This is 'trop, trop délicieux'!

Here is a simple question for you all: would you trust a politician who was a former plastic surgeon?  I mean, when you think about it both occupations involve disguising the truth so our French neighbours should not be too shocked - not that I have ever detected shock of any sort amongst les Français - to discover that their former Budget Minister, no less, had tax-avoiding bank accounts around the world.  According to Der Spiegel, this chancer lied, lied and lied again before he was forced to admit the truth and resign.  It has all gone down like a shit sandwich with the French people who, like everyone everywhere in Europe are living in straitened(*) times:

As budget minister, Cahuzac was tasked with cleaning up France's state finances. The former plastic surgeon was supposed to use his scalpel to make precise cuts to pensions as well as health and social expenditures. In the meantime, however, he clandestinely multiplied his own capital income. For two decades, the self-proclaimed spearhead in the fight against tax evasion dodged taxes by having his money in undeclared accounts in Switzerland and Singapore.

You couldn't make it up!  But there is more merde emerging from the woodwork:

And now a completely fresh accusation against a high-ranking politician is coming fast on the heels of the latest scandal: The Süddeutsche Zeitung, a leading German daily, has reported that Jean-Jacques Augier, Hollande's campaign manager, has two shell companies on the Cayman Islands. The report notes that Augier denies that there is anything illegal about this, quoting him as saying that he has "neither an account on the Caymans nor (has he) directly invested there."

I wonder if Google Translate can mange 'Nothing to see here, move along!'  In the meantime, the 'collateral damage' to Hollande's socialist administration is enormous, to say nothing of the insidious distrust for their ruling caste building up amongst ordinary French people:

In the eyes of many in France, this group includes the members of an elite that, despite all the public rivalries between opposition and ruling parties, is joined into a secret conspiracy to pursue its members' own private interests. Widespread public suspicion focuses on the caste of high-level public servants, politicians and company executives who are often alumni of the same elite universities. This upper crust of the upper class is seen as continuously and incestuously striving to perpetuate their control over the country.

Hang on a minute!  What does that remind me of  . . . ?

(*) Spelling corrected - see Comments

 

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Comments

[Able]

As someone else noted elsewhere, following the publication of the BBC funded (I mean us funded) 'research' (manipulation) on the 'class system in Britain':

"Capitalism does not recognise the concept of class. Only socialism has that concept. Capitalism only recognises the application of effort to get where you want to be, a concept alien to socialism. Don’t bother, and capitalism will leave you behind, Don’t bother, and socialism will treat you as a hero."

http://underdogsbiteupwards.wordpress.com/2013/04/04/where-is-class-eight/

I'd add that only socialists (and I'm including those 'Tories') tell you not to do something because it's bad, whilst doing exactly the same thing (but more profitably) themselves - MP Margaret Hodge.

[Andrew Duffin]

Sounds like just Margaret Hodge, does it not?

The political class are the same everywhere.

Hang them all.

And have a nice weekend!

[dearieme]

"living in straightened times": no, we live in bent times. Perhaps you mean "straitened times", as in "dire straits"?

Anyway, cheer up. Apparently Mlle Threewheeler is keen to get M. Hollande's previous moll charged with corruption.

[Able]

DM

Sir! Sir! (I'm holding my hand up)

Since it's time to educate the ineducable (me?, I?, one?) could you enlighten me as to where the term came from? (and I don't mean the band as you really don't want me singing, and I mean really!).

Which straits, where and when? I need to know so that I can continue my pretence of 'being a intilectool' to impress the ladies (I may find etymology endlessly fascinating if I ever figure out why I like insects).

Please no corrections as DD gave me a note so I'm excused spelling, punctuation and ... 'putting words in the right place' on account of being grammatically challenged (it's genetic).

[David Duff]

Thanks a mill', Able, your "Underdog" site has been added to my list of 'Favourites' which means I shall waste even more time up here in my garret when I should be downstairs waiting on the 'Memsahib'!

As to 'straiten(ed)' -er, I'll hand my lines in on Monday, DM - my trusty OED, which is right behind me so I have no excuse, tells me that the verb 'to straiten' (archaic) means 'to make or become narrow', hence 'straits' - so you can see the connection. I never stop learning on this blog so by the time I reach 155 I will almost be educated.