France begins to question big government and socialism

<B>Under Strain, France Examines Its Safety Net</B>
By ALISSA J. RUBIN
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Published: November 7, 2013

The pervasive presence of government in French life, from workplace rules to health and education benefits, is now the subject of a great debate as the nation grapples with whether it can sustain the post-World War II model of social democracy.

<B>The spiraling costs of cradle-to-grave social welfare programs have all but exhausted the French government’s ability to raise the taxes necessary to pay for it all, creating growing political problems for President François Hollande, a Socialist. The nation’s capability to innovate and compete globally is being called into question, and investors are shying away from the layers of government regulation and high taxes.</B>

Government spending accounts for about 56 percent of France’s gross domestic product, in contrast to 44 percent in Germany and 40 percent in the United States, according to Eurostat, the European Union’s statistics arm.

“There are too many government functionaries,” Mr. Jouve said as he demonstrated magic tricks to a customer. Referring to the city officials who come to measure the dimensions of his storefront painting, he said, “They make up jobs for themselves.”

“The state has put in place a system,” said Salvatore Garaffa-Botta, a butcher and the deputy secretary of the largest union in St.-Étienne, the C.G.T. “But we are also slaves to this system.”

For Francois Hollande, it is a nightmare coming true. He asked to be judged on his success in “bending the curve of unemployment”, and judged he will be. <B>There is no recovery worth the name in sight.</B> Industrial production fell 0.7pc in September, the fourth decline in five months. Annalisa Piazza from Newedge Strategy says there is now a risk that the French economy will contract again in Q3. That would be political dynamite."

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/08/w...with-their-safety-nets.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

These guys are really not doing too well now. Collapse is imminent in France.

 

And collapse is eminent in America. After all, our "leader's" wet dream is to turn OUR country into what we left hundreds of years ago...

 

While going back and forth with pie hole recently. I believe I read where their biggest budget item is their universal health care.

 

France will literally explode in riots and burning if they try to cut back any of the socialized spending. It'll be an excellent case study for what will eventually come our way.