France is not a democracy... by Thomas

Long time I havent written anything serious. I meant many times, but couldnt really find inspiration... Anyway, with all the things that will happen in France this year, I thought I should probably drop few lines about what many of you are talking about over and over ( I mean the ones living in France).

First before I get accused of being biaised, or anything... I do not know who I will vote for the presidential elections. In past elections, I have been voting UMP, UDF and even PS, so I am not too sure I could be put in any side. I think that both sides have great ideas, and both sides have the most ridiculous ones as well. I will never understand this feeling that one side thinks that all it does is great while the other side just sucks (ah maybe that's why France is stuck the feet in the shit, yet still continue to sing)...

Now that I made my point on this, let me tell you what I think about what France and politics. my observation and interaction with people over the years led me to my own conclusion. Which is... France looks like a Democracy, yet it isnt! Let me explain!

1) My sister's husband (that I will not call my brother in law) is a "attaché parlementaire" for the Socialist Party, and whenever I had a conversation with him, I would end up being a loser everytime I had some kind of disagreement. If I was daring challenging a position of his beloved party, not only it was impossible to bring my point but I was systematically treated like shit (I am a nazi for thinking that illegal immigration is a problem, I am a fascist opposing the right of strikewhen I say that I am pissed that I missed my train and had to pay $$$$ to take the plane to an interview because there was AGAIN a stupid strike, and suggest some minimum service - yet when I buy one of these surprise ball for 25cent for my niece and inside find a pin, of a CSA officer, with the CSA flag, and written on it "White supremacy", and ask him if he could use his political connection to get these things out of the street, he smiles and doesnt even say a word)... That was a time I was starting getting interested in what was going on in the news, and trying to figure out politics... and so I decided to look around, really see what was good and bad in my country's politics. And after about 10 years looking, I came up to my conclusion. I dont care what you say, but no matter who is elected, there is only one voice that matters, the communists and the socialists. If they are in power, they do what they want, if they are not in charge (which means the majority decided they shouldnt be in charge) you have strike over strike over strike... and looking at the assembly, reading the papers, watching the news, I realise that just like in my family, you cannot discuss with a socialist/communist, he is right, and if you dont agree with him, he will either block the country with some strike or say you are racist or some sort of cheap and easy excuse - I am not saying the right side is much better, but I dont recall seeing a lot of blue flags during a strike. Syndicalism has its lowest rate in all industrial countries in France, yet THEY decide for everyone... no matter of the majority wants something that they dont like - Should I vote when I know that whoever is elected, they will have to do what a minority that has key functions will decide, not sure yet?

2) And what to say about that myth of the 21st of April 2002 they invented ("they" as politicians) ... For the ones that dont recall, LePen got to the second run, and "France" woke up in a shocker.... there was 20% of racists!!! Well mmmm, let see! I do not agree with LePen, However I think that if he is such a danger for democracy, for the institutions and so on, we can easily forbid his party, just like the Republic has done for others... in the other case, well we have to accept the results of an election. But let's imagine for a second that he gets elected - wouldnt that mean that somehow, the Majority of the French (50%+1) have decided so. And then again, if it was an accident - isnt there something called legislative elections, thata actually decides what the governement will be like. So Today, our friends the politicians are very keen in reminding us, that we should NOT votre for who we want, because there is a risk that Le Pen gets elected?????????????????? Ah VIVE LA DEMOCRATIE NON???

3) The main principal of a Democracy, is the power for the people by the people. But for the Democracy to work, you need to have everyone agree with its principles. Hence laws. Laws are laws, and they are here to guarantee that every individuals who adhere to the concept of democracy gets sufficent protection yet is treated fairly and equaly. Now the people we are electing to represent us, the people, are voting these laws on our behalf. They are our voice... And here is where that beautiful system gets screwed up... Instead of really discussing the problems of the people who elected them, they spend their time fighting in a total partisan way - they are so into self-admiration that they forget that like everyone, they do not have all the answers, they forget that a constructive debate should be a win-win situation, and therefore instead of having representatives REPRESENTING the people, we see every 5 years an ideologic ping pong, where the party who lost will try everything to block the party that won. No one is working together, the society itself becomes partisan, and no matter what are your political conviction, you end up feeling that no matter what, your voice has been thrown to the garbage.

There are so many reason why I chose that title, but to resume them all, as long as for some people in France, Victory will be a mean in itself, that the until-the-bitter-endism mentality will be the norm over compromise and constructive debate, I will not fully admit that we have a 1st class democracy.

Will I vote during the next election? probably. Who will I vote for? I have no clue yet, as I want to vote for ideas and not for someone who said she/he said this so she/he is a bad girl/guy. Who will I NOT vote for no matter what? Extrem right, Extrem left - that makes 2-3 candidates on the right side, and about the same on the left side... and thanks to my so smart sister's husband, I will never vote again for the socialist party (at least until they admit that you can have different ideas, and be strict about laws, without being called a nazi)

Gee, I wonder how many of who read that till the end, now that I am reviewing it, I am not too sure I made any sense, and I find it a bit boring