Previous post
Paris is in trouble. In fact, all of France is in trouble. French President Emmanuel Macron’s economic and idiotic climate change policies are wrecking the country. The latest destructive riots have led to Paris burning because no one wants Macron’s Fuel Tax. And folks, that tax is a doozy.
On Jan. 1, the tax on gasoline will go up by around 12 cents per gallon and on diesel by approximately 28 cents per gallon, according to Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne.
Gas taxes will go up by another 5 cents per gallon by 2020, with diesel jumping an additional 2 cents.
On Monday, gasoline cost around $6.26 per gallon in Paris, while diesel was around $6.28 a gallon. [Emphasis Added]
Look at those prices. Who among us could even BEGIN to afford $6.26 per gallon of gas??!!! For a Dodge Ram 1500 like my husband drives, ONE tank of gas would cost $150 per tank. For my Jeep, my cost would be approximately the same. Who can afford this? Not me and not anyone I know for darned sure.
The diesel tax is especially egregious in France because SO many of the transport and delivery vehicles are diesel. Can businesses afford this kind of hit to their bottom line? I don’t think so.
Why is Macron doing this?
Macron has so far refused to reconsider the hikes which he says will help reduce France’s dependence on fossil fuels. By raising the cost of diesel, the French government hopes to convince more people to buy less-polluting vehicles.
Oh. Well, that Paris Agreement Climate Change thing is really turning into a piece of crap isn’t it? I am SO glad that, at the G20 Summit, the U.S. told everyone to go pound sand and hold firm. Again folks, think about what $7 gallon diesel would do to the U.S. agriculture industry. It would absolutely kill the budgets of so many ranchers I know and grew up with.
Needless to say, citizens of France are not amused at this latest tax hike nor other damaging economic policies of Macron’s. His approval rate is at 26% right now. Yikes. That’s horrendous!
Many have donned yellow shirts and have been protesting since before Thanksgiving. Unfortunately those protests have turned violent and are leading to major property destruction.
A major art museum was burned.
The Jeu de Paume – one of best art galleries in Paris – is on fire. A mob is storming through the Tuleries Garden. pic.twitter.com/pHaPJxI3Yt
— Peter Allen (@peterallenparis) December 1, 2018
A contemporaneous tweet I filed at 3.48pm today, in the middle of a riot, described a fire at the Jeu de Paume art gallery in Paris's Tuileries Garden. What I saw was what appeared in my video, and I'll be inspecting the damage to the museum tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/NMox7qqn8e
— Peter Allen (@peterallenparis) December 1, 2018
Police officers and their vehicles were attacked.
Des individus ont attaqué un car de CRS sur la Place de l'Etoile pic.twitter.com/qxc8XshE6Q
— CNEWS (@CNEWS) December 1, 2018
Yesterday the Arc de Triomphe was turned into a battleground between the protestors and the police.
Photo Credit: YOAN VALAT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
For the first time in the landmark’s history, security checkpoints were installed there and all along the Champs Elysee. During this weekend’s protests the Dior store was vandalized causing well over 1 million Euro in damages. Other high profile fashion houses saw vandalism, had windows broken, and graffiti painted on the Arc de Triomphe itself.
In fact, the graffiti is horrible.
Macron flew back from the G20summit in Argentina on Sunday and went straight to inspect damage at the Arc de Triomphe. Graffiti all over the base of the 19-century monument read: “We’ve chopped off heads for less than this” and: “Topple the Bourgeoisie.” Scores of used teargas canisters filled the gutters.
Do I agree with the vandalism and destruction? Absolutely NOT. Do I agree that the economic policies are going to hurt the fiscal well-being of the country. Yes I do.
Macron told his prime minister to call the protest leaders and have a ‘talk’ with them. Yet, at the same time, it seems that Macron is going to blame law enforcement for not keeping the peace.
An Élysée spokesman said Macron wanted policing procedures to be reviewed in terms of “maintaining order in the days to come”.
Oh I dunno. Maybe when French law enforcement sees someone destroying a Dior store or spraying hateful graffiti on a treasured monument, or trying to set a car/shop/art museum on fire, they should be able to use the appropriate amount of force to immediately stop them in their tracks? That hasn’t happened and I’ve a sinking feeling that the rules of engagement are hamstringing French law enforcement and so a beautiful city is being destroyed.
Macron’s fuel tax should’ve been a non-starter from the get go. But Climate Change! Yeah. That’s crap. Economic policies that destroy a country because of virtue-signaling politically incorrect science has led to this.
Welcome Instapundit Readers!
Feature Photo Credit: YOAN VALAT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
GWB says: “We’ve chopped off heads for less than this” and: “Topple the Bourgeoisie.”
Well, when you raise communists, you get communist revolt. Quelle surprise!
they should be able to use the appropriate amount of force to immediately stop them in their tracks?
I think a “whiff of grapeshot” would be appropriately French, don’t you?
Economic policies that destroy a country because of virtue-signaling politically incorrect science has led to this.
Arguably “being French” has led to this. Standing strong on all the wrong things and bending the knee on all the right things – fighting the wrong fights and surrendering when they should fight. The French never have figured out what they did wrong at the end of the 18th century.
Wfjag says: Just back. Met some Green Vests at a traffic circle in Alsace. They were talking to those who would stop (and selling drinks and sandwiches – the only police there were buying drinks and sandwiches). The protesters were blue collar workers and farmers. The fuel tax is just the latest measure and the one which triggered the protests. Before the tax increase, the speed limit on country roads was reduced 10 KPH to about 70KPH (about 50MPH) while radar cameras were being installed to catch speeders and fine them, and the fine issuance and collections were contracted out to politically connected firms (which had previously been a function of local police). Since Macron’s core support are the urban upper and professional classes, who don’t drive much, they haven’t been affected by the increasing stringent regulations, enforcement and fines. However, these, with the additional fuel taxes, are strangling workers and farmers in a nation with close to 10% unemployment. Polling indicates that support for the Green Vests is running 70-80%. The targets of the rioters in Paris are firms associated with the upper and professional classes, and the crackdown ordered by Macron appears to be viewed as oppression ordered by elites to take more freedoms away and seems to be creating even more sympathy for the protesters. However, only the tax protest angle is being covered in the American news media. The movement appears to be strengthening and spreading.
Tom says: Interested by Wfjag’s comment that “only the tax protest angle is being covered by the American media.” Sure the tax is usurious, excessive and counterproductive. But it amounts to a 5% increment. The fury of the protests evidences more is at play here. More dissatisfaction with Macron and with the current state of France.
Difficult to find coverage of the riots that mentions immigration policy but the country has been transformed in recent years to a third world hell-hole. Could this underlying some of the anger?
Deepelemblues says: The economic situation in France is abysmal and Macron keeps piling more costs onto the great mass of the population. When the lord takes and takes from the peasants while cutting off their opportunities to make a living, as the lords in France have been doing for decades, peasant unrest breaks out. It will get worse if the lords don’t back down, until they finally do… or until there are new lords.
Kaiser Derden says: Paris WAS just a beautiful city … now its a DANGEROUS city … and not because of these protests … has been for the last several years …
hivizanglo says: Some points that are missed by anglophones unfamiliar with France.
This is a straight “color revolution”. Bottom up with no connection with established parties or groups. Unlike all other recent mass demo. Hence the real sense of fear in the establishment. The people who turn out for these demos are ordinary folk, not the usual people who go on organized demo. A French tradition. The people doing the rioting are the “casseurs”. The usual suspects. Normally they are associated with the communist trade union the CGT and the ultra left parties but this time its more opportunistic free lancing. Why waste a good opportunity for a riot. Again, a French tradition.
The use of the high vis jacket was brilliant. All motorists are required to have one in their car. A perfect symbol for the oppressive all invasive nanny state. The other posters comment about speed limits, camera, etc is completely correct. The urban elites live in the very nice centers of the big cites leaving everyone else outside to fend for them selves. The degree of oppressive regulation of motorists in France has reached insane levels. And once ticketed there is absolutely no recourse to the harsh fines and penalties. The state is always right. Always.
As for the policing of the riots in Paris and elsewhere. Lets just say the CRS, the French Riot Police, engage in a degree of very controlled and focused extreme physical violence on the rioters that make even the most hardened US policeman blanch. Lets just say that after a meeting with the CRS in full mob break up mode you would probably would have been preferred to have been shot. Both sides know how this game is played although things do get out of hand every now and then. Like the time back in the early 1960’s when many dozens of dead bodies of rioters ended up in the Seine. Not the sort of stuff you would ever see in the US.
The do things differently in France.
As for Macron, his term is toast. A lame duck from now on. He does not have the balls to do what De Gaulle did after the May Days in 1968. Resign soon afterwards and flounce off in a huff. But there again De Gaulle was the man who saved France twice. Whereas as Macron is just a jumped up Enarque. A high level bureaucrat with a huge sense of entitlement. And arrogance.
This is not going to end well. For Macron. Or for France.
John Reece says: What’s really stupid: France gets 75% of electricity from carbon-free atomic energy plants and has very good reactor designs. Macron is aggressively shutting them down.
txjohn says: I feel bad for the working stiffs just trying to get by, but they’ve elected socialist after socialist & allowed themselves to be run into the ground. And Macron, like Trudeau & Obama, are all boys playing at manhood. Now they’re surprised & angry.
Ok…burn it to the ground & let the muslims have it.
Smoking Frog says: “Look at those prices. Who among us could even BEGIN to afford $6.26 per gallon of gas??!!! For a Dodge Ram 1500 like my husband drives, a tank of gas, ONE tank of gas would cost $150 per tank. For my Jeep, my cost would be approximately the same. Who can afford this? Not me and not anyone I know for darned sure.”
Yes, but this has nothing to do with the impact of the tax on the French. With the increase, your husband’s fill-up would go up from $150 now to $152.76 soon and $153.91 in 2020.
platitudypus says: A good Molotov Cocktail is still about a buck and a half. You will get more mileage from that than pouring it in your Citron.
Alskari says: Hate to tell you but Paris is already a shadow of it’s former self. When my wife and I went in 2016 it was hands down the worst stop on our trip. We unfortunately ended up spending a whole week there because the strikes kept canceling out day trip plans. Getting into and out of the country also involved several additional hours and rerouted flights because of the strikes.
Trash and graffiti everywhere, stench from human waste, and of course groups of 5-20 migrants that surround you while demanding money for pieces of string or some other tourist garbage. We saw a police woman turn around and walk away as a large, drunk, homeless man shoved people into the street while screaming.
By all accounts it’s gotten substantially worse since then. If anyone wants to see the many wonderful art museums I encourage you to do ONLY that. And to do it soon, before either the mobs or muslims burn it all down. Just don’t expect to enjoy the other tourist destinations or the city itself.
Alternatively just go to Italy. The migrants are still there, but it’s half the cost, nicer people, and you still can see some piece of historic art every 10ft.
“Une bouffée de raisin”
So, prior Presidents of France beat the people with whips, but Macron chastises them with scorpions.
I Kings 12:
12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.
13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;
14 And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.
askeptic says: These levels of fuel taxes in France are not too dissimilar to what CA put into place in 2017, which will increase again next year. CA voters defeated a repeal of those taxes in the Nov. election……perhaps they should have instead burned down a DMV or two?
[…] change battle because that’s what European elites are expected to do and has implemented a number of measures designed to discourage driving and the like by French “roturiers” (commoners) as the upper classes fly to global warming conferences in […]
[…] Protests. We have seen perhaps the first grass roots revolt in France in many years. This is the yellow-vest protests against French President Macron’s carbon taxes which have significantly jacked up gasoline and other fuels costs nationwide. As with all protests, the Usual Suspects on the left have tried to coopt them, so far unsuccessfully. It has gotten to the point where Macron is calling out the military as French police unions are siding with the protesters. Macron’s carbon taxes are all a result of his climate change agenda, required by his support of the Paris Accord. The new tax on diesel will rise 23% over the next 12 months. Macron used the Paris Accord in an attempt to embarrass Trump when Trump visited Paris earlier this year. And like he usually does, Trump waited until the right moment to fire back, blistering Macron for being an idiot. Macron is destroying his countries’ economy by virtue signaling and the citizens are not putting up with it. Expect the same reaction when a democrat House attempts to Mau – Mau a reluctant Senate and the next president with a similar increase in the cost of living via carbon taxes. https://victorygirlsblog.com/parisriots-macrons-fuel-tax-and-climate-change-policies-are-destroying-f… […]
15 Comments