Bread + Circuses = Presidency
Or at least that is what the socialist party presidential candidate in France is promising. Segolene Royal has announced that she stands four-square for more welfare, more handouts and less work for the taxpaying public. She doesn't exactly come out and explain how less work will yield the revenue to pay for all the bread and circuses, however.
In a speech before 15,000 Socialist Party (PS) delegates, Royal announced a 100-point "presidential pact" including promises to increase the minimum wage, boost social housing, invest in renewable energy sources and "consolidate" the 35-hour-week.
"No longer will politics be conducted without you, the people," she said to rapturous applause and foot-stamping at the exhibition centre near Paris.
"I want, today, to give back hope and courage to the weakest. To all I say that the time of imagination and daring has arrived. I will forget no-one because France — in order to recover — needs every man and woman," she said.
Her two-hour address was frequently interrupted by whoops and chants of "President, President" from a crowd anxious to believe that the candidate, who has been slipping badly in the polls, is poised to make an aggressive comeback against right-wing rival Nicolas Sarkozy.
Royal took a major risk by delaying her manifesto while she held three months of "consultations" via the Internet and thousands of open-door "participative debates."
Critics accused her of populism, but she said it was vital to reestablish links with a disillusioned electorate.
"The cries of silent distress, the poor broken lives, the humiliated families ravaged by misery and injustice … all this inspired me to propose the policies of change which alone are capable of surmounting the crisis," she said.
At the end of the speech, activists unveiled the campaign's new slogan: "A fairer France for a stronger France."
Royal's exhaustive list was heavily influenced by the PS's own manifesto — a left-wing document that was released last year.
But really, the very best part of it all is the return to outright mob rule and the double-speak of keeping minors out of prison - by locking them up. A real classic.
Vowing to keep under-age offenders out of prison, she called for "reinforced educational centres, if necessary with a military structure" for young delinquents. She also said "citizens' juries" should be introduced to extend "participative democracy" in the community.
Presumably, the guillotine will be along shortly. Oh well, at least she looks good in a bikini. Unlike Chirac.
UPDATE: IHT coverage here.
World news | Gaius Sunday, 11 February , 2007
By Quilly Mammoth, Monday, 12 February , 2007 @ 1:02 pm
Hello, Robiespierre.
The use of “Citizen’s Juries” to evaluate politician’s performance (which is how the IHT reported the statment) might be a good idea so long as they have little actual power. It might be noted that “Citizen Juries”, which are becoming more and more popular in the EU, have already been accused of manipulating the process to achieve a desired result. For example the “Citizen Juries” which heard evidence about genetically engineered crops. Monsanto’s witnesses were not allowed to testify.
How much would one wager that she intends this to be more along the lines of China’s “People’s Juries” which draw from a base of vetted “qualified jurors”???