Politics

‘Share The Wealth’ France’s Macron Tells Billionaires

Published

8 years ago

January 25, 2018

(Via Zerohedge)

When a socialist addressed the world’s biggest gathering of billionaires and corporate titans, he had a simple, if predictable message: share the wealth.

Emmanuel Macron, France’s 40-year-old president and considered by many Angela Merkel’s successor as the new face of Europe, made his debut speech at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos in front of a star-studded crowded, even by Davos’s standards, which included King Felipe of Spain, Christine Lagarde and Total CEO Patrick Pouyanne among those in the audience. Macron told them “it’s time for a new framework to rein in the excesses of global capitalism”: invest, share and protect.

But mostly share.

“This framework should be based on cooperation and multilateralism,” Macron said quoted by Bloomberg. “This new framework is the unique way to protect our interests in the long run.”

And yet, despite the superficial aura of the wealth redistribution narrative and speech, which was addressed as much to his audience in France as in Davos, the message had a hollow ring as France Macron’s growing critics have already dubbed him “president of the rich” amid his push to cut back some protections for workers and lower taxes.

Taking a not so veiled swipe at Trump’s tax cuts and trade policy, and speaking in a mix of French and English “like Canada’s Justin Trudeau, with whom he shares both political views and style” Macron called on executives and officials to avoid a “race to the bottom” on taxes and trade standards, and instead to focus on the common good, social cohesion, health, education, climate and the fight against inequalities.

Channeling the ghost of Karl Marx, Macron said there is a “crisis of capitalism” and warned that “the spoils are not being shared fairly.”

Which is ironic because the only reason behind Europe’s record wealth gap is the same reason French banks – such as Rothschild where Macron worked previously – have evaded insolvency and liquidation: the ECB’s backstops and asset price reflation. Surely a banker like Macron would be aware of this.

So instead of addressing the root cause of everything that is wrong in Europe and the world, Macron decided to do what every other politician so skillfully does: deflect.

Instead, he repeated his plea to giant tech companies Google Inc., Facebook Inc., Apple Inc and Amazon.com Inc. “to pay a fair share” of taxes as they displace traditional industries as the biggest sources of revenue in the global economy. He said their tax optimization strategies are hurting ordinary people and undermining governments.

“I want these changes, but they must pay their taxes,” he said.

Well, it’s politicians like you, monsieur, that made tax avoidance strategies legal around the globe, so perhaps instead of begging companies to do something they have spent money to lobby against by purchasing other politicians fair and square, the first matter at hand is to change the laws. Ah, but as everyone knows, implementing unpopular rules is something that promptly truncates political careers, which is why it is much safer to keep on begging…

For now Macron doesn’t have to beg too much: unlike his socialist predecssor Hollande who was so unpopular he didn’t even bother running for another term, Macron’s approval rating has stabilized around 50% after taking a dive during the fall as he emerged from the honeymoon period that followed his surprise election victory in May.

The president also used his speech to repeat the mantra of his first months in office: “France is back”, the French equivalent of “MAGA.”

“France is back at the core of Europe,” he said. “Because we will never have any French success without success in Europe.”

Read The Rest Here

Politics

Bannon An ‘Oppurtunist’ – Trump Jr & Newt Gingrich

Published

5 days ago

June 20, 2026

Populist Wire Editorial Board

(Via Zerohedge)

In the course of less than a day, former Trump strategist Steve Bannon has gone from simply “former Trump strategist” to “radioactive backstabber,” after The Guardian reported that Bannon, in Michael Wolff’s new book “Fire and Fury, called a June 2016 meeting at Trump tower involving Russian attorney Natalia Veselnitskaya “treasonous” and “unpatriotic.”

“Even if you thought that this was not treasonous, or unpatriotic, or bad shit, and I happen to think it’s all of that, you should have called the FBI immediately.”

In response, President Trump issued a four-paragraph scorching reply, saying Bannon had “lost his mind.” Donald Trump Jr. also responded, calling his father’s former chief strategist “backstabbing, harassing, leaking, lying & undermining the President,” adding “Steve is not a strategist, he is an opportunist.”

Steve had the honor of working in the White House & serving the country. Unfortunately, he squandered that privilege & turned that opportunity into a nightmare of backstabbing, harassing, leaking, lying & undermining the President. Steve is not a strategist, he is an opportunist

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 3, 2018

Newt Gingrich chimed in on Fox News, telling Neil Cavuto, “I think that Bannon thinks he’s extraordinarily important. But the fact is, Trump had won the nomination without Bannon. Trump would have won the presidency without Bannon. And Trump has governed without Bannon.”

So I think there’s an exaggerated sense of who Steve is. And I think, remember, this is a guy who got fired. So you have a guy who has been fired who is trying to claim a bunch of things, which he apparently did not claim at the time.

And I think you have to just say, you know, it’s noise. It has nothing to do with — the things that matter to America and the things that matter to the American people have no relationship to the kind of noise that we’re going to spend all day today with.

And luckily for the president, he’s really come to distinguish between the things that matter and the things that don’t. The meeting this weekend at Camp David matters with the Republican leadership. Steve Bannon saying a bunch of junk doesn’t really matter in the long run. It will disappear. -Newt Gingrich

Trump Jr. also replied to a tweet by conservative pundit Bill Mitchell, which quotes a portion of Bannon’s book, reading:

“On Election Night, when the unexpected trend , Trump might actually win, seemed confirmed, Don Jr. told a friend that his father, or DJT, as he calls him, looked as if he had seen a ghost. Melania was in tears—and not of joy.”

Trump Jr. responded: “Another good one. Anyone who knows me or follows me knows that’s about as far from something I would say or how I speak as possible… What a joke.”

Another good one. Anyone who knows me or follows me knows that's about as far from something I would say or how I speak as possible… What a joke.😂 https://t.co/4L9rYK8W56

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 3, 2018

And earlier in the day, Trump Jr. tweeted “Andrew Breitbart would be ashamed of the division and lies Steve Bannon is spreading!,” after tweeting “Wow, just looked at the comments section on Breitbart. Wow. When Bannon has lost Breitbart, he’s left with . . . umm, nothing.”

Andrew Breitbart would be ashamed of the division and lies Steve Bannon is spreading!

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 3, 2018

Wow, Just looked at the comments section on Breitbart. Wow. When Bannon has lost Breitbart, he’s left with . . . umm, nothing.

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) January 3, 2018

And now, it appears as though Bannon may have lost any hope of cobbling together political capital. As US News reports;

Despite his blatant miscalculation and the animosity he stirred among traditional Republicans, Bannon’s enduring influence was that he purportedly had a direct line to Trump – the White House confirmed they spoke by phone last month – and could help mold the president’s thoughts on policy and political strategy.

Now, that line appears lacerated.

“Now that he is on his own, Steve is learning that winning isn’t as easy as I make it look,” Trump said in the statement. “Steve doesn’t represent my base – he’s only in it for himself.”

The extraordinary breakup between the two larger-than-life comrades led to immediate fallout across the Republican Party. GOP leadership rejoiced at Bannon’s fall from grace, with allies of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reveling in and sharing the president’s takedown.

Bannon’s split from the Trumps puts wealthy GOP donor Robert Mercer and his daughter, Rebekah Mercer in an awkward spot – as the financier have financially supported Breitbart, while also supporting President Trump and his GOP causes. Mercer announced in November that he was selling his stake in his company to his daughters – while at the time, making it clear that while he occasionally discusses politics with Bannon, he’s not always aligned with him.

And as Trump Jr. said earlier today – when Bannon has lost Breitbart, “he’s left with … ummm, nothing.”

In September, Bannon appeared on 60 minutes where heb called himself a “street fighter” and “declared war on the GOP” for trying to “nullify the election.” Bannon also said that the Trump administration made the “original sin” of embracing the establishment. “I mean, we totally embraced the establishment … Because ya had to staff a government.”

Bannon also said he was going to be Trump’s “wing man outside for the entire time, to protect [Trump] and to “make sure his enemies know that there’s no free shot on goal.”

Well – it looks like Bannon just took a shot on his own goal, and will be cast into radioactive irrelevancy for time immemorial.

Iowa

Blexit / WalkAway: Majority of Non-White Voters Plan To Vote Republican in Iowa’s 1st District According to NYT Poll

Published

5 days ago

June 20, 2026

Populist Wire Editorial Board

In what seems to be a testament against a “blue wave”, according to a NYT poll taken back in September, it shows that 45% of non-white participants, the majority, plan to vote Republican. With 42% voting Democrat are 13% undecided. Non-white people were 7% of those polled entirely.

What also is interesting is it shows 52% white people voting Democrat, with 37% voting Republican, and 11% Undecided. Showing a higher rate of non white people voting for Republicans than white people.

Now overall this poll also showed Abby trouncing Blum, and while we disagree with the polling numbers to that extent because it seems that they may have over sampled Democrats, although we can’t tell because the poll data does not show party affiliation.

No matter how you frame it, it shows the media’s race baiting narrative hasn’t worked in Iowa’s first district as much as they hoped and non white people are a powerful force within the Republican party.

Media

Bill Maher Brings On Vaccines Skeptic, Gets Railed By Media

Published

5 days ago

June 20, 2026

Populist Wire Editorial Board

This past Friday Bill Maher brought on a “questionable” guest as his first on his show ‘Real Time’ on HBO. The guest in question —, is a known Vaccine Skeptic. It was quickly noticeable from the crowd reaction, which is usually sporadically either clapping or laughing, often mocked by Bill himself, was very quiet and toned down, most likely thrown off guard. This issue, like many Bill champions on his show, are issues he prides as fringe on both sides of the aisle, the far-left and far-right often being huge skeptic of establishment Scientist and Doctor opinions.