Wednesday, November 03, 2004
CONTRASTING DEMOCRACIES
The BBC reports, in their "At-a-glance":
In contrast, Barnier's "defender of democracy" France's (I have placed the below in bold, not italics, owing to length) "varied" experience:
The BBC reports, in their "At-a-glance":
1024 GMT: French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier says he "raises his hat to the American democracy". He tells French radio: "There has been an incredible turnout and a debate in which the entire world took interest."We accept him taking off his hat. He'd better. Despite all the junk swirling out there about the "death" of U.S. democracy (I'm thinking here, especially, of "critiques" emanating not just from the many ignoramuses in Barnier's own country, but also from our very own Moore-on and his crowd), it is worth recalling here that through all the nation's ups and downs, and including during wars and depressions, there has always been that predictable succession of U.S. presidential elections, held every four years, since the ratification of the Constitution: 1789, 1793, 1796, 1800, 1804, 1808, 1812, 1816, 1820, 1824, 1828, 1832, 1836, 1840, 1844, 1848, 1852, 1856, 1860, 1864 (in the midst of a freakin' civil war!), 1868, 1872, 1876, 1880, 1884, 1888, 1892, 1896, 1900, 1904, 1908, 1912, 1916, 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1936, 1940, 1944, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000. And now 2004.
In contrast, Barnier's "defender of democracy" France's (I have placed the below in bold, not italics, owing to length) "varied" experience:
Second RepublicIs that clear? Or maybe it is "nuanced"? Regardless, you bet the U.S. knows something about holding a presidential ballot -- the result of which is respected (usually) by winner, loser and, most importantly, the populace as a whole. ¶ by Robert, Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, 1848-1852 (proclaimed himself Emperor in 1852, ruled until 1870 when republican rule was restored.)
Interim President
Louis Jules Trochu, 1870-1871
Third Republic
Adolphe Thiers, 1871-1873 (Thiers became president before the adoption of the Constitution of 1875 so his constitutional position was different from that of later presidents.)
Patrice MacMahon, duc de Magenta, 1873-1879
Jules Grévy;, 1879-1887
Marie François Sadi Carnot;, 1887-1894
Jean Casimir-Périer;, 1894-1895
Félix Faure;, 1895-1899
Émile Loubet, 1899-1906
Armand Fallières;, 1906-1913
Raymond Poincaré, 1913-1920
Paul Deschanel, February 18 1920 - September 21 1920
Alexandre Millerand, 1920-1924
Gaston Doumergue, 1924-1931
Paul Doumer, 1931-1932
Albert Lebrun, 1932-1940
Vichy France
Henri Philippe Pétain, 1940-1944 ("Head of State", not President)
Free France
Charles de Gaulle, 1940-1944 ("Head of the Free French", not President)
Provisional Government of the Republic ("Chairman of the Provisional Government", not President)
Charles de Gaulle, 1944-1946
Félix Gouin; (SFIO), 1946
Georges Bidault (MRP), 1946
Léon Blum; (SFIO), 1946-1947
Fourth Republic
Vincent Auriol (SFIO), 1947-1954
René Coty;, 1954-1959
Fifth Republic
Charles de Gaulle (UNR/UDR), 1959-1969
Georges Pompidou (UDR), 1969-1974
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing; (UDF) , 1974-1981
François Mitterrand; (Socialist), 1981-1995
Jacques Chirac (RPR/UMP), from 1995
