I don't know about you, but I think hell would freeze over before Americans would get out in the

[raccoon]

streets and protest like the French are doing.

IME, there are lots of dumbasses who view protestors as disobedient children. (Maybe because I live in an area red as a baboon's arse.)

Anyway, I wish Americans would do that....but I sure wouldn't hold my breath.

[sinkingfeeling]

1. I agree. I'd bet that if we polled Americans about what was happening in France, half wouldn't

have any idea of what you were talking about and 25% would believe they should be shot on sight.

[madmax]

3. They're freaking over

2 years. The retirement age now is 60 and want to raise it to 62. In the US they're shooting for work till your dead!

[madmax]

2. Just said that yesterday to mr. max

Bring back the draft and they'll be out. I lived in the 60's and Vietnam.

You want to see the US change. Bring back the draft and institue Public Financed Elections, cut it to 3 months campaigning. Wonder how that would work.

I know simplistic maybe unworkable, unfair, whatever but, that's just what I think and I'm no rocket scientist or policy wonk. :hi:

[HughBeaumont]

4. We have far more to lose than France does.

Americans are too scared and chain-tethered to their jobs to take the streets. That's what happens when you have privatized debt-for-health, privatized debt-for-education and privatized retirement.

If were talking about hell freezing over, how about our chances of getting a legitimate progressive presidential candidate? Although I think Senator Sherrod Brown would do well in that regard, I'm not optimistic.

[area51]

18. +1

Everyone here in the U.S. knows you can be fired from your job at the drop of a hat, and when you are, you lose access to health care. I think that's a big part of the reason people don't protest in the same way as Europeans. It's also why bosses for the most part won't fight for single-payer, as even though it'd save them money, they'd lose that stick they hold over the heads of their workers.

[HughBeaumont]

19. Yep. It's not about money. It's about keeping those ants in line.

Think about how many small businesses could flourish if health care costs weren't an issue. Think about how many people would leave a shitty job for a better one if health care costs weren't an issue. Then you look at it on another angle - think about how much more employers would have to pay people if they couldn't use the excuse of "those durned entitlements be draggin' me down!".

This really is how the ruling class has us by the short and curlies.

[WinkyDink]

5. There was a time......

I still have my arm-bands.

[Bitwit1234]

6. The media does a damn good job of keeping stuff like that

and the reason under wraps. Now if the demonstrate by just heckling Obama or Clinton it is front page news.

[deutsey]

11. "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" is unrealistic in general, but I remember

when I saw it a couple years ago how surprised I was at the depiction of the media being in the pockets of crooked politicians and fat cats.

What was admirable was how Capra showed "average" people coming together to promote their interests. I guess we have that with the Internets, but even the best progressive sites aren't able to shout above the MSM corporate cacophony and sway public opinion.

[Stinky The Clown]

7. I agree with you. I wish it were not so, but it is.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. I'm With You

I just don't see it happening here. Americans are very good at complaining, but they'll not take to the streets.

And, we do all the complaining, and then whenver there is a chance 45% or more vote for not just status quo but for people who promise to make things "like they were", which means regressing.

I don't see the whole general strike idea EVER taking root in the U.S.
GAC

[blindpig]

9. It will happen

They will force us to, things will become clear to people sooner or later, even here in the Upstate.

The sooner the better.

[KurtNYC]

10. Then apparently Hell was very very cold on May 4, 2004

http://www.google.com/images?num=10&hl=en&safe=off&q=nyc+protest+iraq&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1280&bih=628

How can we criticise the media for ignoring protests if we do it too ?

[ProfessorGAC]

15. As Proud As We May Have Been On That Day. . .

. . .that does not rate on the same scale as what's going on in France.

The % of population actively involved is WAY higher in France than the Iraq protests, the impact on activities, commerce and economics is much greater in France, and the lengths to which authorities are going to mitigate are far in excess of what happened here.

While we certainly don't want to forget how mobilized the citizenry was on that day, i don't think we can compare the two situations.
GAC

[Klukie]

12. Unfortunately Americans have forgotten what it is to be hungry...

We are fat and happy, but that is changing and my worry is that when our nation is hungry enough we will fight one another because we are so divided.

[OHdem10]

13. Knowing the right, I am amazed that the Teabaggers have done

as much as they have. When the Left is pushed far enogh
it will be more like France. At that time the more "meek"
will join in. The Left, IMO is trying to remain in control
of themselves because their side is in power. An uprising
in this country is also going to bring out conservatives
white working class who vote Republican. At some point
they are going to turn on the Republicans. They are beginning
to see who really matters to Republicans in this election.
The attempted Corporate Coup. It will take them a while.
It is hard to admit you have been wrong about someone(GOP)
all these years. No one likes to admit they have been played
for a fool.

[fascisthunter]

14. I think that we are much closer to doing so...

than we did a decade ago. This keeps up, we will see it sooner than later. I understand your point though... it's frustrating.

[Javaman]

16. I've said it before and I will say it again...

Americans won't lift a finger in disgust until gas gets so expensive that it cuts into their leisure time.

Then and only then will the American people protest, but what they will actually protest about is another story entirely.

They will march and blame it all on someone else rather than our greedy, willfully sloth-like, self righteous, ignorant existence.

[donheld]

17. indeed

[B Calm]

20. I guess we're just over worked and too tired to protest. . .

[Madam Mossfern]

21. Seems the Teabaggers

have got it. Unfortunately their message is the opposite. Good point about fear of losing jobs and healthcare. That is the issue that is keeping me at my job more than anything else. Sad.

[treestar]

22. Don't agree; we've had them when we needed to

We had massive protests over Vietnam. There were riots.

Things just aren't that way right now, in spite of the media trying to make drama.