Posted on 01/21/2009 3:33:17 PM PST by bruinbirdman
The French government is facing calls to slap a massive import tax on Coca-Cola in retaliation for punitive American duties levelled on the salty, blue-veined, sheep cheese roquefort.
The American measures were taken as part of a trade dispute, now known as "cheese wars", in which the Bush administration took action against the European Union's ban on imports of US hormone-treated beef.
Last week, America imposed a 100 per cent import duty on a long list of EU products, but singled roquefort out for a 300 per cent tariff.
"Symbol versus symbol," said Philippe Folliot, a French member of parliament whose Tarn constituency contains many roquefort producers. "Since the United States has decided to surtax one of the most ancient (cheese) appellations, I think that the French government, with the European Union, must think about a heavy specific tax on imports of Coca-Cola concentrates produced in the US."
In a letter to George W Bush's successor, Barack Obama, Mr Folliot called on the newly inaugurated US president to remove the "shocking" roquefort duty, which, he said "uselessly stigmatises an already fragile sector."
Producers of what the French hail as the "king of cheeses" from the Massif Central, southern France, say the rise is tantamount to an "embargo" on roquefort exports to their third biggest market. Roquefort makers export about 420 tons a year, or 2.5 percent of their total production, to the US.
The latest action has been slammed as a parting shot by Mr Bush, who is still thought to be piqued by France's opposition to the 2003 Iraq war.
The move was seen in France as a lame-duck president's final revenge against a nation once maligned as "cheese-eating surrender monkeys" in the cartoon programme The Simpsons.
The EU banned growth hormones on European farms more
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
So what about Obama?
Wasn’t protectionism one of the things that made the Great Depression worse? If so, it looks like we are headed for ‘deja vu all over again’.
France knows perfectly well that Coca-Cola sales in France are many hundreds or even thousands of times the value of French Roquefort sales in the USA.
If any such punitive tariff is imposed on Coca-Cola there, I hope Obama places a 200% tariff on all French goods sold here, with 500% on wines (including Champagne), cheeses and automobiles.
We can live without the French for a few years.
I prefer nacho cheese on my Freedom Fries anyhow.
I don’t see what the big deal is. If Coca-Cola looks like it’s going under, they can just ask for a taxpayer bailout. No problem.
France is in the EU, which is a trading bloc, so the US can’t embargo goods from France without embargoing the entire EU. The EU is the world’s largest market, and frankly, considering the economic circumstances, neither the US or the EU can afford a pathetic tit-for-tat trade war at a time of increasing difficulties and rising unemployment. The politicians need to grow up.....
Actions have consequences. (Or so the protectionists tell us the opposite).
Ack.
Free the cheese.
When the EU banned volcanic goat cheese, there was no longer any need to import European cheese.
I also like a slice of pepper-jack on my Freedom Dip Sandwich. Maybe some sauteed onyums. Yeah...
There are no more Freedom Fries. They are now called Dear Leader Frites.
Here’s an idea - get the Germans to shut the French up, put a 800% duty on EU cars.
“Mister we could use a man like Herbert Hoover again”
Cheese Wiz on my Philly Cheesesteak is ok.
I’m not talking about an embargo; I’m talking about meeting an outrageous (proposed) French tariff on Coca-Cola (syrup) imports with an equally onerous counter-tariff, in hopes that both sides will eventually back down, once they “grow up,” as you put it.
I don’t agree, however, that the USA should simply “bend over and take it” — that is, do nothing in response — if France indeed imposes the Coca-Cola tariff as threatened.
The real underlying problem is the European ban on beef that isn’t hippy-greenie.
If you read the quote:
"Symbol versus symbol," said Philippe Folliot, a French member of parliament whose Tarn constituency contains many roquefort producers. "Since the United States has decided to surtax one of the most ancient (cheese) appellations, I think that the French government, with the European Union, must think about a heavy specific tax on imports of Coca-Cola concentrates produced in the US."
Coca-Cola produces it's European products IN EUROPE. So there isn't any 'import' to levy the tariff on.
:-)
French deserve far worse than this. I say ban french foods from entering america. They’re no friends of ours and there’s no reason to pretend otherwise.
We did have Herbert Hoover, whose stupid policies worsened the banking problem; his name was Bush 43. Now we have FDR with a slight tan.
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