Bringing Failed European Socialism To The World

This seems to be Jacques Chirac's guiding legacy. Not satisfied with glowing achievements like these:
In fact, the growing deficits are the consequences of a large unemployment: In the late 1990s, the unemployment rate remained in the neighborhood of 12%. One of the principal aims of the Jospin government, was to create new jobs by introducing a 35 hours working week and a youth employment scheme. The official jobless rate had fallen, but it was masked by a large increase of subsidized jobs. As a result, unemployment and subsidized jobs represent about 16% of the working population in 2003. More and more social expenses are needed in order to provide the idle people with a living.
Chirac now wants to bring the love of growth-restricting taxation to the entire globe:
French President Jacques Chirac has resurrected his proposal for a global tax to help fight AIDS.

The leaders comments were made via video link at the World Economic Forum's meeting of political and business leaders at the Swiss resort of Davos, reported Agence France-Presse.

Calling it an "experimental" tax, Chirac proposed a levy on airline tickets, some fuels or financial transactions.

According to Chirac, the $6 billion annually now being spent to stem the spread of AIDS is not enough, saying $10 billion is needed.

"We are failing in the face of this terrible pandemic," he told the Davos gathering.

AFP reported that among Chirac's ideas were a "contribution" on international financial transactions, a tax on aviation and maritime fuel, a tax on capital movements in or out of countries that practiced banking secrecy, or a "small levy" such as a dollar on the 3 billion airline tickets sold every year.

"What is striking about these examples," Chirac said, "is the disproportion between the modest efforts required and the benefits everyone would reap from them."

Admitting there is international opposition to such a plan, the French president said, "There is nothing to prevent states from cooperating and coming to an understanding on new resources and their allocation to a common cause."
Anything done to curtail the spread of AIDS is laudible. But it should be done along the American model, and not the European "break any industry, impose any cost" ethos. The idea of a global tax on certain international regimes is unwieldy, unworkable, and will cost more money than it will raise.

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