Political France is an amazing place. Here there is nothing so small that it cannot be giganticized, nothing so parlous that it cannot be trivialized. And whether giganticizing or trivializing, French politicians -- left, right, and center -- all maintain one abiding principle: Mistakes have not been made. Well, at least no mistakes have been made by the particular politician invoking this principle in his own defense. Debate? Facts? Material evidence? Monsieur, these are affronts to the serene and lucid French mind that concocts the correct, realistic, exact plan.
Today's exemplar: Bertrand "I ♥ Mumia" Delanoë, the mayor of passed-over flame-crisped Paris. M. Delanoë clings to his green remedies, Paris and the facts be damned.
PARIS'S ANTI-CAR POLICY 'INCREASED CONGESTION'
PARIS December 16, 2005 (Guardian) - Efforts by the Socialist mayor of Paris, Bertrand Delanoe, to cut car use in the city by narrowing roads and building more bus lanes have increased congestion and are a waste of public money, says a report. It found that since 2001 Paris motorists have spent 62.2 million hours sitting in the jams caused by the roadworks, while pollution levels have risen by 54%. The cost of the anti-car programme is €900m, the report concluded, suggesting London's €170m congestion charge was "better value". Mr Delanoe has dismissed the report as biased and sponsored by the powerful French car lobby.
This year Time magazine, in another of its blind French valentines, approvingly reported on M. Le Maire:
May 16, 2005 (Time) - "I simply don't accept the idea that quality of life isn't compatible with economic vitality," [M. Delanoë] says from his vast office at the Hôtel de Ville, where a figurine by French sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle nestles in neo-Renaissance surroundings. "We see it when companies decide where they want to be: quality of life, quality of the air are factors. Any 21st century mayor has to see that.""He excels in the operations of charm," snipes opposition Deputy Bernard Debré. "But behind the spangles, Parisians are discovering that he promises more than he delivers." [S]mall businesses complain his bus lanes choke off trade; and residents of certain quarters grumble that the city could be cleaner.
PFFT (What is this?): Asphyxiated in M. Delanoë's better world 4 | Rayonnement français 0
Bonjour,
Plutôt que de nous parler de Paris ,parlez-nous de votre grève à New-York qui fait mourir la France de rire...
Good luck for your country in Irak !
Good luck for your country in Bolivia !
Good luck for New-York and your strike !
No, what's infinitely more comical is watching God-fearing America completely losing it over a religious word or poor old Darwin's theory.
Ah, heck, I'll have a little fun too :)
Say, the NY strike just ended...
So, how are things in your suburbs? (speaking of laughing!)
Good luck to your country in getting her unemployment rate down!
