Here is the model for democrats. Notice anything a little putrid?? Hmmmm...9.9% unemployment, taxes being raised to plug the national health-care deficit. Nice model, eh? Where is John Kerry out touting the european model when he's needed? Where's hillary?
putrid economy
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French January Consumer Confidence Stagnates on Unemployment
Jan. 31 (Bloomberg) -- Consumer confidence in France, Europe's third-biggest economy, was unchanged at the lowest level in more than a year in January as hiring failed to pick up and higher payroll taxes dented households' purchasing power.
An index based on a survey of 2,000 people held at minus 25, Paris-based statistics office Insee said today. The gauge is the lowest since December 2003. Economists polled by Bloomberg expected minus 24, according to the median of 21 forecasts.
``Households' concerns are still here,'' said Marc Touati, chief economist at Natexis Banques Populaires. ``Employment is struggling to pick up and consumers' income situation is not great.''
Unemployment held close to a five-year high of 9.9 percent in December, the government said Friday. Households' purchasing power will probably grow more slowly in the first half than in the second half of 2005 because of higher payroll taxes to finance a reform aimed at plugging the national health-care system deficit by 2007, Insee said Dec. 16.
From this month, the 7.5 percent contribution to sociale generalisee tax on employees' revenue will apply to 97 percent of their gross wages rather than 95 percent, and the CSG tax on investment, property and gambling revenue will also increase.
The Insee survey showed French consumers were more pessimistic about the labor market this month. An index measuring prospects for unemployment rose to 51 from 44 in December.