in their life, as the French retirement fund is as bankrupt as in any other western nation. In addition, the entire population will have to expect less coming from its central government as the overtaxed social safety net must be unloaded drastically.

In the meantime and for the next weeks, Nicolas Sarkozy will also have to tap into his “political capital” or election momentum to make sure a majority of his countrymen and women elect a legislative chamber that supports his program and prevent a socialist, along with a centrist majority, to play havoc with the reforms he wants to implement. The heavy workload he says he loves can’t just be brute force; it will also require a sensible strategy able to “sell” the French on a medicine they badly need.

Snow in May…

…keeps global warming away! I’m not so sure about that adage, but what we’re certain of is that for the third straight day we’re freezing. The heat is back up in the house and the only silver lining is that it makes my lack of mobility a bit more bearable. In fact, dreadful weather in May comes with the Rocky Mountain’s territory; just two years ago we hand-repainted our entire house amidst rain, sleet and frigid temperatures. Well, there’s always June.

European cousins

For a couple of days, we had the visit of our European cousins, Benoît and Stéphanie. Benoît and his wife Isabelle hail from Bordeaux, France, while Stéphanie lives in Haute-Savoie, not far from Geneva. Both are the children of my cousin Robert who also lives in Haute-Savoie. Maylis, Isabelle's sister was the fourth member of the team.

While the weather misbehaved (we had snow yesterday and this morning was very cold), having four young and energetic people in our small home meant a burst of energy, lively discussions and some great exchange of ideas that culminated last night when our son and his wife joined us for dinner.

This morning our four visitors left for Southern Utah, the Grand Canyon and (hopefully) for some warmer weather…

French presidential debate

Like millions of French TV viewers, we watched the long, two-and-a-half hour oratory dual between the two presidential candidates. Here’s our take; Sarkozy had everything to lose, Royal everything to win. She was a bit nervous, he managed to keep his composure. For us, Americans, Nicolas Sarkozy’s program seems a better fit for France. Ségolène Royal plans are weak and bet on the come for their financing, namely the country’s economic rebound.

At one point, Ségolène lost her temper and Nicolas jumped all over it. The later, although relatively young, is already a political animal. Lawyer by education, he’s quite articulate, knows how to “address the jurors” and ably taps into each one of his opponent’s error. I think Sarkozy is both a manipulator and a demagogue. Royal is still “green” and lacks preparation for this kind of debate.

I can’t help but think that Hollande, her significant other, and the socialists who have nominated Royal, set her up to fail against such a ruthless adversary. Perhaps this exercise will be the prelude to another attempt five years from now? Sarkozy claims that he’s a workhorse and a doer; once elected, he will have to turn that claim into concrete results. This will have to be a departure from his five year government tenure that the French don't seem to appreciate. Things are easier said than done; time will tell…

30 years ago today…

…we were leaving France for the United States. There was a lot of crying and mixed emotions; we carried all of our possessions inside a large blue metal trunk, a suitcase and a couple of duffel bags. We still have the old trunk; it’s in the shed, inside we have wires, ropes, and a variety of straps. We arrived in Elmsford, New York late that afternoon; it was hot and humid. We stayed at the Ramada Inn for a week or so, until we found an apartment in nearby Whites Plains.

Timing’s everything

Last night, the first of two PBS installments on Mormonism focused on the religion’s founding and on Joseph Smith “contacts” with God, Jesus and the angel Moroni, to name just a few. No matter what anyone says, that religion’s credibility lies with Joseph Smith and his controversial character.

If the mainstream population was able to accept fables of that caliber at the turn of the 19th century, it would be extremely challenging to start a similar religion filled with weird ideas and naïve concepts in our modern western societies. Which begs to say that in religion, like in sports, timing is everything..