Strengthening Constitutional Self-Government

No Left Turns

Headlines We Never Thought We’d See

In today’s Wall Street Journal (p. A13) a real man-bites-dog story:

"France Credits Deregulation for Cushioning Its Economy"

The lede: "PARIS—France, long a champion of a heavy government hand in its economy, credits recent deregulation for its ability to grow in the third quarter while other economies shrank." Memo to Washington: Even the French get it, so shut up about "deregulation" being the cause of our current slump.

What next? Maybe the headline: "France Hails Jerry Lewis as Comic Genius."

Oh, wait. . .

Discussions - 8 Comments

Sacre Bleu!

France is an impressive model for how to deal with many challenges facing modern societies, whether it's nuclear power, high-speed trains, vibrant and safe inner cities, aerospace (think Airbus or Arianespace), a countryside populated by real farmers instead of CAFOs, excellent schools, or health care that's first-rate, universal, and affordable. There's a lot that others--including us--can learn from the French, but of course that's less fun than recycling ignorant sophomoric stereotypes to make ourselves feel superior.

Alex:

That is some great parody. You actually had me going for a minute.

Abolish the federal reserve system. Cut taxes 50% across the board. Stop paying huge money to kill aisians and arabs. Watch the economy explode. Wait.......What we need is more taxes and globalism to reverse the trouble caused by globalism and taxes. The reality being framed is by definition insanity. We are believing that doing more of the same will garner a different result.

Steve:

If you've ever spent significant time in France, you know that there is no irony in what I wrote.

Yes, yes, Steve - if only America's financial industry had been truly and completely unburdened from its yoke of regulations, all would be fine...

Anyway, I think this headline tops them all:

"Bush says sacrificed free-market principles to save economy"

But even the headline doesn't do justice to Bush's actual quote, which is:

"I've abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system." Pres. Bush told CNN.

Alex: Um, I have spent a fair amount of time in France over the years; the only tenured American at the University of Paris is an acquaintance, and I study the statistics closely (I agree with you about France and nukes, by the way). But I think we must live in parallel universes. Let's see: Asian immigrants in France? Very happy people. Rrright. The performance of the French economy, pre-Sarkozy? Rrright. . . High speed trains? I love em, too, in a country half the size of California. (Watch what happens over the next decade as California tries--and fails--to build high speed rail from LA to the Bay Area.) French military capability? Pretty good, until they have to get somewhere, and then have to lease Russian transport planes. Etc. Etc. Try comparing apples to apples next time.

Ah, the ever-reliable Scanlon! I must be in a good mood tonight. So I retaliate with this:

"I am a Keynesian in economics."

--Richard M. Nixon, 1971.

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