Fete du Tissane

This is a kind of new freedom for me. For the last 5 years, I have been reluctant to write critically about French politics. I try to be analytical and express my ideas, but as the  Sarkozy regime became more and more oppressive, there was a creeping feeling of paranoia , especially for me, a foreigner renewing my residency permit. I limited much of my critical opinions to foreign, American blogs.

I wrote about my sense of relief when Francois Hollande was elected and that feeling became full blown last week end after the Legislative elections which gave the Socialistes and the left a historical majority in the government. As the end of Sarkozyism approached, his party, The UMP flirted more and more with the extreme right. As the Front National tried to recast itself as a more socially acceptable alternative, the UMP actively tried to usurp the Far Right electorate by becoming more and more extremely fascist. In his last speeches, Sarkozy began to sound like Petain, echoing the slogans of Occupied France.

As it turned out, the French public was sick of being forced to the right and they were increasing sick of the rising tide of corruption being unveiled daily against Sarkozy and his ministers. Most important, they were sick of the failed concept and scam of austerity being used to raise taxes on middle class and cut back on social services.

So most of the truly vile figures from the UMP are out of jobs now. The Front National after being touted by the sensationalist media as the rising tide of fascism in France is at their lowest representation in years. They have 2 deputies. I will write more analysis about the Election later.

As of Monday of this week, the Constitutiional wall that protected Nicolas Sarkozy from legal action due to the various financial scandals he is sinking in was over. He has lawyer up now and most of his cronies are watching their backs and getting out the long knives.

What is the role of the UMP now? They are impotent in the legislature. The Socialistes control the Senate and most of the regional governments. They would like to become an obstructionist force, like the Tea Party in the USA, but unfortunately, for them, The French aren't really tea drinkers...we do take a tasse du tissane from time to time. Usually after a heavy meal.

The woman who would be Sarah Palin is a nasty piece of work named Nadine Morano. She had been the most shrill media "attack dog" of the UMP. She became more and more openly fascist and racist as time went on. In the legislative election, her seat, a normally right wing region, was up for election. She flirted more and more with the Front National trying to take what she perceived to be the votes she needed to keep her position. In the week before the election, a radio journalist/humorist Gerald Dahan pulled a masterful prank phone call on her in which he pretended to be the husband of Marine LePen, the leader of the Front National. In the conversation, Morano totally compromises herself and tries to barter a deal with the false Louis Aliot and implies that after the election she will become a FN member.

That is the gist of the call, and when she found out she had been punked, she freaked out! She claimed that it was a Socialiste plot to destroy her, she didn't mean what she had said and she had been tricked. The phone call conversation transcript of course, proves other wise.

Robert Gudrielier, 94 year old inventor of the concept of the prank call
still on the line!

Socialiste Plot? This same journalist punked Socialiste Presidential Candidate, Segolene Royal back in 2007, pretending to be the Prime Minister of Quebec.

So Nadine lost the election big time, but she would have anyway. The traditionally right wing Meurthe-Moselle region went heavily Soccialiste. She's a shrill fascist political media whore, Sarah Palin wannabee, out of a job now trying to make some noise. So what does she do? Today her lawyer files charges against a 94 year old retired humorist living in an old age home...why? In 1938, Robert Gudrielier invented the prank media phone call. He pranked then Council President Edouard Daladier. His hoax was so successful that became an expert with the French Resistance faking phone calls to the Germans during the occupation in WW2 creating confusion when the need arose. But now, a right wing fascist bitch is trying to sue him for inventing the prank she claims cost her an election. She won't win. The case will get laughed out of court. She will make herself more desperately despised by the public, No one is going to drink her poisoned tea,  but I think I will have a nice tissane.....