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One Dead, Over 200 Injured As 280,000 People Protest Rising French Fuel Prices **This thread began in November, 2018** Login/Join 
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Picture of TigerDore
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Let them eat cake.
 
Posts: 8603 | Registered: September 26, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Jack of All Trades,
Master of Nothing
Picture of 2000Z-71
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Interesting article with more information as to why people are pissed.

https://www.caranddriver.com/n...ads-fuel-tax-protest

A Quarter-Million French Block Their Own Roads in Fuel-Tax Fury

Always vigorous in protest, French citizens this weekend are blocking roads for a third day to show their anger at sharply higher fuel taxes.
NOVEMBER 19, 2018 AT 5:45 AM BY RONAN GLON PHOTOS BY GETTY IMAGES 27 COMMENTS

A Quarter-Million French Block Their Own Roads in Fuel-Tax Fury

France's nerves are in a highly strung state over the increasingly high cost of driving a car in the country. On Saturday, November 17, about 283,000 motorists symbolically wearing reflective vests mobilized across the country to protest a series of unpopular measures ranging from the ever-increasing price of fuel to the lowering of speed limits on country roads. Massive protests and inescapable strikes are frequent in France, but this movement stands out as a moment of national collaboration that transcends partisan lines and social classes. Born on Facebook, it is not organized by a political party or by a trade union, and there is no identifiable leader to represent it.

Whether they're enthusiasts or commuters, motorists are showing their support for the movement by placing a reflective vest on their car's dashboard. Some activists marched in the streets of major cities over the weekend, while the more pugnacious motorists continue for a third day today to block roads, grocery stores, gas stations, and fuel-storage facilities. The blockades led to altercations between police forces and angry mobs, and a 63-year-old protester blocking a road in the Savoy region was struck and killed by a car trying to force its way through the barrier. The driver, who is in police custody, explained she panicked while taking her daughter to the hospital. About 400 protesters were injured in similar incidents, including 14 who were hospitalized in critical condition, and law enforcement officials made about 50 arrests. The demonstrations nonetheless continued across France on Monday, November 19, and they have spread to neighboring Belgium.
A 2018 Fuel-Tax Increase Lit This Fuse
The rising price of fuel is, to use a French proverb, the droplet that caused the glass to overflow. In early 2018, the government announced it would raise taxes on gasoline and diesel to make both fuels more expensive and, in turn, financially pressure motorists into driving green (or, at the very least, driving less) to curb air pollution. As it stands, France has one of the highest tax rates on fuel among the countries in the European Union. About 60 percent of the cost of a liter of either fuel goes straight to the public treasury. Another increase is planned for 2019.

The price of diesel has increased more than the price of gasoline; it has gone up by around 23 percent in 12 months as France joins other nations in waging war on the fuel. Motorists took this relatively sudden measure as a punch in the gut. For decades, various administrations went to remarkable lengths to put drivers behind the wheel of diesel-powered cars, and lawmakers encouraged companies like Renault and Peugeot to develop diesel technology. The result is that, as of January 2017, 61.6 percent of the cars registered in France run on diesel, though that number is gradually shrinking as the percentage of new gasoline-powered cars increases. The protesters want to avoid the fate that has befallen motorists in Germany, where the government found itself trapped in a judicial straightjacket and resignedly ceded to court-ordered bans on diesels in many major cities.

Motorists feel the stick without seeing the carrot, protesters argue. The concept of raising taxes to eradicate an ignominious habit isn't new; the French government has also applied it, less controversially, to cigarettes. The cost of a pack of Camels has nearly doubled in the past decade, and the number of smokers has fallen. The difference is that, with enough willpower, a smoker can quit; a driver can't. Protesters insist they need a car to get to work, to take their kids to school, to go buy groceries, or to go on vacation. These arguments echo particularly loudly in the rural areas that make up a significant part of the country. The assertion that the national government makes rules to gladden wealthy Parisians and sees common folks as merely a money well it can tap into as needed has surfaced repeatedly during the protests.

The rising cost of diesel is the tip of the iceberg. The list of grievances hammered onto the president's door also notes the recent lowering of speed limits across the country's vast network of back roads—another measure taken, officially, in the name of air pollution—along with the proliferation of speed cameras and the strengthening of the biennial safety and emissions inspections, which have consequently become more expensive. And, in the Paris region, some protesters still haven't swallowed an elitist car ban that effectively prevents the poorest motorists—those who can't afford to buy a late-model car—from driving within the city limits.

The last time the government took a step to make driving more affordable was in 2000, when it began eliminating an annual registration tax called the vignette. It has been an uphill battle since, and working-class motorists have reached the end of their tether. They're not the type to do little but speak a great deal, either.

Members of the French government have shown an entrenched resistance to change. President Emmanuel Macron turned a Nelsonian eye to the protests and flew to Germany to participate in a commemorative ceremony with chancellor Angela Merkel. Prime minister Edouard Philippe acknowledged the anger felt across the country, but he stressed that increasing the cost of fuel is in France's best interest and made it clear that backpedaling isn't an option. What is an option, according to minister of the interior Christophe Castaner, is sending the army to quell the most recalcitrant part of the rebellion.

Motorists are standing their ground, too, and additional protests are planned across France in the coming days, leaving the nation deadlocked in an arm-wrestling contest. In 2013, a similarly-crippling movement in Brittany coerced lawmakers into scrapping a planned tax on semi-trucks. The government spent a not insignificant amount of money to install license-plate scanners on highway overpasses but ultimately nixed the law. It estimates the embarrassing ordeal cost about $1 billion.

The scanners are offline, but they're still perched over many French highways. For yellow-vest-wearing motorists, they serve as a reminder that it's never too late to force lawmakers to row back.




My daughter can deflate your daughter's soccer ball.
 
Posts: 11749 | Location: Eagle River, AK | Registered: September 12, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
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Welcome to liberal, progressive socialism......and democrats aspire to this type of world. I do despise democrats and all their ilk.......My message to the democrats here in the US, keep it up and this is what we can expect here you stupid ass holes!
 
Posts: 970 | Location: Virginia | Registered: August 03, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Tinker Sailor Soldier Pie
Picture of Balzé Halzé
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Yeah, I'm sure not looking forward to paying over $6 per gallon when I fly over there this week. And all the protests...yippee; this oughta be a hoot. But strikes and protests are par for the course in France.

Hating on their leaders is also nothing new for the French, but Macron seems to be trying to take it to extremes with how much he is despised by those who voted him into office. One day I pray the French will pull their collective heads out of their singular ass and elect leaders who will actually be strong for France and pull her back from the disease that is socialism.


~Alan

Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country

Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan

"Once there was only dark. If you ask me, light is winning." ~Rust Cohle
 
Posts: 30297 | Location: Elv. 7,000 feet, Utah | Registered: October 29, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
half-genius,
half-wit
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Yeah, I'm sure not looking forward to paying over $6 per gallon when I fly over there this week.


In that case, you definitely wouldn't like UK, where fuel prices are hovering around $8/gallon.
 
Posts: 11305 | Location: UK, OR, ONT | Registered: July 10, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Just because you can,
doesn't mean you should
posted Hide Post
Who’s John Galt?
Explains everything.

It’s mostly taxes to pay for other “free” stuff they demand from the government.
The fuel tax also punishes those committing wasteful behavior leading to global warming and climate change.
But don’t make me pay the price.


___________________________
Avoid buying ChiCom/CCP products whenever possible.
 
Posts: 9456 | Location: NE GA | Registered: August 22, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Telecom Ronin
Picture of dewhorse
posted Hide Post
It's Wednesday and the French are protesting....and fish like water....

If protesting were an Olympic sport the French would always be in gold medal contention.
 
Posts: 8301 | Location: Back in NE TX ....to stay | Registered: February 12, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Lawyers, Guns
and Money
Picture of chellim1
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quote:
It’s mostly taxes to pay for other “free” stuff they demand from the government.

quote:
Is this why French President Emmanuel Macron wants to build a new European army?

Maybe people should learn that voting for socialism never has, and never will work out so well?
Doesn't it always result in tyranny and violence against the people?

Soviet Union?
Cuba?
Venezuela?

These "progressives" are really "regressives".
Churchill knew it, Thatcher knew it, Reagan knew it.

“Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy.”
—Perth, Scotland, 28 May 1948, in Churchill, Europe Unite: Speeches 1947 & 1948 (London: Cassell, 1950), 347.

AND

“The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings. The inherent virtue of Socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.”
—House of Commons, 22 October 1945.

https://winstonchurchill.hills...e-winston-churchill/



"Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible."
-- Justice Janice Rogers Brown

"The United States government is the largest criminal enterprise on earth."
-rduckwor
 
Posts: 23945 | Location: St. Louis, MO | Registered: April 03, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Mired in the
Fog of Lucidity
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Thousands of French protesters clash with police, call for Macron’s resignation over gas taxes



Thousands of French protesters flooded the nation’s capital Saturday to demonstrate against President Emmanuel Macron’s controversial fuel tax increase -- clashing with policies as they called for Macron’s resignation.

The angry clashes, both in Paris and other towns and cities across the country, marks the eighth day of “yellow jacket” protests against the tax, but have also come to encompass a growing anger against Macron and the French ruling class -- seen by many as out of touch.

The yellow jackets have become a uniform of sorts for the protesters, originating from the neon yellow jackets French drivers are required to keep in their vehicles.

Authorities said that at least 8,000 protesters flooded the Champs-Elysees in Paris alone, with 81,000 protesters in total nationwide compared to 244,000 last Saturday. Police deployed some 3,000 security forces after an attempt to march on the Elysee Palace last week.

Police used smoke, tear gas and even a water cannon to try and disperse the protesters. , Le Monde reported.

Officials said that a no-go zone, set up around key areas including the presidential palace and the National Assembly on the Left Bank of the Seine River, has not been breached.

At least eight people, including two police officers, were injured, while dozens of protesters were detained, including for throwing projectiles.

In La Madeleine, an area filled with luxury brand shops popular with tourists, businesses shut down due to the protests.

Demonstrators created a fire barricade and began chanting “Macron resign!” when tear gas was launched at them, sparking a brief dash. Thick black smoke was billowing into the sky and the area was completely shut down

French police appeared have created a barricade in the area to prevent the protesters from joining the rest of the group at they Elysee Palace. Sky News reported that other protesters sang the national anthem, called Macron a thief and demanded his resignation.

In other cities, such as Lyon and Marseille, protests were more peaceful.

MACRON POPULARITY PLUMMETS AT HOME AS HE PUSHES GLOBALISM ON WORLD STAGE

The diesel fuel tax, has gone up seven euro cents (nearly eight U.S. cents) and will keep climbing in coming years, according to Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne. The tax on gasoline is set to increase four euro cents. Gasoline currently costs about 1.64 euros a liter in Paris ($7.06 a gallon), slightly more than diesel.


Macron, however, has said that gas tax increases are necessary to reduce France’s dependence on fossil fuels and fund renewable energy investments.

The protests are the latest blow for Macron, who has been dogged by sinking internal poll ratings for months, dropping into the 20s, as he has struggled to shed the perception that he is an out-of-touch elitist,

Responding to those concerns, Macron has noted that he does not face any midterm elections and told Bloomberg News in October he intends to keep “exactly the same pace” with his reforms.



https://www.foxnews.com/world/...nst-paris-protesters
 
Posts: 4850 | Registered: February 10, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Wait, what?
Picture of gearhounds
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quote:
Responding to those concerns, Macron has noted that he does not face any midterm elections and told Bloomberg News in October he intends to keep “exactly the same pace” with his reforms.

What an arrogant asshole. This is same mentality that started the French Revolution.




“Remember to get vaccinated or a vaccinated person might get sick from a virus they got vaccinated against because you’re not vaccinated.” - author unknown
 
Posts: 15501 | Location: Martinsburg WV | Registered: April 02, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Can't say that I'm surprised. The French version of Trudeau, Macron is another in a line of ideological, 'I have great ideas' liberals...and those ideas have now come home to roost. The media and marketing types love this kind of individual: Trudeau, Obama, Macron, Corey Booker, Kamala Harris...they all get a disproportionate amount of camera time and a majority of articles are full of praise & admiration. He's kind a odd-duck, his wife is 25-years older than him. Roll Eyes
 
Posts: 14573 | Location: Wine Country | Registered: September 20, 2000Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Tinker Sailor Soldier Pie
Picture of Balzé Halzé
posted Hide Post
The only reason Macron was elected was because Le Pen was his opponent.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Balzé Halzé,


~Alan

Acta Non Verba
NRA Life Member (Patron)
God, Family, Guns, Country

Men will fight and die to protect women... because women protect everything else. ~Andrew Klavan

"Once there was only dark. If you ask me, light is winning." ~Rust Cohle
 
Posts: 30297 | Location: Elv. 7,000 feet, Utah | Registered: October 29, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
wishing we
were congress
posted Hide Post
similar to a previous post, this is about renewable energy investments

https://www.apnews.com/d3033b9...49b594e66b51890b517b

Macron has so far held strong and insisted the fuel tax rises are a necessary pain to reduce France’s dependence on fossil fuels and fund renewable energy investments — a cornerstone of his reforms of the nation. He will defend fresh plans to make the “energy transition” easier next week.

The anger is mainly over a hike in the diesel fuel tax, which has gone up seven euro cents per liter (nearly 30 U.S. cents per gallon) and will keep climbing in coming years, according to Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne.

The tax on gasoline is also to increase four euro cents. Gasoline currently costs about 1.64 euros a liter in Paris ($7.06 a gallon), slightly more than diesel.




Gasoline prices in selected countries worldwide as of April 16, 2018 (in U.S. dollars per gallon)
 
Posts: 19505 | Registered: July 21, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Step by step walk the thousand mile road
Picture of Sig2340
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by TigerDore:
Let them eat cake fromage gouvernemental.


FIFY.





Nice is overrated

"It's every freedom-loving individual's duty to lie to the government."
Airsoftguy, June 29, 2018
 
Posts: 31382 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: May 17, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
wishing we
were congress
posted Hide Post
article w a number of pictures

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ne...s-fuel-tax-rise.html

Huge plumes of smoke were seen on one of France's most iconic streets today, as protesters burned large plywood sheets, chairs and other material in demonstrations against planned fuel hikes.

A water cannon and rounds of teargas were also used by riot police against thousands of French 'Yellow Vest' fuel protesters in Paris today as the Champs Elysee was reduced to a battlefield.

The grassroots movement is campaigning against a what is believes to be a general decline in living standards across the country, and the recent decision to raise fuel prices.

The worst violence took place on the most famous avenue in the city where a huge crowd called for President Emmanuel Macron to resign.

By 11am, clouds of tea gas covered the Champs Elysee, and especially the area close to the place de la Concorde.
 
Posts: 19505 | Registered: July 21, 2002Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Got no sympathy. Socialists have to get their cut somehow. Where I live, the city taxes an extra 30 cents per gallon for their Socialist needs, travel 8 miles away, and "poof" that tax is gone.
 
Posts: 1892 | Location: KY | Registered: April 20, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
posting without pants
Picture of KevinCW
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How typically Frrench.

They vote for stupid pie in the sky socialist bullshit, then when it doesn't work and they raise taxes to fund the silly shit.... they get madder. Idiots. Who fucking knew the 30 hour work week would breed a bunch of spoiled pussies....

Fucking non bathing, wine drinking, cheese eating surrender monkeys.





Strive to live your life so when you wake up in the morning and your feet hit the floor, the devil says "Oh crap, he's up."
 
Posts: 33287 | Location: St. Louis MO | Registered: February 15, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of sourdough44
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Is it mentioned above on why the fuel taxes were recently raised? The BBC article mentions the reason being to SUBSIDIZE more ‘green energy’.

That is Gov’t subsidies for wind, solar and others when they can’t stand in their own merits.

Of course wind & solar advocates are all for propping up energy sources that don’t make sense. This is as fuel(oil) prices are down a good bit. Let them riot.
 
Posts: 6132 | Location: WI | Registered: February 29, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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More violent protests tonight in France spreading into Holland. Too many photos to paste.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ne...tear-gas-batons.html

'This is the start of a revolution': Paris rioters steal police assault rifle, torch dozens of cars and vow to 'stay in the streets until Christmas' as fuel protests continue into the night and spread across France - and even to Holland

'Yellow Vest' supporters staged fresh protests on the Champs-Elysees which leads to the Arc de Triomphe
They vowed to continue rioting until Christmas after riot police used tear gas and water cannon to fight back
Dozens of cars were torched, the Arc de Triomphe was graffitied and shops and houses were ransacked
French President Emmanuel Macron promised that protesters would be 'held responsible for their acts'
It comes a week after rioters brought chaos to Paris in a movement against fuel prices and high living costs


_________________________
"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it."
Mark Twain
 
Posts: 12580 | Registered: January 17, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of sigcrazy7
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Why is France taxing fuel to fund renewables? I thought France was heavily dependent on nuclear power, so why the high taxation to reduce oil or coal use? Sounds like nothing more than an excuse for the socialists to tax more.



Demand not that events should happen as you wish; but wish them to happen as they do happen, and you will go on well. -Epictetus
 
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