NOBLE FRANCE, HAVING ABOLISHED WAR...

Chirac to push for international tax to fight poverty (AFP, September 19th, 2004)

French President Jacques Chirac will put forward ideas for an international tax scheme that would help build a 50-billion-dollar war chest to fight poverty during a 55-nation conference on economic development opening Monday in New York.

Chirac will launch his initiative fortified by the conclusions of a French working group, but the idea is fiercely opposed by the United States.

The 150-page study drafted by the working group of experts is aimed at advancing efforts to reduce the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by half between now and 2015, consistent with goals the United Nations adopted in 2000.

Their document suggests that a tax could be imposed on greenhouse gas emissions as well as certain financial transactions, arms sales or multinational corporations.

Other proposed approaches raise the possibility of taxes levied on ships transiting key maritime straits, airline tickets, credit card purchases as well as an international lottery.

You have to give the French one thing. They are masters at promoting inanities like this without being the slightest bit serious and then sitting back to watch the Anglosphere splutter defensively.