Comments on: How We Became the United States of France?

By: Howard

Howard — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 17:26:18 +0000

The crack about Italy having four governments since last week is really based on one of the longest running inverted notions of reality of all time. In fact Italy has barely had 3 or 4 governments since WWII. All that crap about 50 governments in 50 years is really about nothing more than glorified cabinet reshuffles. The same guys have been in all their governments.
Its just musical chairs. So in fact Italy has had the least change
in its governments not the myth of the most.

By: Kelsey

Kelsey — Mon, 11 May 2009 09:07:01 +0000

@Joseph: Indeed. America has always had an oddly complex and often negative relationship with France. I have often wondered why, considering that historically, the two populaces have more than a few things in common. And yes, it's not perfect, but it's still nice. My boyfriend is French, and while he likes living in the US (he has been here for 8 years), he has mentioned that if things don't improve, we might end up getting married and moving to France. I'm most definitely not averse to this idea. Kelseys last blog post..To Do:

By: Joseph Logan

Joseph Logan — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:54:04 +0000

Political leaders train Americans to be Francophobic. France isn't perfect, but it's a very good place to live. Joseph Logans last blog post..Week in Public Organizations, 10May2009

By: Kelsey

Kelsey — Mon, 11 May 2009 08:50:48 +0000

What I don't understand is how people can seriously mock them? They have one of the highest standards of living in the world, they have a great workweek, they have great vacation, they have free education and cheap healthcare, they have a great lifestyle, they are very family-centric...what's not to like? I mean, seriously, what's wrong with becoming more like France? People like the guy who wrote that article really boggle my mind. Kelseys last blog post..To Do:

By: Jakob W

Jakob W — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:51:28 +0000

@Erik S

propaganda that allows one to believe that in the United States “no one wants the safety net until everybody needs it.”

Do you say that Americans want nationalized health care? I did not find this to be true. Europe is not perfect but after living in the US for 3 years, I was happy to return to Germany. When I was injured in the US I had to wait 6 hours in the hospital for treatment because of all the poor without insurance wanting to visit a doctor. My friend fell on the ice in Berlin last week and there was no wait at the hospital. That is not propaganda it is the truth.

By: Erik S

Erik S — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:01:09 +0000

What’s wrong with France or Europe? For one thing, the propaganda (for want of a better word) that allows its citizens (as well as expatriate Americans!) to believe that “it’s kind of cool … knowing that [unlike America (sic)] one wouldn’t be left to die if hit by a bus.” Or the propaganda that allows one to believe that in the United States “no one wants the safety net until everybody needs it.”

Stuart Browning has commented on these “facts” in his films, the Free Market Cure, notably America’s alleged lack of health care with the allegedly glorious European/Canadian health care systems.

http://no-pasaran.blogspot.com/2007/09/dude-i-am-on-marxs-tomb.html

http://www.freemarketcure.com/

The best film of all being “Uninsured in America”

http://www.freemarketcure.com/uninsuredinamerica.php

Erik Ss last blog post..Translation Needed

By: Herbert

Herbert — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:22:25 +0000

I’m also an American living in Europe…and people where I am also love to hate the French! lol

By: Hoping This Doesn’t Happen in my Exam Today… | Yankee in a New World

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 05:07:24 +0000

[...] An American Expat in Deutschland’s review of a Time’s article, “How did we become the United States of France?” [...]

By: Joseph

Joseph — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 05:53:53 +0000

I guess people criticize what they don’t understand–or haven’t experienced. I find myself being a little careful with family and friends when I give them updates on life here. I’m pretty stoked not to be in the US during these last few months, but one doesn’t want to sound *too* smug about it.

Funny how no one wants the safety net until everybody needs it.

Josephs last blog post..BoingBoing: DHS reads minds

By: Sarah

Sarah — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 04:43:41 +0000

Cliff and I are feeling pretty Europeanized ourselves. Kinda funny – all of the scary rhetoric about Socialism never seems to touch on the quality of life safeguards that are inherent to a well-constructed system. Now if only there was a government program to assuage the guilt of an expatriate who’s living the good life while her family and friends are walking the U.S. economic tightrope without a net…