The Americans Won’t Do as Priggish Journalists Say
Published in Le Figaro
(France) on 3 January 2011
by Pierre-Yves Dugua (link to original)
(France) on 3 January 2011
by Pierre-Yves Dugua (link to original)
Translated from
by Mylène Perdreau.
Edited by Jeff Kozlowski.
There is nothing worse for journalists than to realize that facts won't match preconceptions. The same thing could be said about an investor who bets on a security's value thinking it would increase, only to realize with horror that the market proved him or her wrong. I know what I’m talking about.
Aware of this pitfall, I try (not always successfully) to remain practical and observant of the U.S.' complex and shifting reality.
Two years ago, an army of Parisian journalists descended upon the United States to explain how the U.S was forever changed by the economic crisis. Capitalism was dying. Obama was going to bring the United States closer to the French model, with health insurance for everyone and high-speed trains throughout the country. Americans wanted a more “involved” government, more regulations, and for the naughty profiteers to be punished.
I have fallen into many traps in the past, but not that one. Two years later, the United States promised by the Obamaniacs never came about. Americans want a “less involved” government. President Obama's party suffered its worst defeat in at least 50 years. Several governors refused the federal loans that were meant to finance the beginning of railroad construction that is necessary to build high-speed lines, and the Republican majority in the House pledges to repeal the health care bill. Annoying, isn't it?
I suppose those who were wrong are feeling as I felt when, like a fool, I found out that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Errare humanum est. Mistakes encourage journalists into humility.
There is a point on which I admit I lack humility. I refuse to be a good loser. I become terribly petty. I allow you to sharply criticize me in this blog's comment area.
I never believed that the American would follow the journalists' words, which maintained that small cars were now the favorite vehicles of the new post-capitalist green American society that had respect for sustainability and baby seals.
Tomorrow, car sales figures will be released. It will then be possible to assess the sum of the 12 months of 2010. But the trend of the last few months is already indisputable: Americans buy fewer and fewer small cars. They prefer big cars. That's the way it is.
Yes, it is. And Toyota Prius Hybrid sales even dropped by 1.7 percent in a year. Corolla and Civic sales are also decreasing.
Why? For two reasons: The first one is that gas is still much cheaper in the U.S. than in Europe. To this day, a gallon of regular gas costs $3.07 on average [but about $6.39 a gallon in France]. With such a price, it is sensible to drive a 6 cylinder car. When the day comes that the president has the political courage to campaign for a tax increase on gas, then the Americans will have to adapt to the situation. Saving energy has a cost. And the Americans do not want to pay it for now.
Second reason: Americans live in the suburbs and they are used to having a lot of parking space. The French journalist happy to be living in Manhattan and who does not own a car cannot understand this way of thinking.
As you may have guessed, I live in the suburbs. My wife drives a very fuel efficient 4 cylinder Nissan. I drive very little — less than 10,000 miles per year — but I must admit that my 8 cylinder, 4.6 liter Mercury Grand Marquis (the same model as the yellow taxis you see in movies) is a behemoth.
This behemoth is nice and my three children, my two dogs, and my wife travel very comfortably. The trunk is a little bit smaller than my former apartment in Paris. This is outrageous, I’ll admit it.
Aware of this pitfall, I try (not always successfully) to remain practical and observant of the U.S.' complex and shifting reality.
Two years ago, an army of Parisian journalists descended upon the United States to explain how the U.S was forever changed by the economic crisis. Capitalism was dying. Obama was going to bring the United States closer to the French model, with health insurance for everyone and high-speed trains throughout the country. Americans wanted a more “involved” government, more regulations, and for the naughty profiteers to be punished.
I have fallen into many traps in the past, but not that one. Two years later, the United States promised by the Obamaniacs never came about. Americans want a “less involved” government. President Obama's party suffered its worst defeat in at least 50 years. Several governors refused the federal loans that were meant to finance the beginning of railroad construction that is necessary to build high-speed lines, and the Republican majority in the House pledges to repeal the health care bill. Annoying, isn't it?
I suppose those who were wrong are feeling as I felt when, like a fool, I found out that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Errare humanum est. Mistakes encourage journalists into humility.
There is a point on which I admit I lack humility. I refuse to be a good loser. I become terribly petty. I allow you to sharply criticize me in this blog's comment area.
I never believed that the American would follow the journalists' words, which maintained that small cars were now the favorite vehicles of the new post-capitalist green American society that had respect for sustainability and baby seals.
Tomorrow, car sales figures will be released. It will then be possible to assess the sum of the 12 months of 2010. But the trend of the last few months is already indisputable: Americans buy fewer and fewer small cars. They prefer big cars. That's the way it is.
Yes, it is. And Toyota Prius Hybrid sales even dropped by 1.7 percent in a year. Corolla and Civic sales are also decreasing.
Why? For two reasons: The first one is that gas is still much cheaper in the U.S. than in Europe. To this day, a gallon of regular gas costs $3.07 on average [but about $6.39 a gallon in France]. With such a price, it is sensible to drive a 6 cylinder car. When the day comes that the president has the political courage to campaign for a tax increase on gas, then the Americans will have to adapt to the situation. Saving energy has a cost. And the Americans do not want to pay it for now.
Second reason: Americans live in the suburbs and they are used to having a lot of parking space. The French journalist happy to be living in Manhattan and who does not own a car cannot understand this way of thinking.
As you may have guessed, I live in the suburbs. My wife drives a very fuel efficient 4 cylinder Nissan. I drive very little — less than 10,000 miles per year — but I must admit that my 8 cylinder, 4.6 liter Mercury Grand Marquis (the same model as the yellow taxis you see in movies) is a behemoth.
This behemoth is nice and my three children, my two dogs, and my wife travel very comfortably. The trunk is a little bit smaller than my former apartment in Paris. This is outrageous, I’ll admit it.
your article got a smile from me, you’re one of the very few that seem to have tried to see American’s from an American point of view. In my 56 year life span i’ve come to realize most people see the US only from what happens in New York City, Los Angles or Washington DC (we Americans are guilty of this as well, when it comes to France all we know is what comes out of Paris.) Those 3 cities make up less than 10% of the US population and we remaining 90% don’t follow the same drum beat that NY, LA or DC dance to so we confond the rest of the world when we don’t do what the so call experts say we will but then don’t. Follow what goes on in a state like Nebraska or Indiana to get a sence of what the majority of Americans think and feel. We Americans should read what is happening in Nice or Toulouse to see what the average Frenchman thinks and feels.