François Hollande concedes taxes 'too heavy'

Even a devout socialist admits the truth now and then.

LINK

A New Year's message from François Hollande backfired as his vague promise that taxes would be lowered some time in the future jarred with French voters facing tax increases that took effect as he was speaking.

Instead of winning plaudits for his unexpected admission that taxes had become "too heavy, much too heavy", the unpopular socialist president - weakened by tax increases, rising unemployment and a shrinking economy - provoked incredulity and scepticism among critics on both Left and Right.

Hard-pressed French households faced VAT increases on most goods and services from Jan 1 and only days earlier France's supreme court had upheld a new 75 per cent supertax on high-paying companies.

Mr Hollande made his televised address in front of a virtual background, an image of the Elysée Palace, which provoked a flood of comments on Twitter comparing his appearance with that of a Soviet leader of the 1970s.

Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet, a leading PR consultant, told BFM television: "He looked unprofessional, and it leads people to question how professional he is when it comes to policy if he's not professional in the way he communicates."

Mr Hollande's failure to fulfil his promise to reverse the increase in unemployment, now nearly 11 per cent, has undermined his credibility and made him France's most unpopular president for decades.

He reiterated that the "battle for jobs" was his "only priority" and insisted that his policies were working.

"The results inevitably take a long time to appear, but they are here, and I have confidence in the choices I've made for the country," he said.

He offered companies a "responsibility pact", which he defined as the possibility of "lower labour charges and fewer restrictions on their activity in return for hiring more workers and more dialogue with trade unions".

But he gave no details about which restrictions might be lifted or how he would reduce the high social security charges and payroll taxes that leave French companies with some of the lowest profit margins in Europe.

His proposal came days after France's highest court approved his controversial 75 per cent "supertax" to be paid by companies on annual salaries exceeding €1 million.

Philippe Gattaz, the head of the employers' federation Medef, said industrialists were "ready to play an active role" but added: "It is urgent to make rapid progress."

Others were more sceptical. Jean-François Rabaud of the federation of small- and medium-sized companies said: "Unless there is a concrete commitment to lower taxes, it leaves us wondering exactly what is being offered."

Mr Hollande's proposal immediately came under attack from the left wing of his Socialist Party. Marie-Noëlle Lienemann, a Socialist senator, said: "This is not the time to offer companies incentives when ordinary people are struggling. It has to be balanced with measures to help them."

She complained that households would be hard hit by an increase in the standard rate of VAT from 19.6 per cent to 20 per cent yesterday, with an intermediate rate increased from seven to 10 per cent.

Leftist commentators criticised the president for moving too far towards the centre. The left-wing newspaper Libération said: "François Hollande is positioning himself, perhaps for the first time in France, in line with the Social Democrats."

Mr Hollande also reiterated earlier promises to trim public spending. "We must spend less to reduce our deficit and over time reduce taxes," he said, without giving further details.

Jean-François Copé, head of the centre-right UMP party of the former president, Nicolas Sarkozy, said: "François Hollande repeated the same unfulfilled commitments he made a year ago in almost the same terms."

Bernard Accoyer, a centre-right MP, said his message was "a litany of his failures in 19 months as president" and added: "He admitted that he underestimated the crisis, raised taxes and charges on companies too high and failed to make the necessary cuts in public spending."

 

That's right! Tell them miserable SOB companies that either they start hiring more people or you'll shut `em down! If that doesn't work, tell the captains of industry they are going to be shot if the economy doesn't improve.

That should get the economy purring. LMAO.

 

He's not saying that 75% on income over 1 million euros is too heavy, though.

 

He didn't say he believed in aliens, either.

 

Sounds an awful lot like obama, keep telling people you want to get rid of excess regulations at the same time you pile them on with the EPA, whole lotta talk and no details as to what you are actually doing to do.

 

He reiterated that the "battle for jobs" was his "only priority" and insisted that his policies were working.

Hmmmm, who does that remind me of.....

11/2/09: President Obama Said That The Economy Was His “Overriding Focus.” “This is my administration's overriding focus. Having brought the economy back from the brink, the question is how are we going to make sure that people are getting back to work and able to support their families.” (President Barack Obama, “Remarks By The President During The Meeting Of The President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board,” The White House, 11/2/09)

12/23/09: “SIREN: White House Plans 'Very Hard Pivot To Jobs' Next Month.” (Mike Allen, “SIREN: White House Plans 'Very Hard Pivot To Jobs' Next Month -- Will Be 'Prescriptive',” Politico’s “Playbook”, 12/23/09)

1/14/10: Obama Says He Will “Have A Sustained And Relentless Focus Over The Next Several Months On Accelerating The Pace Of Job Creation, Because That’s Priority Number One.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks At The House Democratic Caucus Retreat, Washington, DC 1/14/10)

1/28/10: Obama Told Town Hall In Tampa, Florida That “Creating Jobs Has To Be Our Number One Priority In 2010.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks At Town Hall Meeting, Tampa, FL, 1/28/10)

1/29/10: Obama Told Congressional Republicans That Americans “Want Us To Focus On Their Job Security.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks At GOP House Issues Conference, Baltimore, MD, 1/29/10)

3/2/10 The New York Times Asked “Whatever Happened To That Shift From Health Care To The Economy?” “By the time March arrived, President Obama was supposed to be entering his third month of the year talking about three things: jobs, jobs, jobs. … So whatever happened to that shift from health care to the economy?” (Jeff Zeleny, “A Plan To Talk About Jobs, Elbowed Aside By Health Care,” The New York Times, 3/2/10)

4/27/10: "Obama To Focus On Jobs, Rural Economy In Two-Day Midwest Trip." (Roger Runningen, "Obama To Focus On Jobs, Rural Economy In Two-Day Midwest Trip," Bloomberg, 4/27/10)

“President Barack Obama Embarks On A Two-Day, Campaign-Style Swing Through The Rural Midwest Today To Talk About The U.S. Economy And Jobs As He Turns Attention To What Will Be A Top Issue In The November Midterm Elections.” (Roger Runningen, "Obama To Focus On Jobs, Rural Economy In Two-Day Midwest Trip," Bloomberg, 4/27/10)
6/17/10: The Obama Administration Kicks Off “Recovery Summer … A Six-Week Long Push Designed To Highlight The Jobs Accompanying A Surge In Stimulus-Funded Projects.” “Vice President Joe Biden today will kick off the Obama administration’s ‘Recovery Summer,’ a six-week-long push designed to highlight the jobs accompanying a surge in stimulus-funded projects to improve highways, parks, drinking water and other public works.” (Mike Allen, “Obama, Biden Declare ‘Recovery Summer’,” Politico, 6/17/10)

9/8/10: Obama Launches A “Hail-Mary Pass To Stimulate The Economy And Create New Jobs.” “Facing a grim unemployment picture and potentially disastrous mid-term elections for Democrats, President Obama is launching the political equivalent of a hail-Mary pass to stimulate the economy and create new jobs.” (Editorial, “Desperately Seeking Jobs,” The Miami Herald, 9/8/10)

“Voters Are Entitled To Ask Why The Administration Has Waited So Long To Focus On Job Creation …” “Voters are entitled to ask why the administration has waited so long to focus on job creation (beyond government jobs). By doing so very late in the game, it suggests that Mr. Obama is desperate to find solutions for an economic stimulus plan that failed.” (Editorial, “Desperately Seeking Jobs,” The Miami Herald, 9/8/10)
12/22/10: President Obama Said “We Now Have To Pivot And Focus On Jobs And Growth.” (President Barack Obama, News Conference, Washington D.C., 12/22/10)

Obama Added That “Making A Dent In The Unemployment Rate” Was His “Singular Focus.” “And my singular focus over the next two years is not rescuing the economy from potential disaster, but rather jumpstarting the economy so that we actually start making a dent in the unemployment rate and we are equipping ourselves so that we can compete in the 21st century.” (President Barack Obama, News Conference, Washington D.C., 12/22/10)
1/31/11: “The White House Has Quickly Pivoted To Jobs After The President’s State Of The Union.” “Turning to domestic politics, the White House has quickly pivoted to jobs after the president’s State of the Union -- even if it’s being overshadowed by the situation in Egypt.” (“First Thoughts: Balancing Act,” NBC News’ “First Read,” 1/31/11)

4/1/11: “Obama’s Day: Turning Back To Jobs … President Obama Returns Today To What He Calls His Top Priority: Jobs.” “Though his presidential hours have been crowded by Libya, Japan and other foreign policy challenges, President Obama returns today to what he calls his top priority: jobs.” (David Jackson, “Obama’s Day: Turning Back To Jobs,” USA Today, 4/1/11)

8/2/11: “OBAMA AND SENATE DEMS PLAN PIVOT TO JOBS: Senate Democrats hope they now have ‘checked the box’ on debt reduction and can move to an agenda focused on job creation and economic growth, through a combination of spending and tax cuts.” (Mike Allen, “DEMS PLAN PIVOT TO JOBS: Transportation, Infrastructure, Tax Breaks On Fall Agenda,” Politico’s “Playbook”, 8/2/11)

 

well, to be fair, the unemployment rate has dropped from about 8 to 6 if anybody anymore ever believes in that number

you gotta figure just about everybody over 55 just dropped out

but the thing I keep waiting for is someone to explain to me

How does the government create jobs?

Best answer I got was when some senator asked the same question and Lawrence O'Donnel on msnbc said, "You idiot, the government created your job!"

sounds like a plan to me

13 million people unemployed

just make them all senators and congressmen

couldn't be any worse than what we have now

 

Here's what world leaders think of Hollande: