Hit the Road, Jacques Forget "freedom fries."

Opinion Journal ^ | 03/20/2003 | JOHN FUND

[Angel]

Hit the Road, Jacques Forget "freedom fries." Punish the French with green cards.

Congress is none too pleased with France's diplomatic betrayal over Iraq. House restaurants have renamed french fries "freedom fries." Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R., Fla.) has introduced a bill that would fund the repatriation of remains of U.S. servicemen who died in World Wars I or II and were buried in Franc. Others are boycotts of French (and German) products, or even economic sanctions.

[Angel]

I love this idea.

[Crispy]

"The U.S. Embassy could quietly let out word that we are passing out green cards or work permits to a certain number of French computer experts or civil engineers--or really hit below the belt by targeting French fashion designers and wine makers. Our high-tech and engineering professions could absorb 500 French computer specialists and 1,000 civil engineers without seriously affecting U.S. pay scales, but France could ill afford to lose them."

As if it isn't hard enough for unemployed AMERICAN IT workers to get a job with all the H1B visas already issued. Sure lets make it even harder for Americans get jobs that they are QUALIFIED for.

[Post Toasties]

Sounds like a plan to me.

[Angel]

I know jobs are a problem right now, but when this war is over and with the tax cuts they economy will go through the roof and we can easily absorb these workers. (I hope and pray)

[vp_cal]

the most damaging thing we could do is to take their best people away by offering them citizenships and bringing them here. Then they will work for the US, and France will lose more of their talent.

[Ronin]

Well... OK....

But if we are gonna have masses of Frenchmen arriving at one time, it might be a good idea to set up some classes so we can toilet train them all at once.

Lesson One: This is called soap. Use it daily on your whole body -- with water. (Better not leave anything to chance.)

Lesson two: Ladies, armpit hair and mustashes are for men.

Lesson three: Gentlemen, perfume is for ladies -- after they have used the soap described in lesson one.

feel free to add your own.

[xm177e2]

A side effect of this plan is that it would drain the country of reformers--educated professionals who would ordinarily try to change things at home would instead jump ship and come to America. But what goes on inside France is not my concern. I like this plan.

[MadIvan]

I would refine this idea slightly; if you really want to hit below the belt, offer green cards to French plumbers. In every country there is a shortage of those. Now, if a good number of plumbers move to the States, that is a lot fewer people to fix Jacques Chirac's bidet when it explodes. ;)

Regards, Ivan

[fire_eye]

feel free to add your own.

If they're leftists, I don't want them over here even if they DO learn how to wash...

[q_an_a]

Oh yea, Iwant ten thousand socialists to immigrate to the US and be voters by the time Hillary runs. Get a grip.

[MadIvan]

Lesson Four, this is English. It's a language that most people outside of France speak or want to speak. Learn it.

Regards, Ivan