Well I read the Economist every week which I think is the best English magazine on world events. Compared to Time and Newsweek which are little more than puff piece journalism at it's worst, the Economist strives to tell the whole story from around the world. It is still biased to be sure, but it's pretty darn good. Most Americans have no idea what's going on in this country much less latin america or europe.
French vote no to EU constitution
by Qcmbr 21 Replies latest jw friends
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Narkissos
As I sad, the sad thing is that the majority of French people had no idea of what they were refuting or accepting.
I think you're quite right about that. It was actually a popular rejection of the mainstream (centre-right and centre-left) pro-Constitutional leaders for domestic (and mainly economic) reasons.
I don't think this will change anything in the European institutions, however. But the fact that the so-called mainstream leadership is actually supported by a minority of people is politically significant (interestingly, the abstention rate was considerably lower for this rejection vote than for usual elections, which confirms this analysis imo).
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Pole
Sort of like "throwing the baby out with the bath". Now, what would be the French idiom for that, Narkissos?
Edited to add:
BTW, I really think Chirac has "lost his chance to shut up" to use his turn of the phrase (used when Poland and other Eastern European countries dared to take a position on Iraq). From what I've been told, the more he and the prime minister advocated the constitution, the more Yes voters were disappearing. LOL.
Pole -
Narkissos
Now, what would be the French idiom for that, Narkissos?
Strictly identical (jeter le bébé avec l'eau du bain)... I suspect it was borrowed from the English, but it is pretty common now...
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Pole
Thanks. Same in Polish.
Pole -
Narkissos
Re: Chirac...
Is there an idiom like "to harbor a Polish grudge"?
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Pole
Sure, you mean something along the lines of "to take French pride in something"?
;-)
LOL
Pole -
Country_Woman
I'll expect that the Netherlands vote against too.
From all people I spoke too, only 1 family will say Yes. The son for his girlfriend is Yugoslavic and the mother said "we must share"
Virtually every one else said NO cos we (me too) like our independency. I can't find anything that benefits us. At the moment Brussel causes us more harm then we like. Our fishers are nearly bancrupt and so are our farmers. Brussel is tieing our hands and feet with their rules.
The big business possible will bloom with the EU but the average Dutchmen only finds it very difficult to live with the decreased salary: since the Euro our costs (included a lot of taxes) are doubled but our salary is the same..... neatly converted from guilder to Euro..
Surely that are some good things in this constitution - but I don't want that French - German - Italian politicians (or whatever their nationality is) are going to tell us what we don'tallow any more.....When there is something goods, our own politicians should be able to embed it in our own national laws.
and further.... I am afraid that Brussel wants more and more of our money, and we are paying already far to much.
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Country_Woman
Normally I'm a disliker of all things gallic but tonight I could kiss their oniony butts.
Like you, my appreciation for the French have increased today. I am not so far that I could kiss their oniony butts (they are using a lot of garlic too) but I could embrace them...
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ozziepost
CW:
The big business possible will bloom with the EU but the average Dutchmen only finds it very difficult to live with the decreased salary: since the Euro our costs (included a lot of taxes) are doubled but our salary is the same..... neatly converted from guilder to Euro..
Oh yes! Even from a distance I've seen this to be true. When visiting your wonderful land (that I've invested in) we see that guilder prices simply became euro prices yet the conversion rate is far far different. Someone made a killing somewhere!
BTW we have a special delivery returning to your area next week. Tell Viv.
It's "mooi"!
Cheers, Ozzie