Posted on 11/08/2005 1:05:39 AM PST by RWR8189
France's rigid economic system sustains privilege and inspires resentment.
The French political response to the continuing riots has focused most on the need for more multicultural "understanding" of, and public spending on, the disenchanted mass in the country's grim banlieues (suburbs). What has been largely ignored has been the role of France's economic system in contributing to the current crisis. State-directed capitalism may seem ideal for such American admirers such as Jeremy Rifkin, author of "The European Dream," and others on the left. Yet it is precisely this highly structured and increasingly infracted economic system that has so limited opportunities for immigrants and their children. In a country where short workweeks and early retirement are sacred, there is little emphasis on creating new jobs and even less on grass-roots entrepreneurial activity.
Since the '70s, America has created 57 million new jobs, compared with just four million in Europe (with most of those jobs in government). In France and much of Western Europe, the economic system is weighted toward the already employed (the overwhelming majority native-born whites) and the growing mass of retirees. Those ensconced in state and corporate employment enjoy short weeks, early and well-funded retirement and first dibs on the public purse. So although the retirement of large numbers of workers should be opening up new job opportunities, unemployment among the young has been rising: In France, joblessness among workers in their 20s exceeds 20%, twice the overall national rate. In immigrant banlieues, where the population is much younger, average unemployment reaches 40%, and higher among the young.
To make matters worse, the elaborate French welfare state--government spending accounts for roughly half of GDP compared with 36% in the U.S.--also forces high tax burdens on younger workers lucky enough to have a job, largely to pay for
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
Is it possible that many Americans exercise their Second Amendment rights....could that make a difference?
The elitists don't want assimilation.
They'd be slaughtered.
they (reporters) are trying real hard to convince people this is just punks pissed about economics, thats bullsiit
and its time they start calling it what it is, a Fifth Column, and they mean to take over, period
Two Words: Second Amendment
All of these economic discussions for the reasons the youths riot are playing into the Marxist's hand. I agree with all of them, but they are convenient, while legitimate, excuses for the real reasons.
The riots are occuring because Muslims do not assimilate.
Perhaps because as in the 30's during the depression, the moral basis of society was Judeo-Christian values and people sought more docile means to express themselves. There were small riots, but nothing on this scale, and the situation was far more desperate.
I would submit that America doesn't have the same concerns as france because the majority of our immigrants (from Mexico) are of Catholic or some Judeo-Christian persuasion and share the same core values as other Americans.
Other immigrants who have different faiths are a concern if they decide not to be assimilated into our culture. They need to be sought out and eliminated from our society. Revoke their green card and "hasta la vista" Abu...
The Latino influx isn't as much a concern. Either our men or our women assimilate them as soon as they pop their head out far enough. Both sides of the issue don't seem to mind, and you can look at the Cubans in Miami as a model of the greatness they can achieve.
I'm not saying we don't have our problems, but we're not quite on fire just yet either. I will agree we need to take decisively tighter control of our policies however.
The farcical effort at enforcement of immigration laws will become a major problem faster than any of us can dream if it continues as it does at present.
Muslims are not assimilating here or there by their own choice.
What BS.
Plus, our seething millions of illegals are creating possibly the same type of problem down the road.
A lot of our Mexican illegals are not assimilating as well.
I was willing to read until this. Mere hyperbole. All those millions of immigrants and the children of the indigenous don't have jobs. Impossible.
I don't this will happen in the United States anytime soon. We have guns, a better constitution than France and much different social structure. Also, I do think immigrants assimilate into American society if they stay here long enough. The ones that don't are pretty hard core to me. Most of their children sure do assimilate in some way. Most every young black American student I've talked that has stayed in France for any length of time has talked about the severe discrimination in France. I find that amazing considering France used to be the country that black Americans and other went to exercise rights they didn't have in America. Go figure.
The most disturbing fact in this piece is that the US spends 36% of its GDP in welfare spending! We are just about a generation behind France in killing our economy. This needs to change, but where will we find politicians courageous enough to cut off the freebies?
Amen and Amen. We should always be ready to lock and load. Amen.
Why would they assimilate when they don't have to? The other day I went to Wal-Mart. I went to one of those self checkout lines since I didn't have much and thought it would be quicker. The people in front of me where checking out and the machine was giving directions in spanish. And the people behind me where talking to each other in spanish. At least with all the other immigrants they have to make a effort.
The ones that don't speak spanish don't have much of a choice. The Bosnians, Indians and Asians all seem to do well in my area.
Did I include the Indians? LOL
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