Meet France's new President

[nathanm]

François Hollande: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/18/francois-hollande-sarkozy-nemesis

The currency traders appear to not be pleased with France going back to electing socialists, but that could just as well be a reaction to the Greek situation.

[Teatownclown]

You know it`s going to be bad when wealthy Frenchmen are looking to move to the UK and NY City...to escape TAXES!

[guido911]

I think the world needs to see socialism at work on a larger and democratic scale, both internally and internationally. I am genuinely curious--as long as it doesn't eff with my portfolio.

[Teatownclown]

François Hollande: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/18/francois-hollande-sarkozy-nemesis

The currency traders appear to not be pleased with France going back to electing socialists, but that could just as well be a reaction to the Greek situation.

They threw a few fascists out.... but let's wait and see how dramatic a %1 margin in victory works with their form of government.

[Red Arrow]

They threw a few fascists out.... but let's wait and see how dramatic a %1 margin in victory works with their form of government.

It's still a swing in the politics.  Let them do the experiment.  If it doesn't work, who will bail them out?  China?  We sure can't and probably shouldn't if we could.

[guido911]

Ahh, the memories....

[guido911]

Well, it didn't take long for us to learn that Sarkozy and Hollande are not that different...

Contrary to popular impression, the second round merely confirmed how close the two rivals are—their identities as left and right candidates notwithstanding. Hollande bears little resemblance to the socialist firebrands France embraced through the era of François Mitterrand, president from 1981 to 1995. His views are closer to the German Social Democrats or British Labor than to the obsolete Marxist tradition. He did not propose nationalizing industries and banks, the core of Mitterrand's 1980s platform. In fact, Hollande hardly mentioned the necessity for public investment to rekindle economic growth. He only cautiously promised to increase the number of teachers (the Socialist Party's core constituency), and except for promising to close one of France's 50 nuclear plants—a symbolic gesture to Greens—he made no attacks on nuclear energy. Above all, in a complete rebuttal of the French Socialist tradition, Hollande promised to contain public expenses and balance the budget in compliance with European treaties. He uttered not a word against the independence of the Frankfurt-based European Bank, issuer of the euro, a currency shared by 330 million Europeans in 17 countries. His only modest quibble with the German-led so-called "austerity" strategy was to suggest that the word "growth" be added to the Bank's statutory obligations (up to now, its only duty has been to maintain price stability).

http://www.city-journal.org/2012/eon0506gs.html

Come on, bring on the Socialism!!!

[we vs us]

Well, it didn't take long for us to learn that Sarkozy and Hollande are not that different...

http://www.city-journal.org/2012/eon0506gs.html

Come on, bring on the Socialism!!!

Such enthusiasm might look . . . . unseemly if I didn't know you better. 

[guido911]

Such enthusiasm might look . . . . unseemly if I didn't know you better. 

I'm being 100% serious. Let's see socialism, especially since it came to be via the election process rather than imposed by government. If nothing else, France may give us a glimpse at what happens when the PP needs are met.

[nathanm]

Pendant ce temps là, à la frontière Suisse...

[guido911]

Meet the Fresh Prince's take on 75% tax rate on the rich (around 1:20):