Tavis asks Mike a useful question. Mike P is installed as maximum leader of France, albeit to everyone's surprise. He must address the masses, who eagerly await his plans for their salvation. He appears in full regalia and says, "Comrades, we must reinvigorate our roots!" Those in attendance could not agree more but wonder how. I think the vote indicates the roots have been messaged pretty well. Tavis has ferreted out my secret ambition -- to rule France -- so I may as well reveal what I would do. The new government has the opportunity to get up and say, let us now construct Social Europe, and present a picture of an EU painted in progressive colors (e.g., no debt limitation, gradual reductions in deficits relative to GDP to a fiscally-sustainable non-zero level, a European-wide progressive tax system, fiscal equalization, etc. etc. etc.) Alternatively, the left could move France decisively out of the EU and blow up the unification process. Where exactly does that leave them? What are their economic options? Haven't they been there before? I wrote: > > Maybe the electoral result gives the requisite kick > in the ass to the European unification process to > hasten the rise of "Social Europe." In response to which, Sid from Saskatchawan writes: << Your irrepressible optimism vis-a-vis "social Europe" and unification reminds me of the kid who's whistling away as he's shoveling tons of horse shit out of the stall. When aske why he's so happy, he answers: "With all this horse shit, there's got to be a horse in here somewhere!" How the hell can you translate all of the recent events that have transpired in Europe into renewed evidence/pressure for a "social" Europe in the context of the EU? >> If my use of the term "maybe" qualifies as irrepressible optimism, then I must plead guilty. Funny that everyone who meets me thinks I'm the gloomiest person they've ever seen. Tom groups me with Shawgi and Mike, but he forgets my other co-thinker Louis, who said what I was thinking, namely that the 'quasi-mandate' implied by the vote can propel France towards bigger and better things. You could say the mandate is largely negative -- contra Chirac -- and inherently vague, and I would agree but add that it is for this reason a blank check to test new initiatives of all types, including transformation of the EU. As I've said before, the EU is a GOVERNMENT of Europe. (NAFTA was a mere regional trade agreement between governments.) It starts with certain features and biases, but its potential, for good or for ill, is vast. Politics on the ground informs the development of this potential. The new government in France has a pretty good case now for radical modification of Maastricht. Following up Sid's comments more directly brings me to the story of the man who made his living at the circus performing manual enemas on elephants. After some time in this occupation his arm became prey to infection. A well-wisher asked why, for the sake of his health, he didn't seek an alternative occupation, to which he replied, "What, and leave Show Business!?" Despite our understanding that an actual political process of progressive advance will be replete with reversals, betrayals, inadequacies, etc., we persist in a search for a 'clean' vehicle. Jesse has this problem and Jerry Brown had that problem, and the new AFL-CIO ain't doing such and such, etc. etc. etc. The right frame of reference to evaluate present circumstances is to ask how progress --if you think there has been any -- was made possible in the past. For any convinced that Social Europe is nothing more than an exercise in 'parliamentary cretinism', the question of practical alternatives looms. Calls for a socialist Europe, however elegantly couched, beg the question of the political process which gets us there. Long ago, Elinor Langer wrote of the New Left something to the effect that "we mistook revolution, a rare historical event, for a moral imperative." Jumbo beckons, so roll up your sleeves. MBS =================================================== Max B. Sawicky Economic Policy Institute [EMAIL PROTECTED] 1660 L Street, NW 202-775-8810 (voice) Ste. 1200 202-775-0819 (fax) Washington, DC 20036 Opinions above do not necessarily reflect the views of anyone associated with the Economic Policy Institute. ===================================================
