A Tangled Web

THE LOIRE OR NAPA VALLEY?



Those cheese-eating surrender monkeys aka the French are in serious economic turmoil. Whilst the Great Satan under the diktat of Bush and the neo-con VRWC records 4.5% year on year economic growth, la belle France under the enlightened munificence of Chirac records...em..1.5%.



Stephen Moore has a useful take on France's pathetic economic performance over here on NRO. He points out that which any sensible economist accepts, namely that the economic sclerosis that characterises France is caused by its love-in with socialist policies. The obese welfare system so beloved of France and the chattering classes in the UK has ensured that net job creation THIS CENTURY has been..em...zero.



Then there is the impact of the US boycott of French goods. This has been ameliorated by the EUweenies but we ALL know that they lie all the time!



So here are a few pesky economic facts;

• The value of French wine exports fell by 10% in the first five months of this year!
• Californian, Chilean and Australian wine sales overtook French sales for the first time ever!
• French business investment is a humble 1% growth per annum.

Stephen points out that whilst we conservatives welcome global free trade this cannot be at the price of adjusting Foreign and national-security issues. France is NOT a military ally - 60 years after the US liberated France from the Nazis, France has chosen to turn its back on the US.



That is why Americans, and Brits, should think twice whether their chosen wine comes from the Napa of the Loire valley. And I'll drink to that.