quaist

Democracy is the biggest winner in French elections

The first round of the presidential polls attracted 85 percent of the electorate -- the highest level of participation since 1965

Thoughts - Royal or Sarkozy?

Jacob1983

Does anyone outside of France actually care about this?

migamoo

You may not care Jacob, but I think it's interesting and pertinent to know who the leaders, or potential leaders, of other countries are. What they do, does have the ability to effect other countries including our own.

And that's great about the voter turnout was so high.

Jacob1983

Fieryangel, if you haven't noticed France does not like America that much. It's pretty sad considering we saved their butt in WWII. Talk about being ungrateful.

migamoo

Please, call me Ashley.
Actually, I think it's the US who doesn't like France very much. Which is sad because they helped us in the Revolutionary War.

Jacob1983

WWII is more recent. If our guys hadn't help them during WWII, French people would be speaking German. Be grateful. Don't give me that "America doesn't like France". That's crap.

France does not like America because France is a very liberal easy going hippie country and America isn't. America is more traditional, religious, and independent.
France isn't involved in the war in Iraq because they're hippes. It's because history will tell you that they suck in wars.

And yes, I do know some things about France. I'm not an expert on France and I have never been there. If you give me a round trip plane ticket to France, hotel accomodations, and spending money then I will go to France ASAP. Until then, I will not be in France.

ceilirose

Yes.

Many countries, including France, don't care for the Bush Administration. For the most part (I know I'm generalizing) people separate our US Government from the American people themselves.

I've been to France a few times and I'd go back in a heartbeat.

sunnykerr

Actually, if the United States hadn't loaned money to Germany (under the Dawes Plan and the Young Plan) so that they would "repay" repay their war debt to France as per the Treaty of Versailles, or if they'd just taken the time to notice that Germany wasn't using that money to repay its debt but rather to rearm the country, or if they'd also noticed that they were loaning five times the amount required per the Treaty of Versailles, then it's very likely that, under the economic blockade put on Weimar Germany by Britain and France, and what with Austria being in complete financial ruin, Germany would not have been able to sustain its remilitarization program.

So I'm not entirely sure what you mean about this purported American help to the French during WWII. First of all, the United States only started getting directly involved after Pearl Harbor, by which time France was already occupied by the Nazis. For another, the United States certainly didn't win the war on its own.

France does not like America? You're joking, right? Since when does France not like America?

If an absence of involvement in the Iraq war makes makes a country a bunch of hippies, then I'm afraid we hippies are the majority in the world.

And French history, in terms of war, isn't something I'd spit on if I was American. It's that very history that gave you guys your independence. If Lafayette and other French generals like him hadn't sailed across the ocean to come to the aid of their allies in hating Britain (at the time)... well, let's just say history could have turned out very differently indeed.

Jacob1983

I never said I had a thing against French people or the land area that is France. I just said I have a problem with some French people who are ungrateful and mean-spirited toward America.

A lot of people and countries don't like Bush because they don't like Christianity Oh snap! LOL
Another reason is that Bush does not cave to anyone. He may not be the best president ever and bad things have happened during his presidency but he has guts and stands up for what he believes in. I will respect that about him.
I bet you a million dollars that people would definately be in love with Bush is he was a liberal easy going hippie president. However, he is not.

Then again, if Bush did let Americans do whatever they wanted to with their actions having no consequences then what kind of country would America be?

migamoo

Wow, and I thought the majority of the world population were Christian, so how can they not like Bush for that reason? Maybe they don't like his policies?

ceilirose

Yeah right..that is one of your jokes, right?

Or he's just too stubborn to admit he's wrong. That's a childish trait.


LOL..The Republicans had to lose control of the Congress before Bush could admit he had made mistakes about Iraq. This whole group has the world's worst record about taking responsiblity about anything. It's never their fault, always something or someone else that's responsible. Rice, Gonzales, Rove, Cheney, Bush - all of them make excuses. They're a disgrace to this country.

Back on topic - an 85% turnout is phenomenal. America can barely make 50% even in Presidential election years.

Jacob1983

You may hate Bush and think he's so horrible and evil yet America still functions as a country. A lot of Americans act like Bush has mad America this horrible unlivable place and that's just flase. We still have democracy and freedom in America. Oh yeah, didn't the down just close at over 13,000? Never happened during Clinton's presidency? So I guess that means Clinton was a horrible president right?

I think the whole Bush bashing and hating is very childish. Oh snap!
Why do it when you know it does nothing? Bush is the still president at the end of the day. The Democrats had their chance in 2004 with Michael Moore's great superfantastic truthful movie about Bush and their savior John Kerry but they both choked. Moore's movie failed to receive any Oscar nominations and Kerry lost the election.
If Bush is such a child and a horrible president then why did he get re-elected in 2004? Please explain that to me.


I'm grateful and thankful that France helped America back in the day but they have somewhat turned their backs on us.

Christianity is the majority religion in the world but if you do your research like you are required to do on Fanforum you know that France has one of the largest atheistic populations in the world. I believe that 20 to 30 percent of France's population is either atheistic or agnostic.

migamoo

I know! It's sad when so many people who have the chance to do something powerful just don't do it. I commend the French on their numbers.

ceilirose

Plus there's a woman candidate in there too. Also the French only have to put up with 2 more weeks of campaigning. Our campaign season seems endless.

migamoo

And it starts earlier and earlier each year!