Romney joins a chorus of France-bashers
Talks to educators of schooling risks
It's almost always open season on France, from conservative commentator Bill O'Reilly's call to boycott French goods to the Republican whisper campaign last year that Senator John F. Kerry ''looks French." Yesterday, Governor Mitt Romney joined in, putting distance between himself and the country where he spent 2 1/2 years as a missionary.
Speaking to educators, Romney warned that if the United States does not improve its schools, ''we'll end up being the France of the 21st century."
''We cannot continue to have an excellence gap with the rest of the world and intend to remain the economic superpower and military superpower of the planet. That's just not going to happen," said Romney. ''We're in a position where unless we take action, we'll end up being the France of the 21st century: a lot of talk, but not a lot of strength behind it in terms of economic capability."
The French Embassy in Washington was not amused.
Nathalie Loiseau, the embassy press counselor, pointed out that France ranks 13th in the number of Nobel prizes won per one million people, just behind the United States, which ranks 11th. Loiseau also said that French workers' productivity is ''among the highest in the world," and that France ranks third in exporting services and second as a source of foreign direct investment, behind the United States.
''I think that our two countries have a lot in common and that we obviously need to do more to raise the level of awareness of our public opinions on both sides of the Atlantic on these matters," Loiseau said in an e-mail message.
Romney's spokeswoman stood by the comment last night.
''The governor was stating the facts about the American economy vis-a-vis the French," said Romney spokeswoman Julie Teer.
''In order for America to remain a tier one economic power, it has to be competitive globally. If not, we risk becoming a tier two economy like France."
Conservatives are fond of pointing to France, where taxes are high, regulation is heavy, and worker benefits are generous, as an economic model to avoid.
There are areas where the United States clearly outpaces France: France's unemployment rate of 9 percent is nearly twice that of the United States, and the US per-capita gross domestic product is $40,100, compared with $28,700 in France, according to the CIA Factbook.
But there are other statistics that tip in France's favor. Twelve percent of the US population lives below the poverty line, compared with 6 percent in France. And while 99 percent of French citizens older than 15 are literate, the US figure is 97 percent. Almost 24 percent of US residents age 18 to 29 are enrolled in college, compared with 20 percent in France.
Whatever the facts, Romney's attack on France is almost certainly smart politics for someone who might seek the GOP's presidential nomination. Last year Republicans gleefully reminded audences that Kerry, the last Massachusetts politician to run for president, spoke French fluently. Kerry's detractors called that fluency a sign that he was an elite snob, out of touch with the concerns of most Americans.
The French connection was especially potent at a time when many voters were still angry at France for opposing the Iraq war, and the US Capitol cafeteria had replaced its french fries with ''freedom fries."
Even now, with the spotlight turned on the country because of rioting outside Paris, bashing France remains a staple of late-night comedians.
Globe correspondent Matt Viser contributed to this report; material from the Associated Press was also used. Scott Greenberger can be reached at greenberger@globe.com. 