“Les Miserables” Poster 

“The Candidate” Beatrice Brandini

I decided to tackle a subject very little “glamor” but unfortunately necessary and relevant, especially after yet another suicide of “normal” people that the only way to find their condition and despair, is to take his own life… whether this is a normal thing and especially a normal country?!

I state that I love Italy and I feel my Italian strong, proud to be born in a country (but also a city) that gave birth to lofty characters, which always stands for culture, style, landscapes, food, places and … well just for a “joie de vivre” that has made the Italian people appreciated all over the world.

Sculpture of Jean -Michel Folon photos AG

I chose this title inspired by my son who is a little ‘time ago at the sea in a moment of “rebellion” (he was only 2 years) defined all those not congenial to him as ” ugly and smelly ” … a poet friend , Paul Breviario, near umbrella ” corrected ” this greeting with ” beautiful and fragrant ,” redeeming those insulted ….. ( we often parents ). Here I thought it was the perfect title for this post, distinguishing Italians who daily struggle to make ends meet, or simply doing their duty in spite of everything, ” Beautiful and Fragrant “ and others, represented mainly by our class executive but also from those who get rich on the backs of the unfortunate, the bullies, the selfish, and all those who do not do anything concrete, instead having the opportunity, ” Ugly and Smelly .”

So this post is mostly a spontaneous critical to our leadership and political class that instead of doing something useful for the citizens continues to fight and to protect itself, never mind all the rest. We experience it all without flinching. The work is a mirage , the future is unknown , we are losing the hope that is the only spring to recover at a time of huge difficulties. Practically in recent years has not been done anything for anybody, pensioners, young people, the unemployed, work etc.. We see companies that are pieces of our history that are closing, are sold off or they go elsewhere to invest. I have friends entrepreneurs, managers, traders, who have never gone through such a delicate moment . The only thing that I have seen a proliferation in recent years is a sign ” Buy Gold ” , a sign of decadence as well as infinite sadness …..

Sculpture of Jean -Michel Folon photos AG

I’m not an economist, so I do not have special recipes or miraculous, but I think the most important thing to do is to lower taxes ( graze 47% , compared with a rate of ca. half in much of the rest of Europe ) and reduce the cost of the work to jump-start an economy tied up for years.

We give you a boost of courage to the nation, a boost of confidence, let her feel alive, those who make policy end in itself must be sent home, is not fit to rule , as well as WHO STEALS, AWAY! It a long time since I’ve seen someone who really takes care of the Italians, of all Italians , from those considered ” small thing ” to those considered “big thing” …..

Think of the young people, who , as I mentioned in other post, are the quality of our future. The most beautiful thing in the world is to see a young man full of strength, enthusiasm, purpose …. , we give them the opportunity to study, then to find a job, give them the opportunity to withdraw on this Italy, to be proud of of being Italian … Also enough with this denigration on young people who are ” mama’s boys “ or have no ambition, etc. are listless, this is a hoax, how can you think that a boy of twenty is better at home than outside, trying to find his place in the world? I would say that the uncertainty of their future has made them weak and discouraged because never supported by a strong and capable State. I remember when I was twenty and I seemed to have the world at my feet, everything could be possible, feasible, conquerable today … unfortunately it is not.

But also to all the people who have never surrendered to the old, as to current and future retirees (always pulled at stake for reduction or elongation age contributory pension and penalties), all my respect and my personal thanks, you helped to keep up our economy and therefore deserve more respect (after 40 years of work I ‘d give you a medal!) .

Not to mention the salaries …. How much money does a teacher? a policeman? a doctor? a researcher? a skilled worker? what is the salary that an honest businessman manages to carve out today after he has paid for everything? The sums which at worst two thousand to three thousand euro … while taking a political figures ranging from ten thousand to thirty thousand euro in a month …. the thing is really irritating. The cost of our policy is the highest of all … this is not populism, here it is real anger, which grows by the day especially for results that are not there …

I think of the movie “Trading Places “ ( irresistible comedy by John Landis ), in which a wealthy stockbroker was, because of a cruel wager, catapulted into the real world , losing everything . Here this should be the proper punishment for those who could have done and did not, for those who have speculated, for those who in spite of the endowment policy, and then the great privileges, he also stolen (even doing nothing is stolen in some cases). How beautiful they could not prove what it means to make ends meet , struggling every day to make ends meet  and as an unexpected (the breaking of a tooth, the failure of your car … ), you’ll face a cold sweat because you do not know how find the money ….. Or what Muccino’s ” The Pursuit of Happyness “, which tells quite well despair of finding a job, especially with a family to support and a young son who has no guilt ……

Our “subjects” Politicians are everywhere (television shows, openings, parties, lunches, dinners, sporting events etc.) except where they should be, that is working behind their desks, where the only reflector should be the lamp for reading and write the documents. A politician should be a person capable, clean , their greatest satisfaction should know that their work is not only high-profile, but makes his own nation’s largest, finds solutions and services for the community. Sometimes I believe that even a 3 year old child if it was in the control room and crush the buttons at random would definitely better …

But we should not think that “we are in the hands of the Lord”, even though the temptation to do so is ..

The hope would be that this post might stir something, especially for those who have the power to do, wish it were not an outlet end in itself … I add a message to all the people who follow me, those people are good, honest, true heroes of everyday life: think big please, it’s never too late to hope and do something good, sometimes you should stop feeling sorry for him (even though it’s really hard) and look to the future with optimism yet.

Good life to all!

Beatrice