Situation in France

At least Charles and Macron should not walk side by side, since then it could be possible, that an erratic bullet might hit Charles instead of Macron.
 

Harry Le Hermit said:
Macron's sleight of hand.
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1639187461577363456
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I saw that. People at the top of a company or government are frequently far removed what or who they are in charge of. They are also good actors and frequently condescending. I wonder if he was actually told don't wear the watch and forgot he wasn't supposed to wear it. It wasn't about the look or messaging it was he simply forgot what his aids told him.
 
packleader said:
I am jealous of the French:

"Under a new law, pushed through parliament without a vote last week, the retirement age for most French workers will be raised from 62 to 64. That will still keep France below the norm in Europe and in many other developed economies, where the age at which full pension benefits apply is 65 and is increasingly moving towards 67."
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The French also get a generous thirty days annual leave plus eleven days of public holidays. Sacré bleu!
By contrast in the UK minimum annual leave entitlement is four weeks plus eight days public holidays.
A UK employer can choose to include public holidays as part of a worker’s statutory annual leave, most do not.
 

WhatInThe said:
I saw that. People at the top of a company or government are frequently far removed what or who they are in charge of. They are also good actors and frequently condescending. I wonder if he was actually told don't wear the watch and forgot he wasn't supposed to wear it. It wasn't about the look or messaging it was he simply forgot what his aids told him.
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they were reporting that as £80,000 in the early papers, but they've since corrected it to £2,800
 
It's always this way. The natives become restless, then violent, the society falls into chaos and then the pendulum swings the other way. A no nonsense government is voted in where the people are fined for sneezing too loudly on the street. Hey but good luck anyway.
 
While we in the USA have always observed unrest in France, with strikes, etc. as the norm... this is likely not just a French thing, this time around. In this case the French government has managed to outrage various sectors, which have seemingly become united over the retirement changes.

I would suspect the high inflation, with no real indications of any easing in the foreseeable future, has a lot to do with it. Something that seems to be a big issue across all of Europe. We just seem to be focusing on France, in this instance.
 
After last week, the burning of Town Hall entrance at Bordeaux, The strikes and demonstrations intensify, protest in the West of France against new water reservoir, and throughout all cities against Macron.

The French bond with United States and its tradition of protest and revolution dates to the 1700s, French and Indian War, support with funds and men at US Revolution (Gal. Lafayette). Indeed the French Revolution was inspired by the American Revolution, indeed, Benjamin Franklin was a much loved and great aficionado of France. The French Constutionelle was based on the American Constitution. The old French still recall the support in WWI and Liberation of France in WWII.

Some of the photos in the news are in familiar places... I am taking precautions against the garbage piles, and interruptions of transit.

Bon Soiree!
Jon
 

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Harry Le Hermit said:
While we in the USA have always observed unrest in France, with strikes, etc. as the norm... this is likely not just a French thing, this time around. In this case the French government has managed to outrage various sectors, which have seemingly become united over the retirement changes.

I would suspect the high inflation, with no real indications of any easing in the foreseeable future, has a lot to do with it. Something that seems to be a big issue across all of Europe. We just seem to be focusing on France, in this instance.
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except the UK has an even higher retirement age and it's goung up again to 67 in 2026... the changed the Retirment age overnight a few years ago, and women in particualr who were months away from retirement, and retirment packages were suddenly informed they had to carry on working much longer.. Extremely unfair, everyone very angry, Inflation is extremely high now, Mortgage rates are set to go up again. Our energy bills are through the roof... people are having to choose whether to eat or heat .... but do we burn things down...NO...
 
hollydolly said:
except the UK has an even higher retirement age and it's goung up again to 67 in 2026... the changed the Retirment age overnight a few years ago, and women in particualr who were months away from retirement, and retirment packages were suddenly informed they had to carry on working much longer.. Extremely unfair, everyone very angry, Inflation is extremely high now, Mortgage rates are set to go up again. Our energy bills are through the roof... people are having to choose whether to eat or heat .... but do we burn things down...NO...
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The same in Germany. The French people are much more powerful. The Germans tried a revolution in 1848, but it failed. Lenin wrote: "If the Germans want to do a revolution, they at first buy a platform ticket".🤣
 
Jean-Paul said:
After last week, the burning of Town Hall entrance at Bordeaux, The strikes and demonstrations intensify, protest in the West of France against new water reservoir, and throughout all cities against Macron.

The French bond with United States and its tradition of protest and revolution dates to the 1700s, French and Indian War, support with funds and men at US Revolution (Gal. Lafayette). Indeed the French Revolution was inspired by the American Revolution, indeed, Benjamin Franklin was a much loved and great aficionado of France. The French Constutionelle was based on the American Constitution. The old French still recall the support in WWI and Liberation of France in WWII.

Some of the photos in the news are in familiar places... I am taking precautions against the garbage piles, and interruptions of transit.

Bon Soiree!
Jon
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I don't think America would have won it's independence without the French navy. For sure their own revolution was styled on ours. I wish Americans still had the solidarity the French display. We are thoroughly divided and conquered here, much like the U.K. :(
 
In my travels, most French people I've met have been friendly and helpful. However, in Britain I have heard them described as "Traitors and collaborators" and more colourfully, "Cheese eating surrender monkeys" .
 
Public retirement pensions similar to the US's Social Security require funding one way or another. When facing shortfalls the solutions are to either reduce benefits (including by raising retirement age), increase funding (raise taxes or borrow), or a combination of these. It's elementary mathematics, not rocket science.

France's situation is far from unique. Most countries with government funded retirement plans are facing similar problems - or will be shortly. Lower birth rates and longer life spans are nearly universal in highly industrialize countries with advanced economies.

While the US allows draws from SS as early as age 62, it's at a dramatically reduced rate.

Suppose an American born between (1943-1954) were entitled to $2000 per month if they'd started drawing at full retirement age (FRA) of 66.
If they instead started drawing at 62, they'd get only $1507/month for the duration of their lives.
If they delayed drawing until age 70, they'd get $2640/month for the rest of their lives.

Annual cost of living increases are fairly typical, but even there COLAs work out better financially for people getting more money to start with because it's a percentage increase. A 10% COLA increase would net an additional monthly $200, $151, or $264, respectively.

The most recent big SS changes occurred in 1983. At that time, for people born 1937 and earlier, FRA remained 65.

For people born from 1938-1942 (ages 41-45 at the time the law was enacted), FRA gradually increased to 66.

For those born between 1943-54 (ages 29-40 when this was passed in 1983), RA remained a steady 66.

FRA again gradually increased so that people born between 1955-1960 (ages 23-28 in 1983) and beyond have a FRA of 67.

My point is that American retirees received decades of notice regarding changes in FRA. In addition, SS sends annual statements advising what each person's specific expected SS benefits will be at 62, FRA of 66 (or 67) and 70.

2023's Average monthly payout by SS to retired workers is $1825. Average spousal payment (spouses with no or low earnings): $902. That's BEFORE a monthly Medicare premium of $164.90 for most over 65, so it's reduced accordingly.

Generally speaking, if widowed, the survivor is entitled to 100% of the deceased worker's benefit amount OR the survivor's own benefits, whichever is higher. So if the deceased spouse delayed SS until age 70, the survivor now receives those benefits. If he/she took them at 62, that's the survivor's benefit.

While almost never an apologist for the US Gov't, I have to say that SS provides lots of clear information about options and what they will mean in terms of the dollars we can/will actually receive.

US SS needs tinkering to remain solvent, but most expect that tinkering won't affect people currently retired or on the precipice. .
 

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