I'm left wondering.

[Pacifist Patriot]

If this were happening in another country would we be seeing mass protests and general strikes?

[bushisanidiot]

1. Overreact much?

.

[Pacifist Patriot]

8. Me?

I'm not saying there should be mass protests and general strikes or not. I'm simply wondering if other countries would have hit this point by now if they were experiencing similar circumstances. British students are protesting a tuition hike, the French engaged in a strike against the retirement age increase, countries are on fire for election rigging. Just wondering if this would be enough to set non-Americans off.

[truth2power]

13. Just to say, Pacifist Patriot, that you're not overreacting. ...

But I've come to expect such responses here. Don't know what else to say.

[Cal Carpenter]

12. LOL

Yes, let's wait until they literally transfer our bank account balances to the rich and garnish the wages of the poor to pay off the national debt.

Then maybe we could get a little irritated.

:eyes:

[readmoreoften]

14. Watch international news much?

Europe has been erupting in protests for months now over far less.

[BlueCheese]

16. While you were reading this...

... the French just called for a general strike over the quality of this year's Bordeaux.

[Life Long Dem]

2. Because everyone got tax cuts?

:shrug:

[Pacifist Patriot]

9. That's not exactly the only thing going on in our country right now.

I'm neither advocating nor condemning the idea of mass protest and general strike. I'm simply wondering if this weren't the United States, if we'd be seeing a widespread citizen's response by this point.

High unemployment
Tax Cuts extended for the wealthy creating an ever widening income gap
Expanding encroachment of civil liberties
Corporate personhood
Disasterous energy policy
Add whatever you like

[Donnachaidh]

10. yeah -- toss a few coins out the limo window now

That base of poor and working class will be happy to get the pittance. We'll pass out the BIG checks to our contributors on Wall Street later. :sarcasm:

Funny how all these *backroom deals* wind up giving yet more goodies to the elite - but set up the poor for future cuts. Transparency President? Oh yeah...we SEE.

[Catherina]

3. In the countries I've lived in you certainly would. n/t

[social_critic]

4. What's happening dude?

I don't see why you are so concerned. Other than some unemployment,a huge government deficit, and some oily shrimp, we're doing fine. Stop being so negative.

[MindandSoul]

5. Absolutely! And yet, people still think that, in socialist countries, people's rights and voice are

being repressed!

Look at the protests in Ireland, England, France, Portugal!!!
No repression there! And a lot of strong opinions!

[Starry Messenger]

6. Yes.

I wouldn't count us out yet though.

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

7. yes, but

But they would have been doing it for a while now. I was involved in organizing street protests in years past. I got out of it, and there are all kinds of reasons why you don't see it so much here. Ranging from the people who tend to be involved in organizing the protests tending to have a lot of problems to hopelessness and/or apathy of normal people. I don't think it's unique to America though, that people feel like nothing they do matters. One (but not the only) thing that often helps in organizing street protests is organizing around a political force...and I don't think the Democratic party, which is the only serious political force for us, is seeking or deserving of support through mass protests.

[leftstreet]

11. Several 'other countries' have stronger Labor and Left movements

...a base for organizing. (At least for now)

The US, not so much

[readmoreoften]

15. They've been striking over far less. I was in Europe last week

and buildings were occupied in the small town where I was staying in Italy. Americans truly have no clue what is going on in the world, or how to fight for anything. They are lost in fantasy electoral politics. But that's also because we have no left to speak of in this country since McCarthyism. Our left is a few thousand people who organize just about every protest you see. And a hundred million people knitting their brows over politicians who do not and will not represent them because it is a systemic impossibility.