Does . . . Not . . . Compute
By Pejman Yousefzadeh Posted in Foreign Affairs | Scylla and Charybdis — Comments (7) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
In France, the government of "right-of-center" President Nicolas Sarkozy has proposed to punish the promoters of "extreme dieting" with up to two years in prison.
A libertarian faction of the French National Assembly has protested, stating that "Criminalizing behaviour has no place in public health policy."
This latter position is to be applauded. Except . . . I wasn't exactly truthful with you just now, dear readers. The protesting faction got the principle right, but they are hardly libertarians.
I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised. Still, this is the kind of political fight that makes me wish there was no Internet to inform me about it. I may root for Sarkozy's political opponents on this particular issue. But I feel as if I need to shower after having done so.
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Does . . . Not . . . Compute 7 Comments (0 topical, 7 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
Over yonder in the 20002 area code, there's a side of the aisle that has made its priority to oppose any position, regardless of its merits, handed down by the occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, while still crowing that "he's not uniting us!"
It disappeared.
But if the French want to ban skinny girls, so be it. They have taken opposing views in the past. I just love it when politicians take totally inconsequential views that might be popular, because they haven't the fortitude to do anything significant. Our Congress does the same.What part of "liberte', egalite,' fraternite'" has anything to do with waistlines?
Buried in the links is a reference to "balancing the budget." Canada did that, and the Canadian dollar (once, 85 cents, American) is now trading slightly above par ($C>$US).
on trial for free expression, how did the French so become associated with the historical march of liberty?
As they say in France.
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Gone 2500 years, still not PC.
You know, that little lady holding up the torch. It also helped that they were on our side in the Revolutionary war. Their actions within there own country to the contrary, they have contributed to the historical march of liberty.
Socialism doesn't work. It looks nice on paper, but it's been tried and it's failed miserably every time (usually accompanied by widespread death and suffering).
Proud member of the V.R.W.C.
It all goes back to Thomas Jefferson and types like him, who favored perpetual revolution in America. When the French got a long and messy Revolution, they liked that.
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
I believe the issue is more important than who supports it. Sometimes politics make strange bedfellows.