Meantime in Europe: The French Ministry of Garments in Garbage

Oddly enough it was the launch of iPhone 15 that prompted a strike by Apple employees in France this past September, though European inflation was the real culprit.¹ According to the forecasts by European Union economists, the overall annual inflation rate for France will “stand at 5.8%” in 2023.² This rate of inflationary growth is down considerably from the high that hovered around 10% for France and the European Union at the end of 2022.³ But, this slowing in the rate of inflationary growth has not reduced the pain for workers in France. The striking Apple workers had asked for a 7% wage hike to maintain their incomes in the face of continuing high inflation. One union official claimed “”Inflation is still quite nasty” and, “a lot of employees…are experiencing difficulties.”⁴

As pain caused by inflation continues across Europe and again in France, we learn that the “French government has launched a campaign encouraging people not to buy new clothes in Black Friday sales.”⁵ Christophe Béchu, the French government minister in charge of “ecological transition” and who is “responsible for promoting sustainability”, is the mastermind of this campaign. Mr. Bechu had previously run a campaign to discourage people from buying new clothes with a government subsidy for those who have their old clothes repaired. The vague reason offered for this draconian and idiotic government program is, of course, that it will somehow save the planet. These initiatives discouraging “fast” fashion are, in the words of junior ecology minister Berangere Couillard, “to encourage consumers to buy more “virtuous” products and repair them, rather than buying new items.”⁶ Repaired clothing, according to their reasoning, is more “virtuous” because “700,000 tonnes of clothing ended up in landfill in France every year.”

Are you as tickled as we are at the hilarious thought that the French government may have numerous employees going through landfills throughout the country weighing all the clothing they find? Maybe it’s a ‘Ministry of Garments in Garbage.” Ludicrous, you say? But certainly they must have something like this to have a minister confidently claim that there are 700,000 tons of clothing to be found there.

Of course, sanity soon erupted after the implementation of these French government policies and advertising campaigns. Bruno Le Maire, French Finance Minister, immediately called the campaign “ill-conceived” and talked of the damage to be done to the French clothing manufacturing sector.⁷ Le Maire’s ministry has been trying, rather ineffectively, to combat rising unemployment and inflation. And, of course, the most significant factor causing these government efforts to have been largely ineffective is the government itself…and schizophrenic policies like the campaign against “fast” fashion. Incidentally, the French government doesn’t like McDonalds, too…you know, “fast” food.

According to the European Union, France is the 4th largest exporter of fashion clothing.⁸ But the industry has been in decline because of bone-headed policies like this; and, newly implemented labeling regulations to come into effect January 1, 2024 that require “manufacturers…to list the amount of water required in making the clothing, the use of chemicals, the risk of microplastic emissions and detailing whether the garment has used any recycled textiles.” All this seems almost calculated to decrease employment in a significant French manufacturing sector and increase the cost of clothing products.

Well, this is Europe, you say. Unfortunately, here in the good old USA we have the same type of governance with the current Democratic Party/Joe Biden regime. This week, Democratic Party press organs (i.e. the ‘mainstream’ press) have been advancing the idea that Biden and the Democrats have given us a great economy and that it is we dumb simpletons out here in middle America who just can’t seem to understand how this economy is great. This is Politico: “Low unemployment, real wage growth and a fast-growing economy should be providing a boost to the public’s perception of Biden’s economic policies. It hasn’t.”⁹ Maybe Politico has us confused with China…and Biden really has done a great job of boosting China in many ways.

What are some of the most recent Bidenomic policies that no matter what economic illusions the press weaves, will raise inflationary pressure? Here are just a few:

• • In August “Biden’s Energy Department has proposed a new efficiency standard for home water heaters that require 90 percent efficiency for tankless and 70 percent efficiency for tank gas-fired water heaters.” And, “Energy-saving mandates have historically led to more expensive but less effective appliances.”¹⁰
  • Also this past August, with new regulation “popular appliances like ceiling fans, gas stoves, dishwashers, water heaters and refrigerators will all increase in price in the coming years thanks in large part to a federal energy efficiency regulatory regime.”¹¹
  • Just this past week, “Northwest Republican lawmakers asked the federal government to share details of “secretive negotiations” between the government and environmental groups that have called for the removal of dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers.”¹² Higher energy costs on the way.

Actually, in spite of Biden/Democratic Party policies such as the amazingly misnamed “Inflation Reduction Act”, the only arm of the Biden government that is overtly seeking to reduce inflation is the Federal Reserve System (commonly called the “Fed”). But earlier this year, a study done by the Cato Institute determined “that there is not much empirical support for the notion that the Fed can precisely control inflation.”¹³ So while the Fed’s monetary policies have had no real effect on inflation, these same policies have almost eliminated the housing market.

It’s really simple. If you want to stop inflation, quit doing inflationary things. If we, as voters, want policies that reduce inflation then we must vote these types of politicians out. A schizophrenic government is just another way to say that the government is crazy! We need educated voters; an educated voter can learn what policies the politicians actually support and have implemented. We here at I Vote My Vote want to make sure that an educated voter is aware of this type of government stupidity.

1. Ausloos, M. & Dalmasso, L. (2023). Apple workers in France stage strike on iPhone 15 launch day. Reuters.com. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/apple-workers-france-stage-strike-over-work-conditions-iphone-15-launch-day-2023-09-22/
2. Economic forecast for France: Last update (15/11/2023). European Commission. Retrieved from https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/economic-surveillance-eu-economies/france/economic-forecast-france_en
3. Euro Area Inflation Rate. (2023). Trading Economics. Retrieved from https://tradingeconomics.com/euro-area/inflation-cpi
4. Apple workers in France stage strike on iPhone 15 launch day.(2023). Ausloos & Dalmasso.
5. Newton, L. (2023). France warns people off Black Friday clothes deals. BBC.com. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67527490
6. Kirby, P. (2023). French to get bonus to make do and mend clothes. BBC.com. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-66174349
7. Newton, L. (2023). France warns people off Black Friday clothes deals
8. Kirby, P. (2023). French to get bonus to make do and mend clothes.
9. Sutton, S. (2023). ‘People have just rendered a judgment’: Inflation erodes Biden’s wins. Politico.com. Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/news/2023/11/29/biden-inflation-soft-landing-economy-00128999
10. Biden Attacks Water Heaters With New Efficiency Standards. (2023). Institute for Energy Research. Retrieved from https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/regulation/biden-attacks-water-heaters-with-new-efficiency-standards/
11. Catenacci, T. (2023). Consumer group exposes costs of Biden admin’s war on home appliances. FOXBusiness. Retrieved from https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/consumer-group-exposes-costs-biden-admins-war-home-appliances
12. Villalovas, E. (2023). Congress blasts Biden for secret negotiations to destroy dams. WashingtonExaminer.com. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energy-environment/congress-blasts-biden-secret-negotiations-destroy-dams
13. Kedia, J. (2023). New Cato Study Confirms Fed Cannot Control Inflation. Cato Institute: Cato At Liberty. Retrieved from https://www.cato.org/blog/new-cato-cmfa-study-confirms-fed-ineffective-controlling-inflation

1. What triggered the strike by Apple employees in France, and what role did inflation play?

• The strike was prompted by the launch of the iPhone 15, but high inflation rates in France contributed to the workers’ demands for a 7% wage hike to cope with rising living costs.

2. How severe is the inflationary situation in France, and what measures has the government taken to address it?

• The annual inflation rate in France is forecasted to reach 5.8% in 2023, down from its peak of around 10% in 2022. The French government has launched campaigns to discourage excessive spending, such as urging people not to buy new clothes during Black Friday sales.

3. What are some of the government policies aimed at addressing environmental concerns but potentially exacerbate inflation?

• Policies led by the French government, such as promoting repair over buying new clothes and implementing labeling regulations for textiles, are intended to encourage sustainability but may increase the cost of clothing products and impact the clothing manufacturing sector.