dagblog - Comments for "FT: Macron should use FDR as a model"

NYTimes' analysis generalizes

artappraiser — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 18:15:13 +0000

In reply to Very much the same dynamic,

NYTimes' analysis generalizes nearly the same kind of polarization:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/04/23/world/europe/french-election-results-maps.html

Here's the map - Provence

PeraclesPlease — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 00:20:44 +0000

In reply to I should know the answer to

Here's the map - Provence indeed went for Le Pen.

I see FN as monarchists and

PeraclesPlease — Sun, 23 Apr 2017 21:39:24 +0000

In reply to I should know the answer to

I see FN as monarchists and left-over Algerian colonialists - passed by by time, full of regrette, but still holding on to the chance of revival. The encounters with minorities servce to exacerbate things, but they still want to be insular, preserve l'honneur, and so forth. Le Pen's claim that VIchy France wasn't the responsibility or guilt of modern or historical France, just an irrelevant side-show outsider the common person's control, is one of the more remarkable statements of non-responsibility. It's like all of France was with De Gaulle in London carefully preparing the next Republique, with only a few Qusilings abetting the occupiers. It's as if AUstria's gotten away this long with delusion & denial, so no doubt France could - except France is much more central to European politics & history since 1945, so not so easy to step back into the shadows. Plus that old world got blasted out in 1968 - hard to be moderne et revanchiste a la meme fois.

I should know the answer to

Obey — Sun, 23 Apr 2017 21:10:21 +0000

In reply to I've always had this

I should know the answer to this better than I do. I spend summers in the south, in the Languedoc, where FN has little support, and I don't - as a non-white foreigner - sense that whiff of racism in the air - even way out in the boonies. Next door in Provence FN are really strong, and despite the nice flowers and cute towns, the proto-fascism permeates the place. I couldn't tell you why there would be such a difference. If anything I would have expected the affluent Provencaux to be more open. So it goes by region. Overall there is a strong rejection by all parts of the establishment that FN are beyond the pale. Unlike in the US, where Trump and Beauregard Sessions are welcome everywhere as part of the conversation. And that principle that exists in France does serve to cap the FN support at something like 30-35%, maybe higher this time around given the lack of decent establishment candidates.

I've always had this

artappraiser — Sun, 23 Apr 2017 20:47:10 +0000

In reply to Very much the same dynamic,

I've always had this prejudice, and I admit it is one, wondering whether anti-fascism is (or was) that strong in non-urban non-intellectual France. For me, a sympathy towards fascist principles might go hand in hand with an obsession with maintaining a proud ethnocentric culture.

Even in England, with a quite different colonial history, one more open to letting "others", say, like Pakistanis, try to assimilate, there is still anti-Semitism if one tries to climb into "society." When there's nationalist mythos linked with ethnicity, a melting pot concept is anathema.

Very much the same dynamic,

Obey — Sun, 23 Apr 2017 20:28:30 +0000

In reply to Isn't this sorta like Hillary

Very much the same dynamic, as far as I understand it. But with some differences. She is less obviously incompetent than Trump. More credibly populist even though the FN is almost hilariously corrupt at all levels. But France has a clearer memory and sharper sense of the dangers of fascism, so the run-off will probably go down much like the one between Sarkozy and Le Pen Senior. From the center-right all the way to the far left, most people will vote for Macron, (Fillon already endorsing him) despite him being an elitist banker and ex-Hollande flunky. I know some quite rabidly leftist Parisians for whom Hamon counted as an establishment sell-out, who are already fuming at the idea of voting Macron, but they will do it. His programme seems pretty uninspiring, if not blowing up the world still counts as uninspiring. Should be a relatively safe bet.

Isn't this sorta like Hillary

artappraiser — Sun, 23 Apr 2017 20:07:01 +0000

In reply to FT: Macron should use FDR as a model

Isn't this sorta like Hillary v. Trump allover again? I'm hearing "city vs. country" from analysts,and rust belt with high unemployment anti-globalist etc. that's basically the same thing. Can it be played the same way? By targeting, tactical GOTV?