FRANCE'S MACRON: STUCK IN THE MIDDLE

Today's little talk is about the two faces of Emmanuel Macron. I chose the above photo because it seems indicative of what follows. Note that Macron is wearing what appear to be plain gold wedding bands on the ring fingers of both hands.

I've been reading David Edwards' book "Free to be Human"* - Intellectual Self-Defence in an Age of Illusions - in which he demonstrates how easily the minds of whole populations are controlled by authority figures, beginning in childhood and constantly reinforced throughout life.

Frankly, I thought the author was never going to get to the point of how to actually recognize the technique, until page 166 wherein he neatly described the split personalities of today's so-called democratic states. As I read the words, I thought at first about the American inauguration hoopla and then of Hitler's massive sound and light rallies - and then suddenly understood what French President Emmanuel Macron was up to with his embarrassingly dramatic, over-prolonged ascension to the podium to make his acceptance speech drenched in a halo of light (La marche interminable: YouTube video)

Edwards wrote - years before the French election: "Today even so-called 'left wing' parties reveal their true commitment to democracy by their employment of grand rallies, with the leader striding majestically to the centre of an impressive arena in a way calculated to generate an aura of power and authority, just as the Nazis did before them. This has nothing to do with promoting strength, independence, or critical thought in the audience, and everything to do with promoting passive, unthinking, idolatrous obeisance to the leader."

Emmanuel Macron describes himself as a "centrist" - which has to be basically a balancing act that may involve having no scruples whatsoever.  The opening lyrics of the song "Stuck in the Middle With You" (YouTube) describes what may well have been Macron's own thoughts as he gave his ultra-dramatic acceptance speech:

Well, I don't know why I came here tonight
I got the feeling that something ain't right
I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair
And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs
Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you

Actually, Macron's duplicity began before the election got off the ground. According to Newsweek:

• During the election campaign the center-right candidate Francois Fillon was badly damaged by a scandal involving his employment of his wife and children as parliamentary assistants.
• Macron has since resolved to ban lawmakers from employing their spouses.

However, once elected himself:

• Macron has argued strongly in favor of the position [of First Lady]. “When you’re elected president of the Republic, you live with someone, you give your days and nights, you give your public life and your private life,” he told French broadcaster TF1 in May.
• “So the person who lives with you must have a role and be recognized [paid?] in that role.”

Meaning, of course, that his wife should have First Lady status (most news outlets refer to her as such anyway) but even without the title, according to The Telegraph, she's already costing the taxpayers for security, personal staff and an office "around €450,000 annually."

Actually, Macron has openly implied he'd like to be King of France, and his wife the Queen:

• “Democracy is always presented as if it were incomplete, because democracy is not enough by itself,” says Macron, elaborating that there is always something missing in the democratic process; some sort of void.
• “In French politics, this absence is the presence of a King ...

Macron happily consorts with royalty, such as the current Saudi king, without seemingly being bothered by that nation's absence of democracy - especially for women - and its apparent rubbing out of undesirable family members. In doing so, Macron has inserted himself smack dab in the middle of the sudden, mysterious resignation of Lebanon's president Hariri.

The above quote concerning Macron's waffling view of democracy was from his own book: Macron par Macron. Here are a couple of his other mental splits, wherein he is against/for the burkini and also colonialism:

• While Macron believes that the burkini ban was justified in certain areas, “so as to maintain public order” [....] “It is vital to defend people’s individual freedom to wear what they like.”
• “We have to help Africa and acknowledge it head on, without any false postcolonial coyness [...]“It’s because we didn’t know how to organise a humanitarian response to the situations in Lebanon and in Turkey that we have the refugee crisis.”

Now, speaking of the tax-payers' dollars:

Macron Has Spent $31,000 to Keep Looking Young Since Taking Office
... two bills, one for €10,000 and another for €16,000, had been sent to the palace for services provided by a makeup artist for Mr. Macron.

Now, realizing I'm not French and have no business making personal comments about other nations' well-loved leaders (less-loved 6 months after the election - thinning hair and thinning approval), I shouldn't even imagine what France's "First Lady" would cost in the appearances department.

Let's just say: shades of Stephen's Harper's expensive rug maintenance. And Harper was a Conservative! But at least we knew what to expect from him!

Gee, I wonder what's going to happen tomorrow - tra-la-la-la-la-la. (Maggie Muggins)

.............

* See also: Free to be Human: An Interview with David Edwards

---