Macron attempts a feat .... - Full Title in Post

[EC]

I'm breaking the rule of full titles because the WaPo's gratuitous swipe at Trump in it has absolutely jack shit to do with the article, which otherwise is of interest.

Macron attempts a feat that Trump wouldn’t dare

The newly elected French president is attempting a feat that the newly elected American president wouldn’t dare: leadership.

Emmanuel Macron, the youngest French head of state since Napoleon, has stolen many American hearts thanks to his moving defense of the Paris climate accord, gutsy news conference with Vladimir Putin and, of course, the fact that he married a much older woman.

But here in France, his primary public contribution is expected to be on a different front: the economy.

For decades, France has struggled with stagnant labor markets and intractably high unemployment. The jobless rate stands at 9.6 percent, which — believe it or not — is a five-year low.

Also for decades, French politicians have tried to reform the system. Macron’s predecessor, François Hollande, suffered recordlow approval ratings, partly due to the violent strikes and chaos that erupted when he worked to reform labor laws last year.

Rather than shying away from this hot-button issue — which Macron had overseen as Hollande’s economy minister — Macron made it a centerpiece of his presidential campaign. And after this Sunday’s first-round parliamentary elections, which his brand-new political party is projected to win in a landslide, his government will likely claim a public mandate to finally fix the system.

So what exactly is wrong with the job market in France?

The problem isn’t generous health-care benefits or onerous environmental protections or the usual “job-killing” regulations that American politicians so often vilify — and that the French love.

It’s that it’s virtually impossible, or at the very least prohibitively expensive, to fire employees. Which makes hiring employees unattractive, too.

More: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/macron-attempts-a-feat-that-trump-wouldnt-dare/2017/06/08/0452956e-4c7a-11e7-a186-60c031eab644_story.html

[DB]

Leading isn't following socialist into the abyss. And that is exactly what this moron is doing.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Leading isn't following socialist into the abyss. And that is exactly what this moron is doing.

 :thumbsup2: :thumbsup2: :thumbsup2:  @DB

[Oceander]

The Washington post used to be a decent middle of the road paper; no longer. 

[DCPatriot]

The Washington post used to be a decent middle of the road paper; no longer.

How long ago was that?   

I've been following politics since JFK.....so it had to be at least more than 60 years ago.