Play that Fiddle, Nero
Fire in the streets! That became the rallying cry in France as its commitment to building a future based on combating climate change officially entered the French lexicon. The French call it Gilets et Jaune. What began as a local, weekend protest against a government plan to hike taxes on fuel oil has turned into the most serious challenge to the French experiment with democracy since Napoleon caught the last train to Waterloo.
The French and Americans have had an unusual, symbiotic relationship ever since the two found common ground during the Revolutionary period. Now, with the American government under siege by the dangerous antics of a billionaire circus clown, some right-wing European politicians who have expressed an admiration for Mr. Trump have realized they have some big shoes to fill. The voices behind the fires are casseurs, adepts at breaking storefront windows and setting things ablaze.
Now, back in the US, it has been announced that President Trump has given up. After 35 weeks, the one with the wig has thrown in the towel.
The drama is not over, however. What is at stake in the shutdown is much more than the personal glorification of a crude, dangerous political hack, whose main interest is the size of his bank account and securing his place in American history books. The Trump presidency has taught us some harsh lessons about structural defects in the way certain cultures adopt the democratic system of governing.
The unfortunate fact is that the people of the United States allowed its government to be hijacked by a group of cynical, greedy businessmen and are now learning the consequences. It's a case of the chickens coming home to roost.
The French and Americans have had an unusual, symbiotic relationship ever since the two found common ground during the Revolutionary period. Now, with the American government under siege by the dangerous antics of a billionaire circus clown, some right-wing European politicians who have expressed an admiration for Mr. Trump have realized they have some big shoes to fill. The voices behind the fires are casseurs, adepts at breaking storefront windows and setting things ablaze.
Now, back in the US, it has been announced that President Trump has given up. After 35 weeks, the one with the wig has thrown in the towel.
The drama is not over, however. What is at stake in the shutdown is much more than the personal glorification of a crude, dangerous political hack, whose main interest is the size of his bank account and securing his place in American history books. The Trump presidency has taught us some harsh lessons about structural defects in the way certain cultures adopt the democratic system of governing.
The unfortunate fact is that the people of the United States allowed its government to be hijacked by a group of cynical, greedy businessmen and are now learning the consequences. It's a case of the chickens coming home to roost.
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