Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (174434)	11/6/2005 11:26:38 PM
From: jttmab	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Now with regard to social benefits in France, I'm assuming you have some personal knowledge that unemployed permanent immigrants are not entitled to health insurance?? Because the following report found at this link seems to indicate differently. (Table 4 Appendix 1) urban.org But it's slight confusing since in the section beneath the table they do mention there are some 1 million people without health care, primarily immigrants. But one would think that it's normal that temporary migrant workers be denied access to most social benefits, except emergency health care. I don't really know, not being familiar with French social policies... Seems like you're arguing with yourself on that one. ------------------------------------------------------- What is evident is that with unemployment at 10%+ despite a 35 hour work week, French politicians and economists need to stop denying the inevitable consequences of their social policies. You'll be happy to know that they have been changing some of their social policies. Unemployment benefits for example changed in Aug 2004. "...For starters, unemployment benefits will be limited to 22 months instead of 30. This change will effect nearly 200,000 people. Evelyne Zylbermann is one of thos hit by the reforms. Until now, she received €1,400 ($1,780) of unemployment benefits per month. Starting this month that will be cut to €400 per month in emergency benefits...." dw-world.de See that's good. Decrease welfare benefits when you have an unemployment rate of 10% is bound to create new jobs? You might have read that in the area of the riots, the youth unemployment rate is around 50%. IMO, I think we should stay with the currency of the country rather than converting to US$. Fluctuating currencies confuse things more than they benefit understanding. It would be even better if it was relative to the economy. For example, in Israel, the minimum wage is ~45% of the average wage. I think that's better than quoting NIS and conversions to US$. They also are running a 10% unemployment rate and you should see their taxes on cars. Oy vey! National Health care, taxes, direct subsidies to citizens [welfare]. If they weren't our friends we would be calling Israel a socialist country. {Not sure whether they've sold off all the State owned companies yet, they were talking about doing that.) Then there's the human trafficking of Chinese laborers into Israel. But let's not get into that. jttmab

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (174434)	11/7/2005 6:18:50 AM
From: Noel de Leon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Your source points out that jobs in the public sector are restricted to EU citizens. The 10% unemployment figure is for everyone in France, the figures for immigrants and refugees are far higher. No doubt that the riots encourage xenophobic fears. The rioters don't care since their peaceful protests, those we never hear about, have not produced any improvement in their employment situation. In France to get a pension you have to have work, otherwise you get a very small amount to get by on. You can see the problem by reading the footnotes to table 4. "Using mindless violence to protest social conditions doesn't normally elicit thoughts of sympathy for the protesters....." Does non-mindless violence elicit thoughts of sympathy normally?