There is a presidential election in France next spring. Guess what issue they are now discussing in that campaign? Not gay marriage......not abortion......not even intelligent design. No, the French are talking about the problem of homelessness. That's right, homelessness. Isn't that a novel idea? Those snooty French are actually using a political campaign to examine a serious social issue. How dare they! It's about time we change the name back to "freedom fries."And listen to some of the radical ideas emanating from Paris. Did you know that the French Constitution guarantees a right to housing? One French official even suggested this week that housing should be a guaranteed right, just like "health care and education." Health care a guaranteed right, and housing? Why that's socialism! If we guaranteed housing to everyone in the good old U.S.A., what would happen? Everyone might have......ah......ah......a place to live. Hell no, we can't do that. We didn't beat the Nazi's and win the Cold War so Americans could have housing and health care. We fought those battles so Americans could have, ah......ah......freedoms. Yes, so I could have the freedom to live in my house and not have the government take it away and give it to a homeless person. And besides, if everyone had a guaranteed place to live and cheap health care, the terrorists will win.
A homeless advocacy group set up tents in Paris and asked Parisians to spend a night away from their houses and apartments just to see what it was like to live on the streets--many have done it. And both presidential candidates, Segolene Royal (Socialist-left), and Nicolas Sarkozy (UMP-conservative), have promised to tackle the issue of housing and homelessness. Funny thing, the number of homeless people in all of France is probably about the same as the number in Los Angeles alone. But of course, it's not a problem in this country is it?
Did this issue even come up in the 2004 American election--or any campaign before that? Is there any homelessness legislation on the floor of Congress now? And the French didn't think the Iraq War was a good idea either, did they? It's no wonder Americans despise the French......they are simply right about too many things.
Segolene Royal
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
5 comments:
I'm really impressed DEW, you've put together a fine blog. Thanks for doing this. Any idea how many hits you've gotten?
Miller
The concept of this kind of social policy is indeed stunning. As is the proposed timeline for implementation. Five years to house over a million people? We can't even get a stadium bill approved that quickly.
Keep posting DEW. After the NY Times and The Onion, you are my primary source of news and information!! And you are rising fast as the Times doesn't cover the world as well as you do, though the Onion's horoscope is still superior. Something to work on....
Yes, the French could really learn a thing or two from America. Instead of trying to empathize with the homeless by spending a night like the homeless, they should just ignore them and blame them for their problems like we do! Then they wouldn't have to work so hard on the complicated issues of homelessness, and they could start focusing on gay marriage like God wants them to.
It's always wonderful to read something that makes you laugh and think at the same time. Wonderful, insightful comments, dew!
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