The problem is, from what I understand, is that he draws in wealthy industrialists then pushes the rest of the country into their open hands. He’s trying to open private universities while doing nothing to help public schools, he wants to privatize both healthcare and health insurance. The French around me - not all but many - see him as a disaster to the socialist system.
I haven't followed that part of that debate as much (in terms of privatization). But I think a lot of people just don't feel the daily impact of his policies in their lives. They reorganized the BAC, but it still drives everyone crazy. You drive through small towns, and they have signs saying they need doctors. Small towns continue to empty out. They hear all the big talk and the endless list of "reforms," to encourage investment, but what has really changed?
Dear Mr O’Brien, I have enjoyed your well written articles until today. You appear to have a lot of axes to grind on so many subjects. Either you are ill informed or just obtuse - as I believe many of the french population are when it comes to shoring up the financial future of their country. Are you a “petrol head”? Will you never make the change to an EV? If one day you do change, you will have to take back what you have called Elon Musk who has , until recently, single handedly dragged mankind away from fossil-fuel-guzzling vehicles to the time of hopefully cleaner air for all. As for the president of France, I sure as hell wouldn’t want his job. Maybe you are only guilty of the age old state of mankind, i.e. resisting change!
Andre: Thanks for your comment. I'm not sure what you read that gave you the impression that I am against EVs. If, however, it was my comment about Mr. Musk that triggered your reaction, let me say this: I do give him enormous credit for sparking the growth of the EV market and wished he had remained focus on that work. But at the same time, he has embraced far-right propaganda and talking points in recent years, a trend exacerbated by his acquisition of Twitter.
Chris: I appreciate your swift response. I agree that Mr Musk can be something of a loose cannon. The problem with Twitter, and the whole social network fabric, is that it embraces knee jerk reactions and glorifies it under the banner of “free speech”. As for space travel, which I truly despise as flagrant waste of money, at least he has gotten the rockets to land and save a few billion dollars. As for the French, well, ever since the fall of the monarchy and the Bastille, the French have glorified their right to strike. Not only to strike but to cause immense damage, burning cars, looting, injuring others. So the retirement age goes up 2 years, WOW, allez au guillotiné!
I can't agree more on Twitter, alas. And let me also add: I give Mr. Macron credit for building momentum around the EV battery industry. He won't get much credit now, but I suspect in terms of the environment and the economic impact of "Battery Valley" in the north of France, these will eventually be seen as major accomplishment.
The problem is, from what I understand, is that he draws in wealthy industrialists then pushes the rest of the country into their open hands. He’s trying to open private universities while doing nothing to help public schools, he wants to privatize both healthcare and health insurance. The French around me - not all but many - see him as a disaster to the socialist system.
I haven't followed that part of that debate as much (in terms of privatization). But I think a lot of people just don't feel the daily impact of his policies in their lives. They reorganized the BAC, but it still drives everyone crazy. You drive through small towns, and they have signs saying they need doctors. Small towns continue to empty out. They hear all the big talk and the endless list of "reforms," to encourage investment, but what has really changed?
Dear Mr O’Brien, I have enjoyed your well written articles until today. You appear to have a lot of axes to grind on so many subjects. Either you are ill informed or just obtuse - as I believe many of the french population are when it comes to shoring up the financial future of their country. Are you a “petrol head”? Will you never make the change to an EV? If one day you do change, you will have to take back what you have called Elon Musk who has , until recently, single handedly dragged mankind away from fossil-fuel-guzzling vehicles to the time of hopefully cleaner air for all. As for the president of France, I sure as hell wouldn’t want his job. Maybe you are only guilty of the age old state of mankind, i.e. resisting change!
Andre: Thanks for your comment. I'm not sure what you read that gave you the impression that I am against EVs. If, however, it was my comment about Mr. Musk that triggered your reaction, let me say this: I do give him enormous credit for sparking the growth of the EV market and wished he had remained focus on that work. But at the same time, he has embraced far-right propaganda and talking points in recent years, a trend exacerbated by his acquisition of Twitter.
Chris: I appreciate your swift response. I agree that Mr Musk can be something of a loose cannon. The problem with Twitter, and the whole social network fabric, is that it embraces knee jerk reactions and glorifies it under the banner of “free speech”. As for space travel, which I truly despise as flagrant waste of money, at least he has gotten the rockets to land and save a few billion dollars. As for the French, well, ever since the fall of the monarchy and the Bastille, the French have glorified their right to strike. Not only to strike but to cause immense damage, burning cars, looting, injuring others. So the retirement age goes up 2 years, WOW, allez au guillotiné!
I can't agree more on Twitter, alas. And let me also add: I give Mr. Macron credit for building momentum around the EV battery industry. He won't get much credit now, but I suspect in terms of the environment and the economic impact of "Battery Valley" in the north of France, these will eventually be seen as major accomplishment.
PS: Thanks for reading!