There may be hope for France after all.

1. 61

   Barefootfaeposted 12 years ago

   http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/ … 5M20121229
   
   Seems there may be a few left with common sense at least.

   replyreport
   1. 61

      Barefootfaeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I can't believe this doesn't bother the left?

      replyreport
      1. 0

         PrettyPantherposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         Because we all know it's a true fact that if a forum post doesn't elicit a response from anyone, it's an indisputable sign that "it doesn't bother the left."

         replyreport
         1. 61

            Barefootfaeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            We try not to look at what we don't want to see.

            replyreport
            1. 0

               PrettyPantherposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               And some people see what they want to see.

               replyreport
2. 0

   Old Empresarioposted 12 years ago

   Forget about the over-taxation of the wealthy, which I'm happy to see didn't pass (not that I care what other countries decide to do). How on earth did France's government ever earn a reputation for being "liberal" in the eyes of Americans? Why does France get picked on so much ("There may be hope for France after all")? Their napoleonic-style republic is harsher than ours. Sure--they offer state healthcare, but who doesn't anymore besides the US, the Islamic countries, and the entire continent of Africa?

   replyreport
   1. 0

      Kathryn LJposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      France only offers partial health care, which needs to be topped up with health insurance in order to ensure against large bills.  My husband had an accident and sustained complex fractures to his leg.  He received an emergency operation, (which was free) and a week in hospital, (which was partially state paid for,  nine weeks of nurse visits, (of which the majority was paid by us), and four months of physio, which we had to pay for.  Including drugs and not including the physio, the amount we had to pay was just over 1000 Euro's.  So not state health care in a UK sense, it's more of a residual system and will apparently be less generous in the future.  We have expensive health insurance and many people with families cannot afford it, resulting in the adults going without healthcare or discharging themselves from hospital early.
      Yes France is a republic.  Despite the left being in power for the moment, this does not mean that there will be any significant changes to the status quo.  France is incredibly elitist, and the same powerful landowners have been stifling economic growth for generations.  The taxation system actively discourages enterprise to the point that as soon as a business hits it's tax bracket , it goes on an extended holiday, (this explains why countryside businesses shut up shop in the winter.)  Of course the rich will bugger off, that's what the rich do, no matter what nationality.
      
      The thing about the French is that they are not the slightest bit impressed by America and it's particular brand of capitalism.  They don't care what you think of them and their country, your an irrelevance.

      replyreport
3. 0

   Will Apseposted 12 years ago

   I feel sorry for those poor rich folk who have moved to Belgium. I have only ever passed through the country but it is more depressing than Baltimore on a wet afternoon.
   
   Soul death.
   
   Incidentally, 75 per cent as a top rate was pretty common in the fifties and sixties. That long lost time of full employment and optimism for the future.

   replyreport
   1. 84

      jandeeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      You have obviously not been to Gibraltar !  Maybe you have !
      jandee

      replyreport
   2. 54

      whoisitposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Kind of make a person wonder why they keep raising the tax rate. Could it be that the beasts hunger for more is never satisfied?

      replyreport
4. 60

   eternals3ptemberposted 12 years ago

   What's the percent taxed on capital expenses?

   replyreport