Search






Jeff's Amazon.com Wish List

Archive Calendar

November 2024
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  

Archives

Le France: StagNation

French economy posts zero growth in 3Q

PARIS, Nov. 15 (UPI)—Most nations that use the euro currency are growing, but French economic growth in the last quarter completely stagnated.

Paris Link reported Wednesday the Eurozone’s combined gross domestic product in the third quarter was up 0.5 percent.

The increase reflects growth in such countries as Spain, up 0.9 percent, and Germany, up 0.6 percent. France, however, did not grow at all in the last reporting period.

The financial reports are embarrassing for Premier Dominique de Villepin and Thierry Breton, France’s top finance minister, who had been claiming above-average growth

And this, despite artificial stimulation of demand in the auto sector for the past year or so . . .

24 Replies to “Le France: StagNation”

  1. monkyboy says:

    Average number of paid vacation days per year:

    Italy 42 days

    France 37 days

    Germany 35 days

    Brazil 34 days

    U.K.  28 days

    Canada 26 days

    Korea 25 days

    Japan 25 days

    U.S.  13 days

    Considering median family income has fallen in the U.S. since Bush took over…

  2. Dan Collins says:

    Please trot out the international median income comparisons, monky.

  3. monkyboy says:

    There are more things to life than borrowing money to buy crap, Dan.

  4. seang says:

    but its sure nice to have the choice monkey.  which is what you have when u have a job, unlike about 10% of the eligable workforce in france and those that do have to keep buying new cars because theirs keep getting torched.

  5. SGT Ted says:

    There are more things to life than borrowing money to buy crap, Dan.

    What the hell does that have to do with anything?

  6. seang says:

    us personal income has avreraged +0.4 monthly increase in the past 6 years while the comperable figure in france is +0.6 quarterly. our incomes are growing about twice as fast as france’s.  any other comparisons you would like to make?  how many americans are looking for work in france vs the amount of french people looking to live and work here?  the market is the ultimate judge and it always tells you there is nowhere in the world that comes close to the USA.

  7. monkyboy says:

    American “average” income increases include the income gains of people like Bill Gates, seang.

    The wealthy have done very well for themselves under Bush…no argument here.

    That’s why I used median family income…how’s the family in the middle doin’ lately?

    Not so good…

  8. McGehee says:

    What the hell does that have to do with anything?

    One could ask that question of anything pooflingerboy has to say.

  9. seang says:

    even looking at median incomes, the us is higher at about 43,000 and its much higher for the prime earning years.  additionally the lower taxes and prices in the us mean that we enjoy a higher standard of living.  btw, the wealth inequality in france is pretty stark as well with 5% of the population controlling about 40% of the countries wealth.

  10. Slartibartfast says:

    Average number of paid vacation days per year:

    I’m going to cut to the chase and demand 260 or so.  What with that and weekends off, I might just finally get myself into shape.

  11. Big Bang hunter says:

    btw, the wealth inequality in france is pretty stark as well with 5% of the population controlling about 40% of the countries wealth.

    – You really know how to harsh monkeys mello seang. The whole entire, grand plan of the ages, and chief meatball of Socialism is redistribution of the wealth. WTF is going on in Fwance monket-putz?

  12. monkyboy says:

    Well, BBh, they recently cut income taxes on the wealthy and privatized a lot of industries…

    Why aren’t they growing anywhere near China’s 11% annual growth rate now?

    What aren’t we, for that matter?

    Last I heard, America’s economy was growing at 1.6%.

  13. McGehee says:

    Why aren’t they growing anywhere near China’s 11% annual growth rate now?

    Because unlike China, they’re not starting from dirt?

  14. gahrie says:

    1) The preliminary figures for the US GDP in the 3rd quarter are +1.6%, which the media pre-election described as “slumping”. It is true that the 2006 3rd quarter preliminary numbers are the lowest they have been in years. But when you compare them to the rest of the industrialized world, the US clearly has the strongest economy. The decline is almost universally attributed to the slow down in the US housing market. Also the numbers are preliminary, and there is a good chance they will be revised upward.

    2)In 2003, U.S. GDP was almost eight times more than China’s ($10.9 trillion vs. $1.4 trillion). citation.

    So while I can find no citation for China’s growth rate of 11%, let us accept it for the sake of arguement.

    Would you rather have 1.6 % of 10.9 trillion, or 11% of 1.4 trillion?

    Frankly, given the trade deficit the US is currently running with China, I’m surprised our number isn’t smaller, and their number higher.

  15. gahrie says:

    By the way..those vacation days you cited? You forgot to mention that in most cases, those days are mandated…you aren’t allowed to work instead if you would rather.

  16. Mikey NTH says:

    m-bot:  American wages have fallen!

    Dan:  Got any proof?

    M-bot:  Money isn’t everything.

    Total troll.  Assertions made, then abandoned.  No integrity whatsoever.

    I suppose we should see if those D-Con pellets work on the common trollius stupidicus.

  17. RiverCocytus says:

    Guys, I know it sounds elitist, but I’m going to tell you, it’s not. Its for everyone’s best interest. Please don’t talk to the monky. If he wants to cite statistics that taken out of context support his argument, or rather, his skidument, wherein he simply leaves skid marks across the blog’s database– just let him. If at winds of change he became comic relief, (as I like to remind people) than here he ought to be the same.

    Until he decides to be a genuine debater and not just an actus-level dissembler, it would be better for everyone if he was ignored.

  18. Mikey NTH says:

    BTW:  any figures on income and economic growth from China should be taken with a grain of salt.  Like any other authoritarian regime, they tend to lie about things like that in order to make themselves look better.

  19. Harry Bergeron says:

    MoBo’s Plan:

    1. Import 30 million ignorant, economically marginal breeders from turd-world countries.

    2. Complain about how household income is falling, crime is rising, etc.

  20. monkyboy says:

    Mikey,

    The fact that the median real income for American families has been falling is common knowledge to people who have even a passing interest in economics, but if you need a link, here ya go:

    http://tinyurl.com/yeyr8l

    The fact that France’s economy has stagnated should concern Americans, too.  They have tried many of the same things we have to get their economy growing, like tax cuts, and they failed…

    As I noted above, America’s economy is only growing 1.6% a year now, and even that tiny amount is because we are borrowing money from foreigners to buy stuff they produce…

  21. happyfeet says:

    Comparing the US economy to the economy of France is just a really really silly thing to do, which is common knowledge to people who have even a passing interest in demography.

  22. Lord John Worfin says:

    Laugh-a while you can, Monkeyboy!

  23. Paul Moore says:

    I keep hearing about the CHINESE ECONOMIC JUGGERNAUT! It reminds me of the glowing stories we used to hear about the vibrant Soviet economy just before the collapse.

    They buried us, of course.

    Anybody remember how the Japanese were going to buy the U.S. in the eighties?

  24. MarkD says:

    Monkeyboy,

    If you are truly interested, look at: 

    engram-backtalk.blogspot.com

    for a comparison of incomes and distributions. He refutes your assertions.

Comments are closed.