On the Nature of Things | Forum

Protesters are opposed to taxes Macron introduced last year on diesel and petrol which are designed to encourage people to switch to cleaner forms of transport. Alongside the tax, the government has offered incentives to buy electric vehicles.

Emmanuel Macron is undoubtedly brilliant. He won all the glittering academic prizes. He had a supersonic ascent into the stratosphere of the French civil service. He even did a spell as a courtier with David de Rothschild’s investment bank, before ascending to minister of the economy under François Hollande, and then winning the most glittering prize of all, the presidency of the republic, aged 39 ¾.

But his hubris, arrogance and almost autistic detachment from the French in the street is in a class with Marie Antoinette. Except that this time around, the courtier whispers, ‘Mr President, the people cannot afford diesel.’ To which the cloth-eared Macron has, in effect replied: ‘Let them buy Teslas.’

Apollonius wrote:Emmanuel Macron has united France against him - Jonathan Miller, The Spectator, 3 December 2018
https://spectator.us/emmanuel-macron-united-france/


The author concludes:

Emmanuel Macron is undoubtedly brilliant. He won all the glittering academic prizes. He had a supersonic ascent into the stratosphere of the French civil service. He even did a spell as a courtier with David de Rothschild’s investment bank, before ascending to minister of the economy under François Hollande, and then winning the most glittering prize of all, the presidency of the republic, aged 39 ¾.

But his hubris, arrogance and almost autistic detachment from the French in the street is in a class with Marie Antoinette. Except that this time around, the courtier whispers, ‘Mr President, the people cannot afford diesel.’ To which the cloth-eared Macron has, in effect replied: ‘Let them buy Teslas.’

Apollonius wrote:Emmanuel Macron is undoubtedly brilliant. He won all the glittering academic prizes. He had a supersonic ascent into the stratosphere of the French civil service. He even did a spell as a courtier with David de Rothschild’s investment bank, before ascending to minister of the economy under François Hollande, and then winning the most glittering prize of all, the presidency of the republic, aged 39 ¾.

Colonel Sun wrote:How soon they fall.

Irish Times | Revolt over high fuel prices threatens to paralyse France

Rise of the ‘gilets jaunes’ coincides with Macron’s record low 26% approval rating.

Macron must envy Trump's approval rating.

Ibrahim wrote:
Macron, Trudeau, and the CDU are all on borrowed time. Its just a question of whether people jump populist left or populist right at the next electoral opportunity.

Ibrahim wrote: Have you seen those alt-right memes were they edit Trump's head onto the baroque armor of some science fiction space emperor?

noddy wrote: I think it will be a mix of both, the people who are in this angry, disenfranchised group are the ex middle class, or struggling to remain middle class and they dont care as much about ideological purity as much as they want policies which give them a perceived security they feel they have lost.

Mr. Perfect wrote:

Ibrahim wrote: Have you seen those alt-right memes were they edit Trump's head onto the baroque armor of some science fiction space emperor?

How can you tell when a meme is alt right.

Mr. Perfect wrote:

noddy wrote: I think it will be a mix of both, the people who are in this angry, disenfranchised group are the ex middle class, or struggling to remain middle class and they dont care as much about ideological purity as much as they want policies which give them a perceived security they feel they have lost.

Lol nothing ever changes.

Ibrahim wrote:

Mr. Perfect wrote:

Ibrahim wrote: Have you seen those alt-right memes were they edit Trump's head onto the baroque armor of some science fiction space emperor?

How can you tell when a meme is alt right.

Anything pro-Trump mixed with nerd/gamer bullshit is usually from an edgy alt-right teen.

Mr. Perfect wrote:How do you know that.

French minister asks Trump not to meddle in French affairs
"I say to Donald Trump, and the President of the Republic tells him too: we do not take part in American debates, let us live our life in our country," he said.
By REUTERS
December 9, 2018 21:36

Emmanuel Macron’s UN Speech was One Long Rejection of Donald Trump
By
Jenny Hughes -
Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Mr. Perfect wrote:Macaroni has either partnered with the onion or has been taken hostage. HIlarious to watch, he is literally bribing people with a minimum wage increase. Also fun to watch Macaroni appealing to Nationalism.

'LIQUID WEAPON' French riot police ‘develop secret liquid weapon capable of neutralising protesters even if they are wearing masks’ ready for ‘Day of Rage 2’

It's been claimed if sprayed at mobs of Yellow Vest protesters the disabling weapon would "stop them clean, putting people down, even with masks."

The reports come after traditional tear gas and water cannons failed to stop thousands of fuel protesters causing chaos in the French capital.

Marianne news magazine cites police sources who say armoured vehicles were equipped with the brutal weapon during the Day of Rage riots but officers were under orders only to unleash it as a "last resort."

Each water weapon can spray an incapacitating liquid which would have "neutralised" a surface the size of several football fields, it's claimed.

"Fortunately, we did not get there," said the source before claiming the Gendarmerie Nationale in Paris had equipped its armoured vehicles with the secret "stun" weapon in a case of an "ultimate overflow."

Alexis wrote:

Mr. Perfect wrote:Macaroni has either partnered with the onion or has been taken hostage. HIlarious to watch, he is literally bribing people with a minimum wage increase. Also fun to watch Macaroni appealing to Nationalism.

Personally, I've been somewhat fascinated by Macron's hands during this speech. Put flat on the desk before him, unmoving, in a position both totally unnatural and extremely tense.

I'm not saying he was in a relaxing situation. But this so visible tension beneath the smooth mask and soft voice is remarkable.

I'm wondering how he will react if - when - pressure increases.

Mr. Perfect wrote:

Apollonius wrote:Emmanuel Macron is undoubtedly brilliant. He won all the glittering academic prizes. He had a supersonic ascent into the stratosphere of the French civil service. He even did a spell as a courtier with David de Rothschild’s investment bank, before ascending to minister of the economy under François Hollande, and then winning the most glittering prize of all, the presidency of the republic, aged 39 ¾.

It's very dangerous to consider someone with this resume as brilliant. We have a long history with these people now and they are decidedly not brilliant.

Nonc Hilaire wrote:EU flagged crowd control vehicle used to control anti-EU protestors. I think the protestors have a valid point.

https://southfront.org/eu-army-france-r ... confusion/

NapLajoieonSteroids wrote:
Macron's speech, and his body posture (as you point out) betray his voice. That is a man way out of his depth. I do not know how that inspires confidence in anyone. It would make me, if I were a Frenchman, less certain about the situation than before (or embolden me if I were a protestor/opportunist.)

Which is either an indictment on him or a sign that the situation is really much more serious than anyone is saying and all the idle internet-chatter about revolt and near-revolution is not missing the mark, by much.

noddy wrote:as an outsider it always hard to tell when riots and burning cars in France is a worry or just that time of the year.

NapLajoieonSteroids wrote:

noddy wrote:as an outsider it always hard to tell when riots and burning cars in France is a worry or just that time of the year.

Ibrahim,

First, good to see you around again.

The above is all I meant about the riots- but adding to that- Macron doesn't engender confidence, making things appear worse, which makes the situation risker.