Guest post by smartcaligirl
Everything is better when it’s French! French toast, French fries, French bathing suits (well, maybe not.) That’s what many people think, anyway, especially since Obama has said that it’s embarrassing that Americans 
travel to Europe but can’t speak European Languages. Personally, I’d love to get all Rosetta Stoned. I think the ability to communicate with others in their native language is a wonderful gift. And sure, it’s very impressive to meet someone like my old roomate, who escaped communist Czechoslovakia with her family at the age of 5. She can break into at least 4 different languages at the tip of a hat. But I certainly wouldn’t say that Americans are uncooth for only speaking English. It is the language of commerce, after all.
Speaking of commerce, let’s talk “ecouter” (ay-ku-tay). That’s French for turkey. Watching this brilliant video from Reason TV inspired me to point out a few things… Watch for yourself and catch me down below.
After watching this, I think you’ll be surprised at some of the comments made by viewers. The irony is that the comments that adhere to American principles are not from Americans!
Comment 1:
“Let’s say if your neighbor’s child was the future Einstein and unfortunately his parents didn’t have enough money to send him to college, it would be a bit your fault to deprive the world of the new Einstein, just because you didn’t want to share a part of your money…”
Comment 2:
“I’m not French, but I’m sure that living in France is much better than in the USA. For instance doctors take care of you even if you have no money”Comment 3:
“Comparing disposable income in France and the US is utterly meaningless since Americans have to pay so many things from their pockets Frenchmen get for free in return for paying higher taxes. Subtract college tuition fees for your children and healthcare from your American income and you’ll be close to the French one.”
Do these comments boil your blood? Why do we hate our country so much? What is the chance that your neighbor’s kid is the next Einstein? And if he is, don’t you think that given freedom he would succeed despite economic hardship? What truly successful person didn’t face hardship?
Have we sold our soul for freebies? “Doctors take care of you even if you have no money.” Well, that’s dandy. Do you get to choose the doctor? Do you get to change the doctor if you think the one you first saw was a quack? Are you somehow guaranteed wellness? There must be a magical wand that French doctors have that fix everything the first time. Personally, I’d rather have the freedom to choose.
Speaking of freedom, when your taxes are at 50%+, is anything really free? College tuition and healthcare for free. Sounds peachy, but considering one’s personal cost for college (4 years) and general healthcare plus some major ailments at an older age vs. what you would pay to the government over a lifetime of 50% income tax seems hardly free.
Now, some wise Frenchmen:
“C’est tout a fait vrai… as a Franco-American married to a French wife, with family in both the US and France, I can tell you everything said in this video is true. It’s what we’ve been saying about the French economy for years. It’s so expensive to live in France, everyone, but the “rich”, are relatively miserable. Everything there costs double or triple what it does in the U.S. for the same income level. Life in France is miserable unless you’re rich. ““My wife is French, and I have family in France. I can assure you, this video is accurate. Everything in France is unaffordable because of the screwed up French economy and high taxes. The standard of living in France is much lower than the US because everything costs too much.”
Here’s what I want:
1. Stop romanticizing wealth distribution and government programs, already! It isn’t ponies and princesses. Those things are NOT free for anyone. We all pay a price.
2. If you really want to “help everyone” then build a thriving economy that gives people jobs. I bet that 9/10 people would choose to earn an honest living over getting a handout check every week that dictated where they could shop and which doctor they could see.
3. Stop the Single-Payer Healthcare train now. You want reform? Make it a law that everyone has to have health insurance just like everyone has to have car insurance. The demand will rise and the supply will meet it. Healthcare companies will be forced to serve the segment of the population who opt out of healthcare because it’s too expensive but could use a type of catastrophe insurance. A law like this will also get the people who qualify for Medicare/Medicaid but haven’t filled out the paperwork (all 9 million of them) to get it done. Free market 101. Then we will see and solve the actual need vs. the inflated need of 47 million. Oh, wait, today it’s 50 million.
4. I want a leader. Are you out there?? Please, we need someone who is not afraid to really keep this wonderful country alive. We need someone who believes in the constitution, in liberty. Someone who doesn’t think Americans are embarrassing, but rather top-notch, hard-working people who make this country the place where every human being wants to live.
Whoever, wherever you are. Even if you’re in France.
14 comments:
I'm sad that I missed this for the Weekend Linkfest. This is actually good writing, and it's sad as hell that so many (probably doped up 19 year olds on You Tube commenting) people expect a friggin' handout for living here. Ya know what? They got one…. people like my grandfather and great-grandfather that went overseas and put their lives at risk to give these jagoffs the liberty to say the dumb crap they do.
Someone who doesn't think Americans are embarrassing, but rather top-notch, hard-working people who make this country the place where every human being wants to live.
***************
I love this part. I think you are looking for the anti-obama. i hope we can find him soon. Someone who thinks like Reagan. Someone who believes in the American People. Someone to represent us, not bash us and try to win smiles from the rest of the world.
Western Europe (all-encompassing to be fair) has been in the economic doldrums for decades. As the Iron Curtain came down, they taught their Eastern neighbors that this is proper. Excessive government spending via big social programs and 'quality of life' spending…..
What has spending big gotten France and the rest of Europe? For at least the last three decades, a society with little forward momentum in thought and technological advancement. Imagine what could be done were Europeans allowed to pursue excellence as opposed to the status quo?
These methods are being pursued in the United States despite the Europeans having done the homework for us and coming up with the wrong answers.
One more point: English is the unofficial trade language of the free world despite a few attempts to make it Spanish or Chinese or Russian. Why do you suppose this is?
Someone recently told me the lingua franca should be Esperanto. I don't see Americans warming up to that language since they cannot be convinced on the whole to speak the language of our Southern neighbors.
Interesting post, and as always, great!!
It's also embarrassing for an American president to go to France and snub the French president and First Lady, which is exactly what Obama did.
Thanks for the follow…
Debbie Hamilton
Right Truth
This is a great post.
Thank you so much for this video. Excellent post. I could not agree more. Well said!
I enjoyed this well written article. I have read Veronique de Rugy's articles at Reason Magazine, and it is nice to get a perspective from a native of France who also happens to be an economist.
I must however give credit where credit is due, and praise France for their views of nuclear energy. About 85% of energy generated in France is from nuclear plants. They have devised ways to recycle waste and have had no problems in this regard. While we are still battling luddites for energy independence, France is producing a cheap and efficient means of energy, while selling some amounts to Germany, who didn't have the vision to implement their own nuclear plan.
It's sad to say that we are basically trading places with a country so socialist that even Karl Marx was calling from the grave "France is too socialist for me!" They're starting to adopt our ideals of liberty,freedom, and capitalism, while we are going full tilt toward government-run everything.
I did a post this morning about the founding fathers (http://therightstuffbng.blogspot.com) and what they sacrificed. After reading, ask yourself: Is their suffering going to be for naught?
Excellent post Rebel. Where on earth is the leader that will come forward and tell us the truth. That the individual CAN succeed without the government and all the social programs can do is either keep you in poverty or put you there. I want somebody to stand up and say that we can all be wealthy if we just have the desire and put in the work. I did a blog today on the similarities between liberal economic policies and diet pills. Bother offere results with no effort, and both are scams. http://www.reallysaying.blogspot.com
I forgot! Smartcaligirl, you are very articulate, and I hope to read more about what you have to say. Welcome to the blogosphere!!!
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Atomic – I won't even add to that, exactly right
Opus – Thanks! Maybe us bloggers will find this person first….
Blue – thanks for the insight, your overseas military experience gives you a perspective that most Americans are clueless of….
Debbie – indeed it is, it's pathetic actually
Conservative Girl – thanks, the credit goes to smartcaligirl!
Ananda – thanks, hopefully smartcaligirl will write more here, start a petition drive!
William – I am aware of the French use of nuclear power, what does it tell us as Americans that the envirofascist Left controls our economic/energy policy as it does?
Blackandgold – Their suffering will not be for naught, over my dead body, I'll read your post this evening!
Tommi – thanks but the credit goes to smartcaligirl! Great points too..
Blackandgold – thanks, I'll pass it on!
Blackandgoldfan, I read the post on your blog, "The Right Stuff," about what happened to the fifty-six men who signed the declaration of Independence. Reading this put a lump in my throat. It not only angers me, but breaks my heart how so many privledged and pampered Americans take our liberties for granted. Thank you ever so much for posting this information.
My pleasure, William. I thought it was way too important not to share. And thanks to LCR for letting me get an occasional plug in!
Great post, smartcaligirl! But I fear I may be missing a private joke, or a play on words, and am too slow to get the meaning of this:
[L]et's talk "ecouter" (ay-ku-tay). That's French for turkey.
Um…
Ecouter = (v. inf.) to listen
Dinde = (n.f.) turkey
Just sayin'.
By the way, as a Canadian who works in the quasi-public sector, I can tell you everything you need to know about government-run, single-insurer health care. It also applies to just about any government program. Here it is:
Any time anything is offered at a below-market price, demand is always going to exceed supply. Always. It does not matter how much of it is available. You will never, ever catch up with demand. If anyone proceeds to argue in favour of public paid health care without acknowledging this reality, he is either ignorant of reality or dishonest.
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