You Only Vote Twice

Ok, so the highly disputed runoff for president nears us, with the two candidates going into seclusion until the end (one of many French electoral rules, which states that there is to be no campaigning after Friday evening before the Sunday elections).

O.F.F. (our favorite fascist) Sarkozy looks to be building a insurmountable lead, but the French are historically difficult to judge, so Sunday could bring a big mistake surprise for France. Sarko has fascist tendencies, sure...he wants to more police control, he speaks in slightly veiled racist terms, he's a nationalist; this is something that I've been trying to come to terms with, being that I'd much prefer him to be the president. And then last night, I was driving back from downtown Bordeaux and got cut off three times by cars blowing stop signs, had to stop at least three times to let jaywalkers get across and nearly ran over an idiot 14-year-old on a moped who was passing me in the bike lane (on the right, of course). Sarkozy is a law-and-order guy...there's already 1000s of speed cameras everywhere, which are his legacy. There are things in the US that we take for granted, due process for traffic violations, for example, that just don't exist here. The systems are not the same, but I do not feel that Sarkozy is the next Hitler, and he sure as hell isn't the next Bush (of course comparing him to the two in the same sentence here is normal)...anyone with half a brain and without a political agenda will quickly realize that the heavy-handed government control of the economy that is wielded in France and will continue under Sarko isn't really Bush's thing.

Selective immigration and cracking down on the "scum" (racaille in french: also translated at ne'er-do-wells by some) are normal actions for me. Of course there are racial connotations to all of this, but having a society where everyone is civil is not a police state. And condoning immigrants who will bring something to the country, other than population, is a cause that I believe in. For all of the criticisms raised about the H-visa program in the states, it's hard to argue that it's been bad for the country as a whole...it diversifies the US, it helps our relationships with other nations and it helps the economy. It also makes the brain-drain something that the US benefits from...Highly educated foreigners coming to the US is a good thing and it would be a good thing for France as well.

Ségolène knows she's probably going to lose and has desperately tried to say and do everything possible to insult and demean Sarkozy. It hasn't worked. And Bayrou, the wimp or "couilles mou" as certain French have started calling him, is ridiculous...Trying to play both sides...Someone should tell him about trying to burn the candle at both ends...Good luck with your niche party in the future, buddy.

I know very few people who are voting for Segolene out of conviction...If she wins it means simply that Sarkozy lost...She has no plan...No policy, nothing. She is going to govern with her "Social Partners" (unions basically, but also non-unionized employees in companies, NGOs, Non-profit associations, whomever...) and by referendum. As Julie said, she isn't getting elected President, she's getting elected "Mediator of France."

I'm all for labor's involvement in the process. I think that capitalists have one thing in mind and they don't give a crap about anything but their wallets. There's no reason that you can't have a forward-looking, liberal (traditional sense), and just society. Giving the still-communist unions, who represent 9% (maximum) of the workforce, a voice that is non-representative of their actual influence is as bad as giving the CEOs of the top 50 companies is France that same voice. The unions don't speak for me, or for anyone but themselves. Julie's cousin by marriage works in a semi-unionized environment and has been harassed endlessly to join the union. She doesn't want to, but they won't give up even to the point of subtly threatening her position in the company, etc. The unions are dying here because of the way that French labor relations work (it's a whole another article, but basically you don't have to be unionized to have the exact same rights as the unions. Therefore the people, logically, don't join unions and pay the dues, but still have all the benefits they would have as a unionized employed).

Anyway: All of this is basically to say that I think that Sarokzy offers the best opportunity for France to get out of this malaise that it's found itself in. A vote for Ségolène is a vote for the status quo...and every independent group out there that ranks countries says that the status quo is not what France needs.